Video Demos Performance Differences Between 8GB and 16GB Apple M1 MacBook Pro

[garylapointe]

This is exactly what I was looking for, thank you MR! Was debating on getting the 16GB Mac mini but it may be good enough with just 8GB!

Second thought, might as well get the 16GB for future proofing.

But then what if I don’t actually need it and it’s a waste? Here we go again

I was thinking my next MacBook Pro would be 32GB, but with the results they are getting with 8GB machines, I think I'll go with 16GB and be okay. I agree with the future-proofing, who knows what the OS or apps are going to be using in a few years.

Although $200 more if you're getting a cheaper base model is a bit pricey (especially for a first-generation machine).

I'm waiting for a 16" model to replace my 15" 2015 MB Pro and I'll be upgrading the storage, so after a $2,000-ish base model plus the $200 upgrade to 1TB (or $550 for 2TB) is a no brainer.

I'd prefer to wait for a second-generation, but that's probably 3 years from now, right? I'll have to see how this one keeps running...

 

[IG88]

Beware, when your M1 Mac is using swap, there is a brief bit of lag and "pop in" when you go back to programs you haven't used in a while. I exchanged for a 16 GB model and that problem disappeared. It's not a huge deal, but I hate when active programs are doing a bunch of swapping.

Excellent point. I made up my mind that I was gonna force myself to live with a base M1 MBA this time around. So if I notice lag, pop in, lots of swap etc.....I'll live with it until the 14" MBP drops, and then I'll know I need 16 GB of RAM.

 

[RONS67]

@ All the people bitching about 16gb not being enough RAM for a pro machine

My development and production tools often use over 4 GB per (hyper)thread or core and some typical data files are over 100 GB. 16 GB suffices only for a little testing. Even the 64 GB MacBook Pro suffices for just small test cases, but obviously it handles well beyond 16 GB problems.
You were saying?

 

[Chambers McMac]

I’m excited. The last MBP I purchased was a 2012 classic lol. Yeah I don’t update often.

Same here. Besides my 2012 MBP I am still using my 2009 MacPro for allot of my non video editing projects. Upgrading phones every two years and picking up a new iWatch a month ago has kept me from purchasing a new desktop or laptop.

 

[Ethosik]

More memory is almost never a waste. Consider that your use case may change over time or tools may become more bloated.

I fall in that trap. I wasted $600 getting 128GB of RAM when 8GB is enough for my 1080p video editing

 

[ventmore]

The biggest difference was seen in an 8K RAW R3D to 4K export, which took the 8GB MacBook Pro 13.57 seconds to complete, while the 16GB MacBook Pro was able to complete it in 5.59 seconds, a time on par with the 2019 16-inch Core i9 MacBook Pro with 32GB RAM.

That should be 13m 57s vs 5m 59s.

 

[RONS67]

I won’t buy one until all bugs are gone and Intel is finished.

I’d say the transition is pretty damn smooth. Apple’s transitions from Motorola 68k to PowerPC and PowerPC to Intel went very smoothly, but this one is even smoother, because Apple has prepared the software even better and the M1 is so fast that its Intel emulation isn’t a drawback over running natively on Intel hardware. (I believe the fast Intel emulation by Rosetta 2 is aided greatly by the X64 architecture having only half the general purpose CPU registers of ARM64. The M1 can dedicate 16 necessary registers to X64 emulation and still have 16 more registers to manage the emulation.)

 

[Maconplasma]

I’d say the transition is pretty damn smooth. Apple’s transitions from Motorola 68k to PowerPC and PowerPC to Intel went very smoothly, but this one is even smoother, because Apple has prepared the software even better and the M1 is so fast that its Intel emulation isn’t a drawback over running natively on Intel hardware. (I believe the fast Intel emulation by Rosetta 2 is aided greatly by the X64 architecture having only half the general purpose CPU registers of ARM64. The M1 can dedicate 16 necessary registers to X64 emulation and still have 16 more registers to manage the emulation.)

Don't waste your breath. That member is hoping for bad reports of bugs so they can be right. There's been a few here hoping for bad report. They can't stand good news about Apple. The M1's have been rocking and many people here have said great things about them.

 

[IG88]

My development and production tools often use over 4 GB per (hyper)thread or core and some typical data files are over 100 GB. 16 GB suffices only for a little testing. Even the 64 GB MacBook Pro suffices for just small test cases, but obviously it handles well beyond 16 GB problems.
You were saying?

I think the problem here is really that the 13" imposter MacBook "Pro" exists. Apple should just call it a MacBook.

 

[Abazigal]

If you are exporting 8k footage regularly, you will likely want to the wait for the 16” MBP refresh, which will likely come with 16gb ram standard, with the option of upgrading to either 32 or maybe even 64gb ram (but will almost assuredly cost a bomb).

This sort of thing is good to know, but for the stuff I do, 8gb ram still more than suffices.

 

[SDJim]

You were saying?

Did you expect groveling at your condescension? Sorry, I'll kiss each of your 4gb rings before speaking next time.

If 64gb RAM is insufficient for your workflow, then you require a workstation-class computer, placing it so far beyond what is applicable to this thread that there is no relevance whatsoever.

You were saying?

 

[hagjohn]

I won’t buy one until all bugs are gone and Intel is finished.

With everything we know about M1 so far, I think intel is finished.

 

[Rahtid]

With all these benchmarks and videos about M1, I think intel is finished.

I think Apple is back to a pre-intel era. Marginal and this time without any benefit of being the underdog. The reverse halo effect. Everything Apple is limiting once again, good luck.

 

[panjandrum]

This is exactly what I was looking for, thank you MR! Was debating on getting the 16GB Mac mini but it may be good enough with just 8GB!

Second thought, might as well get the 16GB for future proofing.

But then what if I don’t actually need it and it’s a waste? Here we go again

This is always a no-brainer unless the price for the additional ram is absolutely prohibitive. Even if the performance difference isn't great today, give it 4 years when the OS and apps bloat more. With a 8GB machine at that point (like having a 4GB machine today), the performance might deteriorate so much that you have to replace the computer due to the non-upgradable design. On the other hand, having 16GB might get you fully another 2, or 3 or 4 (or even more) years of useful life. So get the RAM. When I deploy machines in a school environment, whenever possible I include the model that's a single memory upgrade above the base model, and the difference in performance a few years later is always quite apparent. Heck, sometimes you don't even have to wait 4 years; sometimes the performance starts to tank as soon as the next major OS release.

 

[doboy]

In Brazil, this $700 translates to $1400 after taxes and "Apple Brazil profit margin". So, yes, future proof is mandatory.

Well, take a trip to US every few years for cheap Mac Mini

 

[sunnyavril]

This is exactly what I was looking for, thank you MR! Was debating on getting the 16GB Mac mini but it may be good enough with just 8GB!

Second thought, might as well get the 16GB for future proofing.

But then what if I don’t actually need it and it’s a waste? Here we go again

feel the same...after watching. chose the 8GB with the 500GB model MBP

 

[Zdigital2015]

Take your own advice then since you were trashing Apple earlier. 🙄

I would hit the Ignore button on them and save yourself the frustration. Pretty much an 8-year old sh*tposter.

 

[Zdigital2015]

Well, take a trip to US every few years for cheap Mac Mini

The trick is getting it in the country without getting caught, which is nigh impossible. Brazil loves them some import duties. I feel for the average Brazilian.

 

[Apple_Robert]

This is exactly what I was looking for, thank you MR! Was debating on getting the 16GB Mac mini but it may be good enough with just 8GB!

Second thought, might as well get the 16GB for future proofing.

But then what if I don’t actually need it and it’s a waste? Here we go again

Future proofing is rationalized myth created by those who overbought and attempting to assuage their guilt of buying more than what they needed.

 

[Rahtid]

Future proofing is rationalized myth created by those who overbought and attempting to assuage their guilt of buying more than what they needed.

Yeah or you could just change out standard memory rather than soldier like a scumbag who creates landfill?

 

[torncanvas]

@ All the people bitching about 16gb not being enough RAM for a pro machine

Yeah it's impressive what this architecture can do with only 16GB. Still a few use cases where more is needed, but hey that's what higher tier machines are for.

Also...who in their right minds would use a notation format that's "Minutes.Seconds"?! It even managed to mislead MacRumors into posting 13.57 seconds and 5.59 seconds when it should be 13 minutes 57 seconds and 5 minutes 59 seconds.

 

[Zdigital2015]

I think Apple is back to a pre-intel era. Marginal and this time without any benefit of being the underdog. The reverse halo effect. Everything Apple is limiting once again, good luck.

Look everyone, it’s Rahtid from Intel’s Marketing Department.

Hi, Rahtid...will you be handing out swag bags or t-shirts today?!? Also, can you tell me where I can pick up my dinner voucher, thanks? Above your pay grade? Not surprised.

 

[Chompineer]

Yeah or you could just change out standard memory rather than soldier like a scumbag who creates landfill?

How would you like to be able to do that and still integrate it directly into the SOC for the accompanying benefits?

What’s next, being mad you can’t change out individual resistors breadboard style?

 

[max2]

I have 1000s of Firefox tabs at any given time open.

This is why I have 32 GB of ram instead of 8 GB or 16 GB of ram.

 

[ian87w]

my personal concern about 8GB of RAM is not about performance, but about longevity. I expect laptops to last more than 5 years. I still use a laptop from 2013, maxed out its RAM back then, no issues today other than battery life. The performance of the M1 will not be an issue for me, but will 8GB be enough in 2025 with whatever new macOS Apple has? Cue in how even on iOS, Apple keeps bumping the RAM, up to 6GB for the iPhone 12 Pro. That’s for a phone.

And remember the A8 iPhone 6, the chip is fast enough but the RAM becomes its bottleneck.

So personally I’d rather spend the extra money for 16GB of RAM since I would keep the laptop for a long time. For those frequent upgraders, then sure, 8GB will be enough to tide you by for a few years.