How much memory is enough?

[blufrog]

Hi,

Now the updated Mini is out, I'm debating if 24 Gb memory (base for M4 Pro model) is enough, or if it is worth getting 32 Gb for the future?

I have lived on 8 Gb this long on a Mac, and never found it limiting for my use-case, but with all the "Apple Intelligence" stuff going on in the background, and knowing the incentive for Apple to ship more memory as base is because these stupid AI things need memory for their "models", I'm wondering if the base 24 Gb is adequate?

Mac Studio seems it will be out some time next year, and for other reasons I can't wait for it to appear (I suspect a base Studio would be awesome). I'm going to wait for the end of the week in case an updated Studio makes an appearance; I can't get the new model until the 8th at the earliest, anyway.

I primarily need a Mac for XCode so I can build software, but I'm also thinking of getting into video editing (strictly as an amateur; not as a day job). It's probably more processor-intensive than anything. Videos would be short clips of maybe 2 minutes each, creating videos up to maybe 15-30 minutes long when edited together.

I'm otherwise quite a light user, using it for personal stuff. I have a gaming PC for the graphics-heavy stuff.

24 Gb base memory is a nice surprise, as I was expecting 16 Gb to be it. $200 for an additional 8 Gb RAM could go towards a lot of external SSD storage.

 

[raythompsontn]

If you keep the machine for several years, go for the maximum amount of memory you can afford. Yes, Apple memory is expensive. Amortized over 5 years, that is only $40.00 per year to go from the base 24 Gig to the maximum 32 Gig. I would also move up to 1 TB of internal storage as that will be much faster storage for video editing.

Just my opinion. It's your money, spend as you see fit.

 

[Beau Slim]

Even doing virtualization or big CAD files in Fusion360, I was totally happy with the 16GB in my M1 Air until last week when I saw minor issues for the first time. The new mini came at exactly the right time and I'll probably grab a 24GB non-pro and expect to be fine for another 4 years.
I'm a huge fan of external storage unless I *NEED* the speed. I've got 10 year old external drives that I still use every day.

 

[JamesMay82]

If you keep machines for long like 5 years + I’d spec up now but if you change early id stick with the base 24 gig.

 

[UbuntuFu]

If you get the Mini with the M4 Pro chip you can't upgrade 24gb to 32gb though.

 

[blufrog]

If you get the Mini with the M4 Pro chip you can't upgrade 24gb to 32gb though.

No...but you can get 48 or 64 Gb.

 

[Fishrrman]

I'm surprised they don't offer a 32gb option for the m4pro Minis.
24gb will be "enough for now", but what about 5-7 years from "now"?

48gb certainly will do for most, but it's a $400 upgrade.
32gb (for, say, $200) would work better.

I'm thinking the architecture of the m4pro chip doesn't permit 32gb (in some way)...