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Retina Macbook Pro 15" - Would you upgrade the RAM(8GB to 16GB)or the SSD(256 to512Gb

C

Chuck-Norris

macrumors 6502a
Original poster
Sep 17, 2012
850
1
its a replacement machine, so dont have the choice of waiting for the new haswells but its better then my older macbook!

which one would you pay extra to do?

im dead on the extra 100 for the 2.7ghz process from 2.4,

but ram and ssd not sure which to chooose
 
RAM since it's soldered. An SSD upgrade can be done later if need be. Ultimately though, it depends on what you really need.
 
mslide said:
RAM since it's soldered. An SSD upgrade can be done later if need be. Ultimately though, it depends on what you really need.
Click to expand...

Agreed. I would definitely upgrade the RAM over the SSD, since its now or never.
 
Definitely RAM. In fact, that's what I've done when I bought my mid 2012 15" Retina. 16GB of RAM because it was then or never.
 
I'm doing both. $200 to max out the ram and $300 for the 512 gig SSD. Paying extras to go from 2.4 to 2.7 would be like throwing money out the window because I would never notice the difference, except maybe that my computer would be running warmer and the fans would be whirling more often.
 
if you're using a CTO rMBP, wouldn't it be a bit of hassle if lets say you experienced an issue on the macbook in the first two weeks?

there's no replacement immediately available for 1 to 1 exchange, so you'll have to send it for repairs...right?:confused::confused:

i'm seriously considering the 16GB CTO as well, but knowing the panels might have ghosting issues .. etc etc i'm not sure i should go for the CTO.
 
If it's a replacement from Apple (like your own computer was repaired so much they're replacing it), you can take whatever they give you, don't open it and return it to a gift card. Then wait for Haswell.

Just an option there that you may want.


Anyways I would choose the RAM over the CPU upgrade if you're only choosing one.
 
devilcm3 said:
if you're using a CTO rMBP, wouldn't it be a bit of hassle if lets say you experienced an issue on the macbook in the first two weeks?

there's no replacement immediately available for 1 to 1 exchange, so you'll have to send it for repairs...right?:confused::confused:

i'm seriously considering the 16GB CTO as well, but knowing the panels might have ghosting issues .. etc etc i'm not sure i should go for the CTO.
Click to expand...

to many darn repairs so apple is replacing the whole machine with a new one as its more cost effective. the haswell retinas are gonna have the same retina panels so, i doubt it would be fixed

alphaod said:
If it's a replacement from Apple (like your own computer was repaired so much they're replacing it), you can take whatever they give you, don't open it and return it to a gift card. Then wait for Haswell.

Just an option there that you may want.


Anyways I would choose the RAM over the CPU upgrade if you're only choosing one.
Click to expand...

well i already spent an extra 200 for upgrading to the retina replacement instead of the regular macbook, and an additional 300 for upgrading to the 2.7ghz and 16gb of ram. im trying to think if its worth another 300 for the jump to a higher SSD drive lol but that seems to be a stretch

so i can not open the brand new replacement, call up apple and ask for a gift card???
 
Chuck-Norris said:
im trying to think if its worth another 300 for the jump to a higher SSD drive lol but that seems to be a stretch
Click to expand...

Unless you need the larger drive right now or the foreseeable future I would not spend the $ to upgrade since you can get a 3rd party upgrade later, and will likely be less expensive by that time too. Why pay $ for something you can't use immediately and may never need at all.
 
Get the lowest end processor, 16GB RAM and 512GB storage. Problem solved!
 
Chuck-Norris said:
may i ask why you wouldnt go for the processor upgrade? it was only 100 dollars more
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Well, what are your uses? For anything but 4K video editing and the like, the bit of extra cache and clock are pretty useless.
 
Chuck-Norris said:
may i ask why you wouldnt go for the processor upgrade? it was only 100 dollars more
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As it provides negligible real world benefits, while it also makes the computer hotter and battery life lower.

If you're not going to utilize all those upgraded MHz, it will only serve as paying more for a hotter computer with less battery life.
 
As others stated, get the 16gb and if you can live within the 256gb easily then don't upgrade that.

For me, I have no problems with the smaller ssd but obviously YMMV.
 
B... said:
Well, what are your uses? For anything but 4K video editing and the like, the bit of extra cache and clock are pretty useless.
Click to expand...

fratey said:
As it provides negligible real world benefits, while it also makes the computer hotter and battery life lower.

If you're not going to utilize all those upgraded MHz, it will only serve as paying more for a hotter computer with less battery life.
Click to expand...

oh i didnt know the processor would decrease battery life :s

i assume the extra 500 or 600 would be even worse for the 2.8?

i thought if i get the processor upgrade, it might benefit for future uses. about the only intensive applications i use is final cut pro and imovie for making yuotube videos

since the extra 100 isnt to to mcuh and the processor isnt upgradable, i thought maybe might be worth the upgradE?
 
Processor upgrade makes no sense, performance benefits will be almost negligible. As somebody else said, there is nothing that you can do with a 2.8 ghz cpu that you can't do with a 2.4 ghz. You're talking shaving a few seconds off a task that takes dozens of minutes to complete.

Upgrading RAM makes not much sense either, extra ram will not speed up your system unless you're using it. Take a look at your current usage in the activity monitor. If you have no page outs then you have never exceeded the usage of your current system. I've got 8gb in my 2009 mbp and I've never had a page out. Even when I'm playing games (the few games I can play on this machine...) I usually have 3-4 gb free. It's true that you'll use more ram on a retina system using retina apps/resolutions. but it's not going to be that much more. Most gaming pcs use 8 gb of ram, it's the standard. 16 gb is overkill unless you're running virtual machines.

I would say that the ssd is the only upgrade worth getting, counter to what everybody else here is saying. Being able to put all your stuff on the internal disk and then backing up externally is so convenient, much more so than having to split your content to an external drive. Yes the ssd is about the only thing you can upgrade after purchase but the OWC drives are more expensive than apples (admittedly you get to keep your original drive) and they only go up to 480 gb. The 512 gb upgrade is a solid choice in my opinion. The 768gb upgrade is overpriced, it costs more than double the 512 even though it only offers double the storage. But if you have that much data maybe it's worth it for the convenience.

Personally I'll be getting a base level haswell rMBP with at least 512 gb ssd, so long as they don't screw over the gpu. Here's hoping for a GTX 765m...
 
safetravels said:
Processor upgrade makes no sense, performance benefits will be almost negligible. As somebody else said, there is nothing that you can do with a 2.8 ghz cpu that you can't do with a 2.4 ghz. You're talking shaving a few seconds off a task that takes dozens of minutes to complete.

Upgrading RAM makes not much sense either, extra ram will not speed up your system unless you're using it. Take a look at your current usage in the activity monitor. If you have no page outs then you have never exceeded the usage of your current system. I've got 8gb in my 2009 mbp and I've never had a page out. Even when I'm playing games (the few games I can play on this machine...) I usually have 3-4 gb free. It's true that you'll use more ram on a retina system using retina apps/resolutions. but it's not going to be that much more. Most gaming pcs use 8 gb of ram, it's the standard. 16 gb is overkill unless you're running virtual machines.

I would say that the ssd is the only upgrade worth getting, counter to what everybody else here is saying. Being able to put all your stuff on the internal disk and then backing up externally is so convenient, much more so than having to split your content to an external drive. Yes the ssd is about the only thing you can upgrade after purchase but the OWC drives are more expensive than apples (admittedly you get to keep your original drive) and they only go up to 480 gb. The 512 gb upgrade is a solid choice in my opinion. The 768gb upgrade is overpriced, it costs more than double the 512 even though it only offers double the storage. But if you have that much data maybe it's worth it for the convenience.

Personally I'll be getting a base level haswell rMBP with at least 512 gb ssd, so long as they don't screw over the gpu. Here's hoping for a GTX 765m...
Click to expand...

Getting my 1st Mac which will be a 15" rMBP how much Ram would you guys recommend. On my windows desktop I only have 6Gb and 4GB in my other laptop.

MBP will only be used for Internet, handbrake to convert films for my ipad, gaming nothing really to heavy, Skype, FaceTime etc, watching films
Maybe a little photoshop with my photos

Is the standard 8GB plenty for my needs or would the upgrade to 16GB be advisable unless Apple up it with the refresh

Cheers
 
dazlicous said:
Getting my 1st Mac which will be a 15" rMBP how much Ram would you guys recommend. On my windows desktop I only have 6Gb and 4GB in my other laptop.

MBP will only be used for Internet, handbrake to convert films for my ipad, gaming nothing really to heavy, Skype, FaceTime etc, watching films
Maybe a little photoshop with my photos

Is the standard 8GB plenty for my needs or would the upgrade to 16GB be advisable unless Apple up it with the refresh

Cheers
Click to expand...

8 is fine unless you will be keeping it for 4+ years and want to future-proof it as much as you can. It wouldn't hurt,but if you've gotten away with 4 on one 8 should be plenty.
 
Did I misunderstand something? I thought the drawback with rMBPs was you could not upgrade later - either memory or storage.

Are you saying I can only max out on memory to 16gb and wait until later for more flash storage? I was planning on getting 16gb memory and 768gb flash storage.

TIA
 
sarakn said:
Did I misunderstand something? I thought the drawback with rMBPs was you could not upgrade later - either memory or storage.

Are you saying I can only max out on memory to 16gb and wait until later for more flash storage? I was planning on getting 16gb memory and 768gb flash storage.

TIA
Click to expand...

The SSD is upgradeable with proprietary ones from OWC. Expensive now but prices will drop.
 
sarakn said:
Did I misunderstand something? I thought the drawback with rMBPs was you could not upgrade later - either memory or storage.

Are you saying I can only max out on memory to 16gb and wait until later for more flash storage? I was planning on getting 16gb memory and 768gb flash storage.

TIA
Click to expand...

im tlaking about customizing the computer before buying it LOL
 
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