M1 Max 64GB using up 40GB RAM?

[spinstorm]

I picked up the top spec 14” MacBook Pro stocked in the UK Apple stores on launch day.

The 14” M1 Max 10/32 with 64GB RAM (unified memory) and 2TB SSD. I was originally thinking of going 32GB and I AM VERY GLAD I DID NOT!

I have a Youtube channel - www.youtube.com/techinthecar - where I make car videos and I have been growing really well doing press launches, Ferrari, electric cars etc; and I was having RAM issues on my 13 inch Pro M1 machine. It would tell me I am out of RAM and close (or try to close) Final Cut Pro.

I assumed that 32GB RAM would fix that but I am seeing even on 64GB that the machine is using 40GB of memory in activity manager plus I am getting constant spinning wheels when loading and editing footage. I wasn’t getting this on my M1 Macbook Pro.

Do I have a faulty machine? How can it be using so much RAM/memory?

 

[Sanpete]

Some screenshots of your Activity Monitor to show what's running, and taking up memory, will help.

 

[Pro Apple Silicon]

I picked up the top spec 14” MacBook Pro stocked in the UK Apple stores on launch day.

The 14” M1 Max 10/32 with 64GB RAM (unified memory) and 2TB SSD. I was originally thinking of going 32GB and I AM VERY GLAD I DID NOT!

I have a Youtube channel - www.youtube.com/techinthecar - where I make car videos and I have been growing really well doing press launches, Ferrari, electric cars etc; and I was having RAM issues on my 13 inch Pro M1 machine. It would tell me I am out of RAM and close (or try to close) Final Cut Pro.

I assumed that 32GB RAM would fix that but I am seeing even on 64GB that the machine is using 40GB of memory in activity manager plus I am getting constant spinning wheels when loading and editing footage. I wasn’t getting this on my M1 Macbook Pro.

Do I have a faulty machine? How can it be using so much RAM/memory?

It's supposed to use the RAM. The Mac will use any amount of RAM you throw it at it. It doesn't sit there unused.

 

[Fomalhaut]

I picked up the top spec 14” MacBook Pro stocked in the UK Apple stores on launch day.

The 14” M1 Max 10/32 with 64GB RAM (unified memory) and 2TB SSD. I was originally thinking of going 32GB and I AM VERY GLAD I DID NOT!

I have a Youtube channel - www.youtube.com/techinthecar - where I make car videos and I have been growing really well doing press launches, Ferrari, electric cars etc; and I was having RAM issues on my 13 inch Pro M1 machine. It would tell me I am out of RAM and close (or try to close) Final Cut Pro.

I assumed that 32GB RAM would fix that but I am seeing even on 64GB that the machine is using 40GB of memory in activity manager plus I am getting constant spinning wheels when loading and editing footage. I wasn’t getting this on my M1 Macbook Pro.

Do I have a faulty machine? How can it be using so much RAM/memory?

You know that MacOS will take advantage of unused RAM for file system caches don't you? How much are your applications actually using? Screen shots of Activity monitor Memory and Process tabs show memory usage (real and virtual) would help!

As for spinning wheels when loading footage, what kind of footage? Resolution, codec type? How complex are your edits? e.g. lots of video layers, effects, color grades, titles? Are you using lower resolution timeline or proxies? Background rendering enabled? There could be lots of things!