How much RAM should I get?

[ablx]

Hey all,
the last time I bought a Mac was in 2013, so I am out of the hardware game for quite some time (especially since the prices went insane).
The last years I was just able to use my work laptop for private stuff (always nice MBPs), but this comes to an end now.

I do not need a laptop, so I am considering to buy a Mac Mini.
However I am not sure how much RAM I will need, and this is the one thing I cannot easily upgrade later (I'll use the basic SSD and maybe add an external later).
The thing is, I do not buy it to do (excessive) AI stuff. I am a software dev by day and have enough of it in my day to day job already. I'll maybe use it to do some programming, so a local LLM would be nice, but I do not indent to buy a AI machine.

I will mainly use it for the boring web stuff (were 16 GB should be enough) and also some games. Since the RAM is shared between CPU and GPU I am not totally sure how much I'd need to be able to play newer games on high settings and have it future proof for about 5+years, since man, those Minis got VERY expensive.

 

[Fishrrman]

AT LEAST 24gb of RAM.
32gb is better -- will be useful in the future.

Anything less ... you're going to see why it wasn't such a good idea. Perhaps sooner rather than later.

AT LEAST 512gb SSD, but even that isn't really enough any more.
1tb is what I'd consider to be "the minimum" these days.

Again, buy less, and you'll find out why you should have bought "more", in due time.

Consider yourself as having been duly warned by reading this reply... 😎

 

[jb310]

so a local LLM would be nice, but I do not indent to buy a AI machine.

If it weren't for that part, I'd say you could easily run everything fine on 16 GB, maybe 24 GB depending on the games you play. If you're bringing local LLMs into it, you'd need 32 GB at least to run quantized versions of popular small local models.

I'd say 24 GB is a safe bet; more depending on how much you want to run local LLMs.

 

[Und Eser]

5 groats' worth!

 

[FreakinEurekan]

a local LLM would be nice… some games… future proof for about 5+years

Minimum 32GB.

 

[ablx]

I’ve feared you’ll all say so.
However any chance to safe some bucks on SSD and use one of those Mac mini docks which have an ssd slot built in?
Anyway, even buying a refurbed m4 isn’t that much cheaper, if they are at all.