Toggle sidebar Toggle sidebar
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.

Is 4GB enough?

Calinski

Calinski

macrumors newbie
Original poster
I'm hoping to get a Macbook Pro or Macbook Air, possibly a 4GB one due to budget restraints. I'm wondering though if this is enough? My current setup is a Windows laptop and I use Photoshop and Illustrator on a daily basis as I'm a graphic designer. Other software I use is Spotify, Microsoft Office (thought I'll probably switch to Mail once I have a Macbook), Skype and Chrome for browsing. If I decide to upgrade the RAM later on, is it possible to do this with a Macbook Pro or Air?
 
Thanks @Meister for the link to the thread, very useful. I am however a bit conflicted now because I watched the video linked from the bottom of the first post and they're using the same applications as me, on a 4gb model, but when I completed the questionnaire it indicated that I'd need an 8gb model.
 
Calinski said:
Thanks for the link to the thread, very useful. I am however a bit conflicted now because I watched the video linked from the bottom of the first post and they're using the same applications as me, on a 4gb model, but when I completed the questionnaire it indicated that I'd need an 8gb model.
Click to expand...
Those are merely suggestions.
Like I wrote: 4gb would work for you (keep in mind Ps 3d functions do not work with 4gb), but if you are doing heavy Ps editing 8gb would be recommended.

Only you know the exact extent of what you are doing in Ps and wether you are multitasking with other apps.
I've done everything (including video editing) on mbas with 4gb and never had any problems. It depends however how you are using things.

But because you are used to windows laptops I suspect that even the base macbook air will completely blow you away 🙂
So finally if your budget is really tight, 4gb RAM are just fine.
 
Meister said:
Those are merely suggestions.
Like I wrote: 4gb would work for you (keep in mind Ps 3d functions do not work with 4gb), but if you are doing heavy Ps editing 8gb would be recommended.

Only you know the exact extent of what you are doing in Ps and wether you are multitasking with other apps.
I've done everything (including video editing) on mbas with 4gb and never had any problems. It depends however how you are using things.

But because you are used to windows laptops I suspect that even the base macbook air will completely blow you away 🙂
So finally if your budget is really tight, 4gb RAM are just fine.
Click to expand...

I completely agree, I am still in the Windows mindset and Apple are on a whole different level when it comes to such things. I'm already an Apple lover as I've had iPhones since iPhone 3 so I do appreciate how powerful their products are. I've grinded my teeth with envy when I've used a friend's Macbook to check my email so I know I'll be blown away, as you put it. I don't use 3d functions in Photoshop, I use it for designing website banners, layouts, buttons, forms, etc. and Illustrator for designing logos, flyers and posters, so perhaps I'll be fine. Not a great amount of layers either (well, not in the 100's range.. the most I have in one file is 40).

Off to do some serious thinking 😉
 
OP asks:
[[ Is 4GB enough? ]]

Short answer:
No.

Longer answer:
4gb might work ok at the moment, but I sense that in the future the OS is going to "want more".
I would not recommend ANY new Mac UNLESS it has AT LEAST 8gb of RAM.
Since [in most Macs] there's no way to upgrade the RAM later on, your only practical choice (for longevity) is to pony up the cash and get it now...
 
I agree with Fishr.

If budget allows, I would upgrade to the extra RAM. It won't make for a huge price increase and doing so should allay your concerns in this area.
 
Are you doing big projects in Photoshop and Illustrator? My girlfriend uses the same apps and often works on a several dozen large RAW files at a time. She's running 8GB and even that is not enough for her needs. 4GB would make her Mac unusable in her case.
 
On a side note. Best buy often have a 8gb MBA 13" for the price of a 4gb, so you get a pretty amazing deal when they give an extra 100$ rebate.
 
Cloudsurfer said:
Are you doing big projects in Photoshop and Illustrator? My girlfriend uses the same apps and often works on a several dozen large RAW files at a time. She's running 8GB and even that is not enough for her needs. 4GB would make her Mac unusable in her case.
Click to expand...
That's what I meant when I said that a graphica designer has to know their needs.
How much memory is required for Ps depends on what exactly your are using it for.
The OP said that they are mainly designing logos and the sort. I am sure 4gb will work for that, but 8 would be recommended.
 
Samuelsan2001 said:
Then I would reccomend that you get a refurb, you can get an rMBP 8gb 256ssd version for $1,160 on the apple refurb store.

see here

http://store.apple.com/us/browse/home/specialdeals/mac/macbook_pro/15
Click to expand...

Winning suggestion. I've almost exclusively gone refurb. My wife is still using the refurb 2008 15" MBP as her daily machine. This thing has taken a beating, including a drowning, and keeps on ticking. I have not had a single issue going refurb FROM THE APPLE STORE!
 
Budget constraints? Go refurbished.
Adobe software? Get 8gb (debatable, but in most cases recommended).

If you must, trade storage for RAM, since at least the first is user upgradeable.
 
Calinski said:
I'm hoping to get a Macbook Pro or Macbook Air, possibly a 4GB one due to budget restraints. I'm wondering though if this is enough? My current setup is a Windows laptop and I use Photoshop and Illustrator on a daily basis as I'm a graphic designer. Other software I use is Spotify, Microsoft Office (thought I'll probably switch to Mail once I have a Macbook), Skype and Chrome for browsing. If I decide to upgrade the RAM later on, is it possible to do this with a Macbook Pro or Air?
Click to expand...

If you get an MBA with flash storage then 4GB or 8GB is much less important as if/when you swap to disk it won't be anything like as slow as with a spinning drive. My 11" MBA 4GB/64GB typically runs with memory pressure in the yellow using around 8-9GB virtual and swapping around 1GB (several users left logged in), no appreciable slowdown due to the swapping - but no graphics apps used either.
 
simonsi said:
If you get an MBA with flash storage then 4GB or 8GB is much less important as if/when you swap to disk it won't be anything like as slow as with a spinning drive. My 11" MBA 4GB/64GB typically runs with memory pressure in the yellow using around 8-9GB virtual and swapping around 1GB (several users left logged in), no appreciable slowdown due to the swapping - but no graphics apps used either.
Click to expand...
What are you running that causes it to get yellow?
 
simonsi said:
Nothing in particular, I think it is just the 4 users being logged-in that causes it (kids use it for homework etc), so typically that is only safari in use on each id.
Click to expand...
Changing between users without logging them out causes that.
I have a work and a private account on my rmbp and I observe the same thing.
Loging out instead of changing users solves this though.
 
Maybe Macbook Pro is not for you I could be wrong. Windows laptop such as Dell or HP is cheap with high end dGPU and easy memory upgrade in the future. I thought 8GB is perfect for me until I started trying out playing games I realized I need 16GB. Oh well. :apple:
 
Badrottie said:
Maybe Macbook Pro is not for you I could be wrong. Windows laptop such as Dell or HP is cheap with high end dGPU and easy memory upgrade in the future. I thought 8GB is perfect for me until I started trying out playing games I realized I need 16GB. Oh well. :apple:
Click to expand...
Windows laptops are horrid and the OP has no use for a high end dgpu.
What game requires 16gb?
 
I think to answer the OP's question 4GB isn't enough any longer. Especially using PS. I've seen enough threads of people complaining about performance issues on Macs running Yosemite (or even Mavericks) with only 4GB
 
Badrottie said:
Maybe Macbook Pro is not for you I could be wrong. Windows laptop such as Dell or HP is cheap with high end dGPU and easy memory upgrade in the future. I thought 8GB is perfect for me until I started trying out playing games I realized I need 16GB. Oh well. :apple:
Click to expand...


8gb is fine for any current game, the graphics on the other hand are not great for gaming on any macbook...
 
maflynn said:
I think to answer the OP's question 4GB isn't enough any longer. Especially using PS. I've seen enough threads of people complaining about performance issues on Macs running Yosemite (or even Mavericks) with only 4GB
Click to expand...
Do you have a link to such a thread?
 
Meister said:
Windows laptops are horrid and the OP has no use for a high end dgpu.
What game requires 16gb?
Click to expand...

Empire Total War Gold Edition crashed when I tried to load. Not enough memory so I had to clear memory up. This is 2012 rMBP base model. :apple:

----------
simonsi said:
I know. Teenagers. Life is too short 😀

----------



What made you think 8GB wasn't enough?
Click to expand...

When I am trying to load Empire Total War Gold edition it crashed so I assumed 8GB is not enough for today newest games. Am I wrong? :apple:

----------
Samuelsan2001 said:
8gb is fine for any current game, the graphics on the other hand are not great for gaming on any macbook...
Click to expand...

Do you play Empire Total War Gold Edition? :apple:
 
Badrottie said:
Empire Total War Gold Edition crashed when I tried to load. Not enough memory so I had to clear memory up. This is 2012 rMBP base model. :apple:


When I am trying to load Empire Total War Gold edition it crashed so I assumed 8GB is not enough for today newest games. Am I wrong? :apple:
Click to expand...
I am not sure I follow. What does "had to clear memory up" mean?
What error message did you get exactly?
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.
Top Bottom
Back