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Mac Mini m2 Pro - 16GB vs 32GB
- Thread starter icemantx
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I saw your earlier post about maybe getting into app development.
I am not "professional" mobile developer (ie I don't get paid to develop them) but I have built several non-trivial apps using xcode and android studio using, and plenty of Ruby/Rails apps and Arduino apps using vscode.
I am currently using a 8G MacBookPro from early 2015. I downloaded the Xcode benchmark and ran it on my system and the build time was just about 750 seconds (12.5 minutes). The benchmark does not use a huge amount of memory, it just compiles a huge number of files so I think that is cpu limited not memory limited.
I also saw the M2 Pro 16/512 xcode benchmark was around 85 seconds, so with 12 cores maybe 17 seconds faster? That's not a game changer, and if it ever got back to 750 seconds, then the 12 core would be something like 600 seconds or 10 minutes ... if I have to wait 10 minutes for my project to compile I can wait 12.5 (I am already going for a coffee anyay)
The fact that memory is used, doesn't mean it was needed or made an impact.
That's true. Is there a definite way to find out whether a system is lacking in memory? I noticed some swap space was used, not much just 100+mb🤔
The Activity Monitor's memory pressure graph gives a pretty easy to understand index of memory demand in your system. Because the whole formula is more like a function of multiple factors so you can't just look at one metric and determine from it, say you got a few GBs of swap, but that can very well be an unclosed Chrome tab that doesn't need to be called out every other minute, so it is actually best if it stays in SSD cache than in your RAM. The memory pressure knows how unfrequent you access this and will deem it being a low pressure task even though it takes up that much virtual memory.
I see! Thanks for the explanation!🙏🏼 I wasn't aware I should also consider the memory pressure😆
I think it's very hard for me to justify 500 Canadian$$ for the 32GB RAM upgrade. I just think i'll rarely go over the 16 GB I have. Even if I do, I think the machine is so fast that using swap won't affect things too too much (at least that's my understanding from the benchmarks and tests I've seen online). Not at the level I use it at anyway. I've spent the money upgrading the CPU to the 12 core version and the storage to 1TB. That's my happy medium.
I use it for Ableton mostly.
I use it for Ableton mostly.
If your memory pressure is usually green 16GB is fine, but if your memory pressure is usually yellow get 32GB.
Is it an fair comparison to look at the memory in use on an intel based iMac (late 2014 27" i5 with 32GB RAM) to compare the amount of RAM you would need on a M2 Pro Mac Mini?
Pretty regularly I am using over 12GB RAM on my current machine (currently 25GB RAM in use rendering videos which takes forever on this aging machine).
I am debating the 16GB vs 32GB and now leaning towards 32GB being I plan on keeping it a good 3-5 years minimum (or until my needs change or OS updates cease).
Is memory swap REALLY that bad?
I mean, if you’re planning on upgrading in 2-3 years, would it be fine?
I mean, if you’re planning on upgrading in 2-3 years, would it be fine?
Green with 32GB RAM on my iMac with 25GB in use. I am not opposed to going down to 16GB on the M2 Pro Mac Mini if it is simply unnecessary and overkill due to the effectiveness of swap with the unified memory.
Buy the 16GB one. You have a week and a half to put it through its paces to see how much RAM you need.
I'm running an iMac 27" late 2012 i7 with 32GB ram. I waited for the M2 to replace my iMac. But I totally don't know what RAM size to take 16 of 32GB. I do normal office stuff and run a virtual machine for windows and a database. I do no video editing. I even question if the Pro is necessary because I do no video editing.
At $1299 2023 Mac mini M2 Pro 5nm should have 32GB RAM & 1TB SSD.
That config should be good until year 2033 when sub-1nm chips are found in Macs & iPhones.
That config should be good until year 2033 when sub-1nm chips are found in Macs & iPhones.
It probably depends on your workflows. I suspect there are a lot of folks gravitating towards the M2 Pro Macs (and I lump in the Mac mini, 14-inch MacBook Pro, and 16-inch MacBook Pro) thinking that they'll need Pro when really a base model M2 with 16GB or 24GB of RAM will likely be plenty sufficient. I'm not saying you're one of them. Just that a LOT of people are used to going "Pro" because they think that's baseline in the way that an Intel 13-inch MacBook Pro was the entry level Mac in the Intel era for many.
Exactly!! This is why I'm reading all the questions/answers and asking questions on this forum, to make a truly appropriate choice. I don't want to waste my money on overkill hardware. And this is the problem with the marketing of Apple. It's hard to select the right configuration and the marketing is done in a way that you think you really need the higher configuration, so you end giving Apple all of your money. It's exactly what THEY want you to do!
There isn't enough warning about this fallacy trap, on the forum. Choosing the right hardware IS HARD, because it can't be upgradable later anymore, and we can't predict precisely our own future.
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This is my exact predicament.
As of now, I’m a prosumer, and the M2 Mac Mini 16GB seems enough, especially after stress testing my 2019 base 16” MacBook Pro, but my work flow will be getting more intense within the next couple of years.
Of course, I could buy something more powerful in the next two years if I’m making money with the help of the Mac Mini, but right this moment, spending 300 bucks for a pro is a big difference.
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Aside from video editing (which apparently the base M2 Mac Mini is already good for basic 4K content - even better for 1080p or TikTok/Instagram content) and gaming, what else would benefit from the extra GPU From the pro? CPU is nearly identical.
I ordered the 16GB RAM / 512 SSD Mac Mini yesterday, but if the extra GPU and bit extra CPU will benefit me with graphic design, 2D game design, and photo editing (prosumer level), then I’ll cancel my order right now and just order the Base Pro.
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The following 7 min video is interesting. If you're still hesitating about which mini M2/M2 Pro to buy (like me ), the guy justify the M2 non-Pro for most users:
But I must admit that I didn't fixed my choice yet! Still hesitating between M2 24GB/512GB and M2 Pro 16GB/512GB (about 230$CD more) because of 2 more Thunderbolt ports and ... maybe new 3D games!? WTF!?
), the guy justify the M2 non-Pro for most users:But I must admit that I didn't fixed my choice yet!
Still hesitating between M2 24GB/512GB and M2 Pro 16GB/512GB (about 230$CD more) because of 2 more Thunderbolt ports and ... maybe new 3D games!? WTF!?
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Been reading this thread, and here's what I'm trying to decide.
(First--I'm coming from a 32GB iMac2013 (bought in 2015). 8 years is a great ride. Of course, it has 3 SSDs hanging off of it, and practically have every port with something in it....)
Leaning towards M2 Pro, but stuck on 16gb or 32gb. Run Parallels and will be running only Win 11 on parallels (so that's the extent of my virtual machines). I notoriously keep multiple windows open and browser tabs open. Obviously, plenty of Teams calls (but that's using the Mac version).
I'm going to get an NVME SSD and thunderbolt enclosure (it will be 2TB to consolidate the above 3 SSDs)
Really don't want to drop 400 on the extra memory and use that to get 1tb ssd instead. Thoughts?
(First--I'm coming from a 32GB iMac2013 (bought in 2015). 8 years is a great ride. Of course, it has 3 SSDs hanging off of it, and practically have every port with something in it....)
Leaning towards M2 Pro, but stuck on 16gb or 32gb. Run Parallels and will be running only Win 11 on parallels (so that's the extent of my virtual machines). I notoriously keep multiple windows open and browser tabs open. Obviously, plenty of Teams calls (but that's using the Mac version).
I'm going to get an NVME SSD and thunderbolt enclosure (it will be 2TB to consolidate the above 3 SSDs)
Really don't want to drop 400 on the extra memory and use that to get 1tb ssd instead. Thoughts?
The following 7 min video is interesting. If you're still hesitating about which mini M2/M2 Pro to buy (like me
But I must admit that I didn't fixed my choice yet!
People keep saying 8 GB is enough, but any time I test things out on my Intel MacBook Pro and new M2 Mac Mini Pro, I easily pass 8GB without doing much.
But once I really tried to stress test my machine, It doesn’t get past 14GB of RAM, so I think for prosumers, 16 GB will be enough, possibly with the occasional memory swap with very intense workloads.
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I took the advice on this thread and went with 16GB. You have 2 weeks to put it though it’s paces to see if the way you use your computer has any challenges with 16GB.
If it does, you can get a 32GB one instead and return the 16GB. From what I’ve seen, it sounds like the difference for the vast majority of users is negligible between 16 and 32GB. By the time 16GB is problematic for me, the processor and other factors are likely to be slowing me down as well and it will be time to upgrade.
For reference, I am moving from a late 2014 iMac 5k i5 so in every way the M2 Pro Mac Mini will run circles around the old iMac. I will say it has served me well for 8+ years and had a Fusion Drive + 16GB for 7 of them until I upgraded to 32GB and 2TB SSD last year.
If it does, you can get a 32GB one instead and return the 16GB. From what I’ve seen, it sounds like the difference for the vast majority of users is negligible between 16 and 32GB. By the time 16GB is problematic for me, the processor and other factors are likely to be slowing me down as well and it will be time to upgrade.
For reference, I am moving from a late 2014 iMac 5k i5 so in every way the M2 Pro Mac Mini will run circles around the old iMac. I will say it has served me well for 8+ years and had a Fusion Drive + 16GB for 7 of them until I upgraded to 32GB and 2TB SSD last year.