Should I return my M3 MBP with 48GB to get 64GB ram?

[watchmainspring]

Should I return my 48GB for 64GB M3 Max?

I upgraded from the 16GB M1 pro MBP because my memory pressure was too high and the performance was slacking. Right now I'm seeing the memory getting gobbled up but performance is decent. However, my M1 was also fine at first and then slowed down as my use increased.

 

[NEPOBABY]

Watch the App Memory sub-section. That's how much you are really using for work etc.

Keep in mind you don't read memory usage in these systems like x86 systems. RAM is used differently with UMA. Data is being shifted around and purged differently from x86.

If you start to see actual performance drop then it means you need an upgrade.

 

[watchmainspring]

Watch the App Memory sub-section. That's how much you are really using for work etc.

Keep in mind you don't read memory usage in these systems like x86 systems. RAM is used differently with UMA. Data is being shifted around and purged differently from x86.

If you start to see actual performance drop then it means you need an upgrade.

Thanks. So with 32gb in app memory with 48gb of ram, there is probably less to be concerned about?

 

[NEPOBABY]

Thanks. So with 32gb in app memory with 48gb of ram, there is probably less to be concerned about?

If that's your typical memory consumption then I wouldn't worry about it but if you see yourself using larger apps and files within the next 5 years then maybe upgrade now.

 

[floral]

Should I return my 48GB for 64GB M3 Max?

I upgraded from the 16GB M1 pro MBP because my memory pressure was too high and the performance was slacking. Right now I'm seeing the memory getting gobbled up but performance is decent. However, my M1 was also fine at first and then slowed down as my use increased.

View attachment 2313513

The memory pressure (which you should actually use for judging) is very low.

I don't know much about mac RAM, but I think it uses as much as it can use to make performance optimal, without going overboard. If it was actually using a lot of RAM because it needed to, then the memory pressure would likely be a lot higher.

What I'm saying is, the amount of RAM you use on average is somewhat based on the maximum RAM. For example, if you chose 64GB RAM, maybe it would be using 42-48 instead to make use of the added room.

 

[gigapocket1]

I would return.. not because of use case... but because its just $180/$200 bucks.. you've already spent upwards of 4300 with tax.. what's another 200?

 

[ssmed]

Looks like you need to buy a cheap windows laptop to me ;-)

 

[saturnotaku]

If you don’t know that you need more RAM, then you don’t need more RAM.

 

[ipaqrat]

For a couple hundred, yeah, do the upgrade. You'll have more breathing room at first, then probably expand your workloads to take advantage. AND apps aren't going to get any slimmer, resource wise. AND you get the extra years of longevity in terms of Battery and OS.

 

[TinyMito]

No, your memory pressure is fine in the green. The only time you need more ram if you constantly hit red on the graph.

Lots of people here don't know how the macOS ram management works here/

 

[MapleBeercules]

Should I return my 48GB for 64GB M3 Max?

I upgraded from the 16GB M1 pro MBP because my memory pressure was too high and the performance was slacking. Right now I'm seeing the memory getting gobbled up but performance is decent. However, my M1 was also fine at first and then slowed down as my use increased.

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You seem to have a virus on your mac.. Windows 11. If you remove that I suspect your memory issue will disappear

 

[nothingtoseehere]

I would return.. not because of use case... but because its just $180/$200 bucks.. you've already spent upwards of 4300 with tax.. what's another 200?

This. You got the maxed out M3 Max chip but you stayed with the "base" RAM of 48. Therefore the 64 seem more logical to me.
Personally, I would suggest to consider getting the "lower" M3 Max and take 96GB RAM (which is no option at the "higher" Max that offers only expensive 128 after 64 but not 96). Price should be similar.

 

[JustAnExpat]

What do you use your computer for? I noticed you use Windows 11. How's the memory pressure there (I'm guessing you give it 8GB of Ram?) Are you having problems there? Are you running multiple VMs?

If you are not running into any problems with Windows, and you don't know if you need more Ram, then you don't need more Ram.

But what exactly is your usage though?

 

[ZebedeeG]

Given how low your memory pressure is - you seriously don't need any more memory... 🤷‍♀️ I don't think you'd notice the slightest difference in performance, unless there's a whole load of other stuff you plan running on your machine?

But whether you want a bit more is a different question altogether...

 

[EmotionalSnow]

You only need more memory if you have applications that could use more than 48 GB. If you don't and your memory pressure is constantly green then you have enough.

 

[watchmainspring]

I would return.. not because of use case... but because its just $180/$200 bucks.. you've already spent upwards of 4300 with tax.. what's another 200?

That's a pricing ploy by apple to thrust you into a higher spend. The $900 or whatever for 128gb was the decoy.

For a couple hundred, yeah, do the upgrade. You'll have more breathing room at first, then probably expand your workloads to take advantage. AND apps aren't going to get any slimmer, resource wise. AND you get the extra years of longevity in terms of Battery and OS.

yeah. Need to decide if I should go through all that trouble again. I'd be without a mac for weeks.

This. You got the maxed out M3 Max chip but you stayed with the "base" RAM of 48. Therefore the 64 seem more logical to me.
Personally, I would suggest to consider getting the "lower" M3 Max and take 96GB RAM (which is no option at the "higher" Max that offers only expensive 128 after 64 but not 96). Price should be similar.

never considered that... thanks

 

[Grey66]

Maybe I'm missing something obvious here .... adding up those usage amounts in the OP's screenshot they roughly total 22GB, surely the smaller usage tuff not listed on the screenshot does not equal another 20GB?

 

[gigapocket1]

This. You got the maxed out M3 Max chip but you stayed with the "base" RAM of 48. Therefore the 64 seem more logical to me.
Personally, I would suggest to consider getting the "lower" M3 Max and take 96GB RAM (which is no option at the "higher" Max that offers only expensive 128 after 64 but not 96). Price should be similar.

Now that's an interesting idea... 96 may be overkill though... Just depends on his CPU/GPU needs

 

[OneBar]

Should I return my 48GB for 64GB M3 Max?

I upgraded from the 16GB M1 pro MBP because my memory pressure was too high and the performance was slacking. Right now I'm seeing the memory getting gobbled up but performance is decent. However, my M1 was also fine at first and then slowed down as my use increased.

View attachment 2313513

What are you running in W11 that's using 9 Gb of RAM??

But yeah, if your pressure isn't even tickling yellow, let alone red, you're fine.

 

[jerryk]

It does not look like any memory pressure, and the swap is low, so you are not swapping or page faulting heavily. I doubt you would benefit much from increasing memory.

Most OSes would prefer to allocate memory to processes even if they are not actively using it because of the expense of swapping.

 

[iStorm]

I love how everyone is saying "it's only a couple hundred more bucks...upgrade". Get what you need when you need it. There's no such thing as future-proofing. You don't know what's coming out in the next few years that you might just HAVE to have instead, and you'll have wasted your money future proofing for nothing.

Right now I'm seeing the memory getting gobbled up but performance is decent.

Unused RAM is wasted RAM. MacOS likes to preload things into RAM, so it'll always look used up no matter what size you get. You have to pay attention to the other factors, like the swap and memory pressure.

 

[zach-coleman]

Try to simulate the most extreme workload you can think of. Open photoshop, Final Cut, lightroom, blender, whatever you use, all at the same time. If the memory pressure graph isn't red I would hold down Cmd+Q until everything is gone, then enjoy your computer.

 

[henrikhelmers]

Should I return my 48GB for 64GB M3 Max?

I upgraded from the 16GB M1 pro MBP because my memory pressure was too high and the performance was slacking.

With Windows consuming over 8GB, I understand that 16GB might be too little.

48GB should be more than enough for your workload. I use 16 GB for work, with multiple browsers, Xcode, Teams, lots of annoying office programs.

 

[nateo200]

Should I return my 48GB for 64GB M3 Max?

I upgraded from the 16GB M1 pro MBP because my memory pressure was too high and the performance was slacking. Right now I'm seeing the memory getting gobbled up but performance is decent. However, my M1 was also fine at first and then slowed down as my use increased.

View attachment 2313513

So without knowing what you use your Mac for specifically it is hard to say.

 

[Allen_Wentz]

Should I return my 48GB for 64GB M3 Max?

I upgraded from the 16GB M1 pro MBP because my memory pressure was too high and the performance was slacking. Right now I'm seeing the memory getting gobbled up but performance is decent. However, my M1 was also fine at first and then slowed down as my use increased.

View attachment 2313513

One should buy for life cycle RAM needs, not for today. So think about how much RAM OS and apps may be able to take advantage of over the expected life cycle of the computer rather than about memory pressure today. The fact that Apple now options up to 128 GB in MBPs (a huge increase over Intel MBPs) probably gives us a good clue as to where Apple thinks RAM usage is going.

Why limit an expensive computer by installing less than optimum RAM for the life cycle? Personally I would prefer M2 Max and more RAM over M3 if price is limiting the purchase. Plus M2 Max is stronger than M3 Pro. Personally I would get M2 Max MBP with 96 GB RAM (and I did).