So wait, I won't be able to run Lion properly?

[Yellowstone2012]

My iMac has 2GB of RAM, and Lion requires at least 2GB of RAM; so I won't be able to run any other apps beside the OS, as would be taking all of my RAM. Seems each new OS Apple releases requires more RAM.

10.5: 512MB RAM
10.6: 1GB RAM
10.7: 2GB RAM
10.8: 4GB RAM (this will probably happen)

Well, looks like I'm not buying Lion until I get a Mac Pro... Don't want a resource hog hogging all my RAM.

 

[miles01110]

Get more RAM if you think it'll really be a problem.

 

[Cougarcat]

My iMac has 2GB of RAM, and Lion requires at least 2GB of RAM; so I won't be able to run any other apps beside the OS, as would be taking all of my RAM.

Where did you get this idea from? 2GB is the minimum you need to run your system and your apps nicely.

 

[robbieduncan]

The minimum RAM requirement for an OS does not imply, and never has implied, that the OS on it's own will use that amount of RAM.

 

[Yellowstone2012]

The minimum RAM requirement for an OS does not imply, and never has implied, that the OS on it's own will use that amount of RAM.

Thanks..

I'll try Lion when it release this month.

 

[PowerGamerX]

*opens activity monitor and checks usage*

You'll be fine with 2gb of ram. As others have said, with an OS the minimum is for normal operation, this includes using apps.

 

[rikscha]

You won't be fine with 2GB only. Not even SL is running smoothly with 2gigs. 4GB are definitely recommended for both systems.

 

[*LTD*]

I just popped 6GB into my early 08 MBP. Upped it form the 4GB I had with SL. Things are running great in Lion DP4.

 

[robbieduncan]

Thanks..

I'll try Lion when it release this month.

If possible try it in a non-destructive way! For example if you have an external drive spare clone your current system onto that and upgrade it to Lion. That way if you don't like it or it doesn't run well you've not messed up your main OS partition.

 

[OllyW]

If possible try it in a non-destructive way! For example if you have an external drive spare clone your current system onto that and upgrade it to Lion. That way if you don't like it or it doesn't run well you've not messed up your main OS partition.

If you want to try this (it's good advice) use an app like Carbon Copy Cloner or Super Duper! to back up your current OS.

 

[maclaptop]

If possible try it in a non-destructive way! For example if you have an external drive spare clone your current system onto that and upgrade it to Lion. That way if you don't like it or it doesn't run well you've not messed up your main OS partition.

I second this very sage advice.

 

[stefan1975]

2gb definitely doesn't seem enough for lion, i had 2x2gb for SL and now upgraded to 2x4gb for lion, of course it takes more when you have more ram available but on my 4gigs lion even had quite a few pageouts. Can't you upgrade? Ram is quite quite cheap nowadays.

 

[phpmaven]

2GB of RAM is pretty anemic by today's standards. With RAM so dirt cheap, it's a no brainer to upgrade.

 

[vanc]

2GB of RAM is pretty anemic by today's standards. With RAM so dirt cheap, it's a no brainer to upgrade.

I still have a Sony VAIO desktop with 512M RAM. Kids playing flash games on it and not so horrible.

 

[farmersland]

2GB are enough but I think its more fun to use your computer with more ram. I would at least upgrade to 4GB.
But if you don't want to spend the money and Snow Leopard was running nicely for you with just 2GB, you shouldn't have any problem running Lion. It is not using more memory than Snow Leopard. I know that a lot of people in this forum want to tell you the opposite, but they are wrong.

 

[Cinder6]

2GB are enough but I think its more fun to use your computer with more ram. I would at least upgrade to 4GB.
But if you don't want to spend the money and Snow Leopard was running nicely for you with just 2GB, you shouldn't have any problem running Lion. It is not using more memory than Snow Leopard. I know that a lot of people in this forum want to tell you the opposite, but they are wrong.

Yes, everyone is lying. More likely, different people have different usage patterns, and some of those patterns use more RAM than others.

 

[wolfpackfan]

You won't be fine with 2GB only. Not even SL is running smoothly with 2gigs. 4GB are definitely recommended for both systems.

Not sure where you're getting this. I've been running SL on my 2GB mini with no problems at all.

 

[Mr.C]

I think I'm just going to see how Lion runs on my Mac Mini with 4GB of RAM. If I feel it needs a boost then I will upgrade to 8GB.

 

[farmersland]

Yes, everyone is lying. More likely, different people have different usage patterns, and some of those patterns use more RAM than others.

Thats right. But I don't think usage patterns change in Lion and thats what I wanted to tell you in my post. If you were fine with 2GBs in Snow Leopard, you probably will be fine with that in Lion, too.
And here is the point where I think that some users are wrong (and not lying), when they are claiming that Lion is "such a memory hog". It is the same as in Snow Leopard or even in Leopard.

 

[Lukeit]

You won't be fine with 2GB only. Not even SL is running smoothly with 2gigs. 4GB are definitely recommended for both systems.

Absolutely agreed... 2Gb are too little... only Safari + Flashplayer plugin + Safari Web content will take up nearly 1Gb.

If you want to run Lightroom or Aperture (not simultaneously!!) not even 4Gb will be enough!

In my opinion Lion is really memory hungry... too hungry!