iPad Pro iPad RAM is not THAT important

[Sensamic]

In the last 10 years, we've seen Apple increase progressively RAM in their iPads and iPhones, going from 4GB to 6GB, then 8GB and now 12GB.

It's fair to assume that maybe in 3/4 years they will increase again base RAM to 16GB in their mobile devices, specially if there's big advancements in AI, as many people believe will happen in the next 3/4 years.

So maybe in less than 5 years, 12GB RAM won't be enough anymore, and will not be as futureproof as some may think.

Just think this: M1 and M2 iPad Pros already had 16GB RAM in their top configurations. Has it been any useful? There was that news a while ago that Apple bottleneck RAM to less via software.

Also, those iPads with 16GB RAM won't get longer software support from Apple, and won't get any big demanding AI feature if it requires a more powerful chip like M4 or M5.

So, what's the point? An M4 iPad Pro with 8GB RAM will get longer software support than a 16GB RAM M1 or M2 iPad Pro. Maybe the chip is more important to make the device still fast in 8 years.

Oh, and even if we get 16GB RAM in the base models, battery degradation will probably make us change our iPads before we thought. So, again, not much futureproofing IMO.

 

[Sheepish-Lord]

Those that have been keeping up with the evolution of the iPad hopefully understand developers have reported not having full access to the RAM so there’s still a limit built in for them. Additionally, Apple has been raising the RAM across all devices because AI reportedly takes up roughly 8gb.

It’s all because of AI…that’s it.

 

[leifp]

I fell for it last time: I have the 1TB iPP M4 with 16GB RAM. I notice zero difference between it and the M2 iPP I had before that. I definitely like the improved screen that tandem OLED brings to the table (100% notice that difference) but otherwise I could have stuck with the older processor and the lower RAM. That said, I have not yet upgraded to iPadOS 26 and I will definitely try it out with my Studio Display, which may well trip up lesser iPads.

Edit: my M1 and M2 iPP had 8GB RAM

 

[rui no onna]

I needed 1TB anyway so the 16GB RAM is a nice bonus. I've noticed more frequent reloads on my iPad mini 7 versus my 1TB M1 iPP so I reckon the extra 8GB RAM does help. That said, I wouldn't pay the $600 upcharge for the extra RAM alone.

 

[Digitalguy]

That's what I used to think too, until little more than a year ago... I had a 16GB RAM M1 11" and a 8GB one (12.9"). And I couldn't see much difference between the 2. So I said to myself, it's not worth it. And when I got the M4 13 I decided to go with the base model (cellular, all my iPads are cellular).
And again I could not see much difference. I wasn't expecting any difference in speed, but I was expecting a difference in terms of reloads, which plagued my old 4GB RAM iPad pro 3rd gen.

Then I completely changed my mind after updating to iPadOS 18. My M4 started reloading my tabs all the time, I couldn't leave a few tabs open with stuff unfinished (youtube video paused, comments half written, forms half filled) without my tabs reloading after I had used a few others app in the meantime. My 16GB RAM M1 hardly ever reloaded. iPad 26 changed very little. Still a lot of reloads on 8GB and none on 16GB.

At this point this has nothing to do with future proofing.
8GB RAM are a problem today for me, not a possible issue in the future. So yes, RAM is important to me.
What's not important is CPU and GPU speed. M1 is still fast enough for me, as I don't do anything considered heavy or demanding like gaming or video editing.. But RAM is an issue.
Still I don't want to get rid of the light form factor of the M4. So at this point M5 could be the solution, especially the 16GB one.
Maybe for other uses cases 8GB are plenty. Maybe many people don't care about reloads or even realize they are there, because they never leave unfinished stuff. So I am not speaking for everybody.

I am speaking for myself here. And for iPad RAM is THAT important. So well, I respectfully disagree.