Will the low power processors (5w if I'm not wrong, but it's just a guess) allow 32GB of LPDDR4 in 2019? I know that higher powered processors will but how about the ones for fanless macbooks?
Got a tip for us?
Let us know
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.
When will macbook 12 or future "fanless" macbook have 32GB of ram?
- Thread starter KensaiMage
- Start date
- Sort by reaction score
What would be the point other than bragging at Starbucks?
It's a low powered laptop....I'm doing just fine with 16gb in a gaming/work computer. You don't need 32gbs.
I'm genuinely curious about what sort of workflow you could get going on a low-powered device like this where 32GB of RAM would benefit you more than the weak CPU handicaps you.
Processing giant images or video files on such a paltry CPU would be excruciating. Running lots of virtual machines, ditto.
I honestly can't imagine a use case for so much working storage attached to so little processing power.
Processing giant images or video files on such a paltry CPU would be excruciating. Running lots of virtual machines, ditto.
I honestly can't imagine a use case for so much working storage attached to so little processing power.
16 is probably overkill for all but the most excessive tab/ window utilisers on a MacBook (and to be honest there's only so many you can juggle on a 12" screen anyway) 32, if it were offered, would really only be a direct cash injection to Tim Cook's bank account 
The MB is intentionally under-powered as the target audience doesn't need a powerful computer; all they need is long battery life. 32GB will never come to the platform but I think the next iteration will be ARM based. Given the efficiency of that processor I'd wonder if it ever needs to be more than 8GB of RAM.
So would ARM be better than intel currently? I have a Mac 12 and I am happy, wondering if would be worth an upgrade
16 is probably overkill for all but the most excessive tab/ window utilisers on a MacBook (and to be honest there's only so many you can juggle on a 12" screen anyway) 32, if it were offered, would really only be a direct cash injection to Tim Cook's bank account
I also cannot quite fathom why 32GB ram might be beneficial without greater cpu power. But I can definitely see why 16Gb ram is for some people. Including me. And some people said the same thing about not seeing the need for 16GB ram last year.
I have one with 16GB ram, and I do "need" it for a couple of things. One is indeed a web browser (gotta love Chrome) . . . and I do use a lot of tabs. I can do that because you can also use it with an external monitor, and it makes an ok mobile workstation for some uses. 8GB ram with 35+ tabs over time can really slow down, especially when you have other things running.
That aside, I do run a couple of VMs. You would be surprised that how little cpu some VMs/containers needs when they are running . . . especially small Linux installs. I was very happy with the option for 16GB. It does not happen to be my "main" workstation/home server, but I use it more and more. I am really very happy Apple offers a fanless silent design, though I would love more cpu power. If they do introduce a 13" design that is also fanless but allows for a faster cpu because of thermals, I'll immediately trade up. 1TB SSD would also be nice, but that is just because I like to have a lot of media and VMs always available to me on whatever platform I am currently working on wherever I want to work on it. If they introduce it this year, my config will probably end up costing me $2500, but I'll pay it and probably use directly it more than any other machine (indirectly my main home workstation is my home "server", so that is "always" in use).
It would give more battery time. Maybe 24 hours. I think that’s the value proposition to the MacBook target demographic.
I ask this as an unrelated note and sorry to hijack a thread but what in the world do you need 32 tabs open for? That’s a legit question, I’m not bashing you. I never have more than six open at any time so I don’t understand the use case for having that many. Just curious.
Sure, I don't doubt there are some people who can make use of it - I was just saying you're probably a very small minority of MB users.
It's a reasonably question. First, while it is not the only machine I use at either work or home, I use it at both. As I indicated, I think it is possible at this point that it is my primary use machine--though just barely. That surprises me a little. Because I use it for both work and personal stuff at both places, I tend to use windows and tabs to keep things separate. So that is one big point.
Second, I tend to keep a whole bevy of windows (typically pinned) open for various things--so Gmail, Calendar, Drive, hangouts (yeah, I use Google's products a lot), Slack, Jira, Confluence, a few HR applications, DataDog, Github, LastPass, CircleCI, Kibana, AWS console, Pingdom, iCloud . . . and I have not gotten to the transitory" ones where I am looking up something or watching something. My "work" grouping of windows does tend to be bigger than my "personal" one, but I am not going to lie and say my "personal" one is as small as it could be.
If you are wondering (and you would not be the first) why I do not make more use of bookmarks, chalk it up to either productivity or lazyiness. Fewer clicks/keystrokes and loading times--especially with those services I have to log in to-- and I have gotten really good at know which tab is which. Of course, this really only works well (at least for me) with bigger monitors and ease with using spaces/multiple desktops, especially when you have to account for terminals, folders, other applications, VMs windows, etc. A single largish ultrawide each at work/home is what I am currently rocking.
I don't think anyone needs 32GB Ram in the 12" MacBook, i've personally been going backwards and forwards between which new Mac to get when they are updated this year, looking at the specs and price if you are going to max out the 12" MacBook with 512GB SDD and 16GB Ram it is much closer to the price of a 13" MacBook Pro! imagine if Apple put 32GB Ram option in there as well it would probably end up being the same price as a MacBook Pro!
I do think it will be interesting if Apple announce a 13" MacBook this year as the rumours are suggesting it will probably replace the MacBook Air and maybe the 12" MacBook will drop in price around $999 maybe?
I do think it will be interesting if Apple announce a 13" MacBook this year as the rumours are suggesting it will probably replace the MacBook Air and maybe the 12" MacBook will drop in price around $999 maybe?
Makes sense. Seems a lot that you do in tabs I do in separate apps — email, calendar, slack, etc. I've just always wondered what people do in tabs that makes them have that many open. Thanks for the insight!
Seems pointless just now and in the near future.
16GB is more than enough to go along with a low power CPU.
My very high end liquid cooled desktop has 32GB and I’ve yet to use more than 16GB on it. The Pro’s having a 32GB option makes sense, but not low powered MacBooks.
16GB is more than enough to go along with a low power CPU.
My very high end liquid cooled desktop has 32GB and I’ve yet to use more than 16GB on it. The Pro’s having a 32GB option makes sense, but not low powered MacBooks.