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Ok, I shouldn't have used the word 'stick'. A meant  might be able to re-engineer how RAM is integrated into the motherboard thats flatter, thinner, smaller, higher density. Type. Thing.
 
I don't think that's the situation now. I've heard that the 13" rMBP case simply isn't long enough for two 8GB RAM modules. I don't know if there will be any 'rearranging' done for the Haswell model or if Apple can source cheap enough 16GB modules this year. If either of those are the case and the 13" rMBP is still only available with 8GB of RAM then it would seem to be a purposeful differentiation.

I just looked at both iFixit teardowns and you're right. The 13" rMBP has a single RAM module while the 15" rMBP has two.
jEiUQZaWvtJUyiOo.medium

13" rMBP (memory in orange)
IAbJlQbhPUYnQMOS.medium

15" rMBP (memory in teal)

So I guess the 13" will get 16GB whenever the 15" will get 32GB.
 
I'm really hoping for 16GB in mbpr 13. There might be technical issues that limits the 13 inch model comparing to the 15 but I really don't hope that Apple on purpose makes the 13 inch "weaker" then it's bigger brother. I need the power but I like the 13 inch format. I would pay the same price for the 13 inch as for the 15 if I get the same power. They have the air model if I want a weaker and smaller model.
 
Saw a 13" rMBP in store today and the glassy screen wasn't as reflective as the non-retina glassy ones. So I'm getting slowly used to the notion I could live with a retina type display. Loved the form factor of the 13", but currently only in 8GB RAM max. Questions...

1. Can one upgrade the RAM to say 16GB themselves, or are they soldered on?

2. What are the chances the next revision will see a bump of the RAM up to 16GB, and I guess the 15" to 32GB as a CTO?

3. And a bump to a quad core processor?

2 - maybe 16gb in 13", 32gb only with DDR4 (I guess).

3 - maybe in skylake.
 
People say they won't include 16GB to differentiate the 13" rMBP and the 15" rMBP but the problem is that they already have enough differentiation.

1. 15" is.. well, 15" -- bigger screen
2. 15" has quad core processors
3. 15" has dedicated GPU
4. 15" has 16GB RAM

However, the differentiation between 13" rMBP and the 13" MBA is very small.

1. rMBP has a higher resolution screen
2. rMBP has a slightly better processor (although the same core count)

Allowing 13" rMBP to get 16GB RAM would make the product differentiation between it and 13" MBA larger (which makes more sense since they are 2 different products, that's where you want the product differentiation).
 
I just looked at both iFixit teardowns and you're right. The 13" rMBP has a single RAM module while the 15" rMBP has two.
Image
13" rMBP (memory in orange)
Image
15" rMBP (memory in teal)

So I guess the 13" will get 16GB whenever the 15" will get 32GB.

Why the 13" RAM chips are bigger than the 15" ones? Why wouldn't it be technically possible to fit 12GB or 16GB in the 13" rMBP? Is it really only a space issue?
 
Well apple could fit 16GB in the 13" if they changed from 8x1GB chips to 8x2GB chips couldn't they?
 
Why the 13" RAM chips are bigger than the 15" ones? Why wouldn't it be technically possible to fit 12GB or 16GB in the 13" rMBP? Is it really only a space issue?

They're not bigger. The photo may give that impression because the whole logic board is bigger on the 15", but both use the same RAM chips (Hynix H5TC4G83).

Currently the 13" rMBP can only support on one row of 16 RAM chips (16 x 512MB) while the 15" has two rows for a total of 32 chips (32 x 256MB or 32 x 512MB), it appears to be because of a space constraint, yes. On the picture they look like they have 8 and 16 RAM chips respectively, but iFixit mentions there are RAM modules on each size of the board.

Hynix is readying a 1GB version of those RAM chips (H5TC8G83) which will be suitable for the 13" rMBP (16 x 1GB = 16GB total). Their website state that they are currently in "Customer/Engineering sample" so I guess their mass production is pretty close. I wouldn't hold my breath for them to be available for the 2013 13" rMBP though.
 
Well apple could fit 16GB in the 13" if they changed from 8x1GB chips to 8x2GB chips couldn't they?

Apple can do almost anything to their products, but in the end, its all about marketing and sales.

I don't see them throwing in 16gb into a 13" rMBP this year or early next year. The average user doesn't even come close to using 8gb of memory, yet alone, 4gb. As time passes, software requirements demand more RAM.

But until then, the 15" would be the only option on the table. And that is where Apple wants it.
 
2. rMBP has a slightly better processor (although the same core count)
Nope.

MBAs use a ULV/ULT CPU (15-17W TDP, no higher), while MBPRs use standard voltage. The result is the MBPR can turbo its CPU more often than the MBA can.
 
Or the cMBP with third party RAM.

True.

But I was only referring to the retina display model. Soldered ram is a big problem for some users. Not having the option to upgrade in the future is a deal breaker for most.
 
I don't see them throwing in 16gb into a 13" rMBP this year or early next year. The average user doesn't even come close to using 8gb of memory, yet alone, 4gb. As time passes, software requirements demand more RAM.

Have you run Mavericks?
Opening Safari with few tabs and Maps eats 4GB ram... An average non savvy user will consume easily 8GB....
 
Have you run Mavericks?
Opening Safari with few tabs and Maps eats 4GB ram... An average non savvy user will consume easily 8GB....

I strongly disagree.

Average users don't max out close 8gb. 4gb coming standard on the 2013 Haswell MBA is proof of it. Although it would be very nice to have 8gb, majority of users will not use it for simple tasks.

I don't have say on Mavericks, but I can assure you that at 8gb is not EASILY used up by the average user. Unless one was running multiples VMs with multiples tabs opened playing flash along with games.
 
I strongly disagree.

Average users don't max out close 8gb. 4gb coming standard on the 2013 Haswell MBA is proof of it. Although it would be very nice to have 8gb, majority of users will not use it for simple tasks.

I don't have say on Mavericks, but I can assure you that at 8gb is not EASILY used up by the average user. Unless one was running multiples VMs with multiples tabs opened playing flash along with games.

Of course most of people would get a 11" MBA with 4GB, but I believe most of those who purchase the 13" MBA will get it with 8GB...

An average user would have several applications running such as email, browser, windows VM, MS office, iTunes, PDF reader,...etc All these apps would sum easily 8gb...

There is no way we could prove our statements, unless Apple or a third party provides a tool that gathers periodically RAM usage stats...
 
Nope.

MBAs use a ULV/ULT CPU (15-17W TDP, no higher), while MBPRs use standard voltage. The result is the MBPR can turbo its CPU more often than the MBA can.

If the rMBP CPU can turbo more often, doesn't that make it go faster = being a better processor (in performance)??
 
I ordered two rMBP 13" Haswell and I received one with 16GB RAM and the other with 32GB RAM (both have i7 quad). Now I just can't decide which one to keep?

Tell us more about GeForce 780m SLI packed in these babies, dude!
 
I'm currently on a mid-2010 15" Arrandale i7 with 4 gigs of RAM which was an Apple replacement for my beloved 2.8 Core2Duo late-2008 unibody MBP. I'll possibly be upgrading to a top-end 15" next year (probably be the mid-2014 refresh), but my wife is currently without a computer.

She loves the 13" rMBP, so I'm hoping to get her a Haswell 13" for Christmas. She has no interest in the 15".

But, if Apple only offers 8 GB of RAM, that will be a huge disappointment, considering even my turd of a machine can have 8 GB. I realize mine is a cMBP and not an rMBP, but nonetheless 8 GB max - with no chance of upgrade later - is pretty hard to stomach on a computer in late 2013...especially a $2500 machine.
 
I ordered two rMBP 13" Haswell and I received one with 16GB RAM and the other with 32GB RAM (both have i7 quad). Now I just can't decide which one to keep?

No you didn't.

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I strongly disagree.

Average users don't max out close 8gb. 4gb coming standard on the 2013 Haswell MBA is proof of it. Although it would be very nice to have 8gb, majority of users will not use it for simple tasks.

I don't have say on Mavericks, but I can assure you that at 8gb is not EASILY used up by the average user. Unless one was running multiples VMs with multiples tabs opened playing flash along with games.

You are spot on here. With most things, it's your personal use. I have no issues with 4gb if you are doing email, safari, office, ect.
 
All I want is a 15.4" MBPr with 32gb ram and a 512gb ssd and a processor that is awesome.

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I ordered two rMBP 13" Haswell and I received one with 16GB RAM and the other with 32GB RAM (both have i7 quad). Now I just can't decide which one to keep?

Keep the 32gb quad i7 until the 4GHz dual quad core 1TB SSD model is released next week
 
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