M4Pro (24GB RAM) vs M4 (32GB RAM)

[GooseInTheCaboose]

I think I have narrowed down my Mac mini purchase to two options.

I will either get the regular M4 chip with 32GB RAM or the M4Pro chip with just 24GB RAM.

My question is, which configuration is better?

I generally have a LOT of tabs and windows and apps open at once, I am terrible at closing them. I have a really big photos library and I like to edit 5.3k videos (short ones, 1-5 minutes) but this is just a hobby and I don't do it every day. For my studies I tend to have a lot of research documents/biiig PDFs (old digitized manuscripts etc) and lots of spreadsheets open at once. Zoom/Google meets, discord, Lightroom, etc...often open all at once because I never finish one thing before starting the next.

Which one should I get?

Regular M4 with lootsss of RAM or M4Pro with a little less RAM?

 

[Significant1]

I think you can best determine that from your current machine.

How much memory do you have now and what is your memory pressure.

 

[FreakinEurekan]

Memory pressure and swap tell you if the memory you have is adequate for your need, full stop.

16GB in my M1 mini was doing fine; green pressure and little to no swap. I had an alternative use for the M1 so bought M4 Pro to replace it and 24GB was of course standard and adequate. I got M4 Pro instead of M4 because ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ I could afford it, and it’ll perhaps age better.

 

[waloshin]

M4 with 24 gbs not the Pro.

 

[rezwits]

I use(d) a MacBook Pro M1 Pro with 32GB, 1TB, that thing has lasted 3 years NO PROBLEM!

Here is something awesome... Apple just gave me an offer to extend AppleCare for $149/year for the first TIME EVER on my MAC!! Which I have ALWAYS wanted. Sooo....

I said awesome future proofing is REAL! This MBP M1P will last till 2030 easily, for couch surfing and light coding and Starbucks and such.

Now enter the Mac Mini M4 Pro, hmm... 64GBs done, I had a 2019 MBP got 16GB regretted it. Got the 32GBs M1P regretted it a "little" so this time I said ok that's that, with AI and future proofing I can keep the Mac Mini M4 Pro till 2030 and beyond... I am happy to do so... 1TB 64GB, locked and loaded!

I mean I'll be good till 2035! (gonna repeat the AppleCare) but I have some Mac Pros that have 15-18 years and some 2013s that are at 11! Runnin' strong!

2¢ Laters...

 

[smirking]

I generally have a LOT of tabs and windows and apps open at once, I am terrible at closing them. I have a really big photos library and I like to edit 5.3k videos (short ones, 1-5 minutes) but this is just a hobby and I don't do it every day. For my studies I tend to have a lot of research documents/biiig PDFs (old digitized manuscripts etc) and lots of spreadsheets open at once. Zoom/Google meets, discord, Lightroom, etc...often open all at once because I never finish one thing before starting the next.

You'll be fine on 24GB.

That's similar to an office productivity workflow that I work in all day. I just spent 3 years being a full time Web Developer and part time photographer on a 16GB M1 Pro and I don't just have lots of tabs open. I have lots of browsers open each with lots of tabs, Capture One Pro always open, and one or two small VM's running in the background.

Memory pressure was always yellow for me. Did it matter? Possibly, but not enough that I noticed and I very much pushed my computer. Most everyday computing and office productivity tasks are very favorable to memory swapping so go for the extra power. If in a few years there's something that requires you to have a little more RAM, you can always close programs, but you can't add more processor.

 

[GooseInTheCaboose]

I think you can best determine that from your current machine.

How much memory do you have now and what is your memory pressure.

Doing basic browsing I use 18.5/24, and it goes up a little when browsing my photos or doing very simple editing. I have not really tried to stress test it with imports etc yet. (my MBA is a relatively new machine for me!)

Photography is just a hobby for me and I admit I don't even fully know my way around FCP or the video apps. I *aspire* to edit more, and I do have a lot of unedited 5k footage that I intend to edit from last summer. I have not taken a lot of photos recently mainly because of the weather lol. Maybe I'll shoot and import tomorrow to test my ram usage with my current machine

 

[Significant1]

Doing basic browsing I use 18.5/24, and it goes up a little when browsing my photos or doing very simple editing. I have not really tried to stress test it with imports etc yet. (my MBA is a relatively new machine for me!)

I doesn't really say much. Apps and the system will keep data around for quick access, just in case. Might as well, until memory is needed elsewhere.

Memory pressure and swap is what you should focus on.

How memory are handled is complex and to keep it simple, apple invented the memory pressure metric.