To those with rMBP 16 GB RAM

[timsaxman]

I needed it for intensive Photoshop editing of large, RAW files. I have an early 2013 15" Retina MBP with 16GB RAM (which I'm returning to the store), and a late 2012 cMBP with 8GB RAM (which I'm also returning). In my estimation, the cMBP with 8GB of ram is much faster than the retina with 16GB. Don't ask me why.

Why are you returning both, and what are you going to replace them with?

 

[MBPDiva]

Why are you returning both, and what are you going to replace them with?

This is why I'm returning both: https://forums.macrumors.com/posts/17038530/

And this is why I'm not thrilled with the retina display: https://forums.macrumors.com/posts/17038590/

 

[Zeov]

i had the money and wanted to have a computer that didn't need upgrading for a long time..

and i also render a lot in Maya, NukeX and other stuff which (i've been told) uses a ******** of ram.

and the fact that i coudln't upgrade later on (if i could, i'd probably have gone with 8 and waited)

 

[Bambooisland]

It is like my car with 575 hp i am not need it but good to know you own it

 

[mykem]

This is why I'm returning both: https://forums.macrumors.com/posts/17038530/

And this is why I'm not thrilled with the retina display: https://forums.macrumors.com/posts/17038590/

Re: not be thrilled with retina display

Popular sites especially tech websites have finally caught on and joined the retina bandwagon. At least the popular ones. Engadget (which I hate because it's populated by whiny fanboys although the jornos/bloggers are generally pretty good) has recently updated its design and now looks great on my 15" rMBP.

Anandtech also updated its site a few weeks ago to retina level and now looking mighty splendid. The Verge has always look great- a bit too ads oriented main page but the text and images are retina level for the longest time.

In a few weeks NYT will update its website to HTML5 and the from I've previewed so far, it's going to look great on HiDPI ie. retina display. I can't imagine ever wanting to go back to 1440x900 or even 1920x1200. In a few years 4K would probably be introduced to MBP but until then 3K is good and plenty.

If you haven't already DL Feedly web app for RSS feed. It's one of the shining example of how incredible HiDPI display is.

 

[N19h7m4r3]

I run a few virtual machines and run MySQL, Oracle 11g, SQL Server, Linux, and Windows all at the same time for college work, and it simply eats through ram. Especially when busy doing data mining labs, virtualisation and vulnerability scanning work.

My M-ITX desktop only has 8GB and I easily started suffering form page outs, plus since it was a windows machine and I also needed OS X, I got this laptop with 16GB RAM.

16GB allows me to run all those, along with a large amounts of browser tabs, music and more. It'll also mean in a few years time, as programs require more RAM I can keep up with it.

 

[utekineir]

If you don't know you need 16 gb, then you probably don't.

People with professional needs, go for it.

The rest of us that buy a pretty laptop to pull it out at starbucks look like we're writing the next great beat novel and pull hipster chicks. It won't matter wether its 8 gb, 16gb or 64k.



Far as resale goes, you never get as much back as you pay for upgrades. That $3500 loaded to the gills rmbp won't be selling for 2x the refurb bought at $1780 in a couple years, and the ram isn't going to make that much of a difference to the typical person buying apple hardware on craigslist either.

 

[kittencounter]

If you can't think of anything that eat up more than 8 GBs of RAM then you will just be fine with 8 GBs I think. The thing is..many of those disgusting big development programs eat more RAM the longer you use them and you don't want to close them too often (believe me). Then there is Safari..that thing is smooth as silk but also eats up tons of memory. If you fire up some WMs..well then bye bye your free memory. Even if you don't need 16 GBs now...but when you have more RAM than you need you will use your MAC differently. It's like having money to not worry about not having money

 

[cubbie5150]

I got 16GB for multi-tasking, and also because I use Audirvana Plus for listening to music (through a USB DAC/amp w/ headphones), and A+ allows me to decode music off RAM instead disk, and I allocate 6GB just to A+ alone. Might sound like a ridiculous reason to some, but I'm used to so-called high-end audio, and when I use my rMBP, I want to to have high quality music playback.

 

[MBPDiva]

If you haven't already DL Feedly web app for RSS feed. It's one of the shining example of how incredible HiDPI display is.

Thanks! I will.

 

[CROiga]

3D modelling and compositing... need to say more?

 

[locoboi187]

You guys are insane. Future-proofing is a myth. The future of machines does not solely depend on RAM. Only get what you need and when my computer is outdated, I will get a new one.

 

[Count Blah]

You guys are insane. Future-proofing is a myth. The future of machines does not solely depend on RAM. Only get what you need and when my computer is outdated, I will get a new one.

Depends on how long you keep the machine. Those talking about future proofing know 1st hand, that the RAM as well as GPU are the 1st to show signs of age.

My wife inherited my 1st gen unibody C2D MBP. The machine is plenty old now, but all it took was some more RAM and she is much happier now when she #$&^@$% refuses to ever shut down programs she opens and is no longer using. The machine went from unusable to her to very usable with the simple addition of some RAM. Sure, you would say that it's because she is not shutting down programs. But in reality, she is simulating a machine under load.

With the way Apple is progressing, the kernal task will be taking up AT LEAST 2gigs of RAM in another year or two. Also, all it takes is for the OP to start experimenting with any program that eats RAM, and those 8Gigs are toast.

You laugh at future proofing, I say get more now, since you can't upgrade. And you won't have to live in fear of actually doing something new with your rMBP.

Then again, if you feel compelled to get the latest and greatest every calendar year, the concept probably is a little foreign to you.

 

[locoboi187]

Depends on how long you keep the machine. Those talking about future proofing know 1st hand, that the RAM as well as GPU are the 1st to show signs of age.

My wife inherited my 1st gen unibody C2D MBP. The machine is plenty old now, but all it took was some more RAM and she is much happier now when she #$&^@$% refuses to ever shut down programs she opens and is no longer using. The machine went from unusable to her to very usable with the simple addition of some RAM. Sure, you would say that it's because she is not shutting down programs. But in reality, she is simulating a machine under load.

With the way Apple is progressing, the kernal task will be taking up AT LEAST 2gigs of RAM in another year or two. Also, all it takes is for the OP to start experimenting with any program that eats RAM, and those 8Gigs are toast.

You laugh at future proofing, I say get more now, since you can't upgrade. And you won't have to live in fear of actually doing something new with your rMBP.

Then again, if you feel compelled to get the latest and greatest every calendar year, the concept probably is a little foreign to you.

The same goes for 16gb. There are RAM stress programs that will stress any amount of RAM to full load. I personally don't believe getting more than what I need. I could "future proof" my my phone in a way by getting 64gb considering apps are getting bigger but in reality I would not get that. Not trying to diss you or anything but it's just what I believe.

 

[MrManwelo]

I do graphic and 3D design. Photoshop, Creo, etc can use a great deal of memory so 16GB was necessary for me.

A problem I am now finding that I hadn't considered before is when your MacBook breaks (I say when because it is more than likely from my experience) it will take forever to get a new one as they are not standard stock. Instead, they need to be ordered in.

 

[LuxoJunior]

Why on earth wouldn't you get 16GB when it's a non-upgradeable aspect of this Pro machine?!

 

[Count Blah]

The same goes for 16gb. There are RAM stress programs that will stress any amount of RAM to full load. I personally don't believe getting more than what I need. I could "future proof" my my phone in a way by getting 64gb considering apps are getting bigger but in reality I would not get that. Not trying to diss you or anything but it's just what I believe.

I tend to keep my machines for a while, and hand them down in the family. This wont work when the kids get old enough to start really gaming on them, but it works so far with the misses, as stated above. Having taken away the ability to upgrade RAM later on means that that a user like me MUST max the RAM, if I want to continue this trend.

If you go upgrade route instead, then maxing is not needed now. Your phone example is more fitting here. I am not using a 4 year old phone, but others in my house are using 4+ year old MBPs.

 

[ZhenyaF]

I got mine with 16GB because I tend to keep my Macs for about 3-5 years and wanted to make sure I get adequate memory to last me. $200 now, but may avoid having to get a new system down the line.

 

[exomoons]

Those of you who ordered the rMBP with 16 GB RAM, why do you need it? I'm having a hard time to choose and I wonder what you use it for and if there are any regrets going with this upgrade? What makes it worth upgrading without discussing what I will use it for, just tell me why you need it.

If you can choose then you probably dont need it, if you need it then you need not ask.

You can buy 16gb without any regrets, you can always make use of that extra RAM later.

As for why I need it, well I use quite a few 3D modelling software for mine design, webdesign as well as PS and VM. Sometimes I open them all at once along with a dozen tabs in Firefox.

So why should you upgrade even though you might not need it? Well it's always good to have the top dog in case you need it...

...provided financial is not a problem.

 

[Interstella5555]

If you have to ask you likely don't need it.

 

[swerve147]

If you have to ask you likely don't need it.

Exactly. I wonder if people are actually monitoring their RAM usage?

 

[nukiduz]

I'm buying the 13" rMBP in a couple of months. It will replace my 13" C2D MBP with 4gb RAM, so I plan to keep the rMBP for about 4 years.
I have always open: chrome, Pages, Things, tweetbot, evernote, iCal, iTunes and use ocassionally Ableton Live, Traktor and Photoshop. If Apple offers the option of 16gb on the 13" rMBP, should I take it? Thanks for your help.

 

[B...]

I'm buying the 13" rMBP in a couple of months. It will replace my 13" C2D MBP with 4gb RAM, so I plan to keep the rMBP for about 4 years.
I have always open: chrome, Pages, Things, tweetbot, evernote, iCal, iTunes and use ocassionally Ableton Live, Traktor and Photoshop. If Apple offers the option of 16gb on the 13" rMBP, should I take it? Thanks for your help.

If you can afford it, there is no reason not to. That said, you probably do not need 16 GB of RAM for those uses, but if you use all of those at once, you could get close (especially Photoshop).