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Overkill?

bronksy

bronksy

macrumors 6502a
Original poster
Oct 5, 2006
735
469
London
I am looking to get a 13" rMPB..
has to be the 13" because of the size.

I'm a pro photographer and also do some video but mainly will be used for editing images in the field. With video I won't be doing much - but could be simple edits in prep for work on my main mac at base.

I can get from stock at the Apple stores, the 2.8i7/512SSD and 8gb Ram - but I am wondering how much I'll miss out on the extra memory of 16Gb.

If i add the memory I have to do a BTO and besides a few weeks wait - It's a PITA if I need to exchange it. Picking up in the store is way easier.

Will 16 be overkill in the 13" - would it even be used? I'm wondering why they're not offering the top spec model in store with the 1tb SSD (which I don't need but would buy for convenience) 16Gb RAM and the 2.8i7.

So it's almost what I want but I am wondering on if I should be resolute about the 16Gb RAM - or just walk into the store and buy one.
 
lg251 said:
There's about 20 threads on this already. Do a quick search on 8 vs 16g. (Y)
Click to expand...

I did - but I am interested in why the Apple store are selling the bumped processor but not bumping anything else.. and there's a month wait for the upper configs - so I assume there's some sort of RAM shortage?
 
bronksy said:
I am looking to get a 13" rMPB..
has to be the 13" because of the size.

I'm a pro photographer and also do some video but mainly will be used for editing images in the field. With video I won't be doing much - but could be simple edits in prep for work on my main mac at base.

I can get from stock at the Apple stores, the 2.8i7/512SSD and 8gb Ram - but I am wondering how much I'll miss out on the extra memory of 16Gb.

If i add the memory I have to do a BTO and besides a few weeks wait - It's a PITA if I need to exchange it. Picking up in the store is way easier.

Will 16 be overkill in the 13" - would it even be used? I'm wondering why they're not offering the top spec model in store with the 1tb SSD (which I don't need but would buy for convenience) 16Gb RAM and the 2.8i7.

So it's almost what I want but I am wondering on if I should be resolute about the 16Gb RAM - or just walk into the store and buy one.
Click to expand...

I started to look into the same thing and apple pises me off, looks like you cant upgrade lated to RAM nor a STORAGE< also battery is glued, so I think we have to make our decisions wise for the purchase, I dont seel my apple products so I will be using it for forever and thats why I think I need to get the 16gb ram and possibly 1tb storage for the future use. :( sucks, but what can you do... I was thinking of 15inch vs 13 but I think size is the key for me, 15inch seems to big, and I dont like that keyboard, looks so tiny on the 15inch even though its exactly the same as on every other model :) but 15inch seems to big for me. I have imac 27inch at home, actualy two of them so all the photography and video work I will be doing on them, this one is for quick work or when I travel, my photo equipment is so heavy already that weight and size does play a major role. :(
 
Same situation - but I'm impatient!

chrysek said:
this one is for quick work or when I travel, my photo equipment is so heavy already that weight and size does play a major role. :(
Click to expand...

Me too - my main machine is the iMac - so this is for those times where I need to sit on a plane or train and do some work for a press deadline. I found the Air chugged along a little when I used it - but did run aperture ok.. struggled a little with Final Cut but I expected this.

So it's one to keep in my camera bag and make some edits - or output a slideshow for an event I'm working at so they can show some images onto a screen - the Air took about 40mins to export a 12 min slideshow.. way too long!
 
bronksy said:
I did - but I am interested in why the Apple store are selling the bumped processor but not bumping anything else.. and there's a month wait for the upper configs - so I assume there's some sort of RAM shortage?
Click to expand...

The Apple store in my area has the 15in 2.3/16/ 256 $2,599 model in the store for immediate pickup. I would check with your store. They might just have what you are looking for in stock
 
Wow... I just checked the apple web store, 3-4 weeks to ship if you bump the memory config to 16GB... ! To be honest, I just bought the 2013 model so I could get the 16GB (had a lat 2012 model). The memory is just that important, IMHO. If you aren't getting the 16GB in the 13", then buy a traded in 2012 model and save a bunch of money, or go with a 15", or wait the 3-4 weeks...
 
bronksy said:
Yes- but I want the 13" and I'm also in the UK :)
Click to expand...

Well, to be honest I don't really get why you're choosing the i7. The performance is better but the price difference doesn't justify it over the base one.
I'd rather get the 16GB version, and probably 256GB SSD. There are nice, slim external hard disks for sale which you could get for a lot less.
 
PedroCst said:
Well, to be honest I don't really get why you're choosing the i7. The performance is better but the price difference doesn't justify it over the base one.
I'd rather get the 16GB version, and probably 256GB SSD. There are nice, slim external hard disks for sale which you could get for a lot less.
Click to expand...

I actually have been told that the i7 has a lot better performance at the cache level as well as multi-threading (don't know what that means)

For any 16gb version it's a long wait. 512 is the min I need for my photo and video work. I have an external 1tb disk but it's about portability. I carry 20Kg of kit.. I don't want to take more than I have to.

The retail stores dont sell the 16gb version - it's only BTO.

I have a friend who works for Apple and I gets me a nice discount - so it's easier to buy in store with him there. Hence the swinging towards a ready made off the shelf model.
 
bronksy said:
I actually have been told that the i7 has a lot better performance at the cache level as well as multi-threading (don't know what that means)
Click to expand...
I don't know that as well, but you'd better go to AnandTech to check it out (specially when they release the review).
Will also check that out when buying, thanks for the advice!
 
bronksy said:
I actually have been told that the i7 has a lot better performance at the cache level as well as multi-threading (don't know what that means)
Click to expand...

If you look at geekbench results at http://browser.primatelabs.com/mac-benchmarks you will see that the 2.8 GHz i7 benchmarks at about 4-6% faster than the 2.6 GHz i5. The only differences between the two processors are the .2 GHz clock speed, and the fact that the i7 has 4 MB of L3 cache, vs. the 3 MB of L3 cache for the i5s.

Both CPUs are otherwise identical: 2 cores, HyperThreading enabled for 2 threads per core, etc.

I had the same dilemma, and decided since I was ordering a BTO model with 16 GB of RAM already, to also go for the i7 processor. It didn't get me much performance, but since I ran my last laptop for over 6 years, and I hope to do the same with this one, it might help me do so.
 
I got the i7/8/512 last night.

Performs great. :D

****** luck with screen and bottom case creaking.
Bringing it back tonight for a replacement.
:(
 
AlecMyrddyn said:
If you look at geekbench results at http://browser.primatelabs.com/mac-benchmarks you will see that the 2.8 GHz i7 benchmarks at about 4-6% faster than the 2.6 GHz i5. The only differences between the two processors are the .2 GHz clock speed, and the fact that the i7 has 4 MB of L3 cache, vs. the 3 MB of L3 cache for the i5s.

Both CPUs are otherwise identical: 2 cores, HyperThreading enabled for 2 threads per core, etc.

I had the same dilemma, and decided since I was ordering a BTO model with 16 GB of RAM already, to also go for the i7 processor. It didn't get me much performance, but since I ran my last laptop for over 6 years, and I hope to do the same with this one, it might help me do so.
Click to expand...

Is this correct? There is no HyperThreading on i5 I believe.
 
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