Do I need a GPU or more RAM?

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Level 1

8 points

Do I need a GPU or more RAM?

Hello,

My current laptop is, MacBook Pro (13-inch, 2016, Four Thunderbolt 3 Ports) 3.3 GHz Dual-Core Intel Core i7, 16 GB Ram / 1 TB SSD (50%+ free disk space)

Currently running Catalina

bought this in 2016 with the highest spec available wanting to use it for more than 4 years but it's becoming unusable now. Lagging under load.

Here are snapshots of my activity monitor

I am a product manager at a tech company. I do coding (web), bit of graphics work (photoshop), and lot of web browsing.

Cant't work while connected to my external monitor 34" ultrawide.
Can't work while having a slack/zoom calls, specially when doing screen shares (without external monitor).
Becomes unsable when doing heavy web browsing (lot of web based tools) (without external monitor)

For comparison, my 2012 iMac with 24 GB Ram, 2 GB Nvida graphics works flawlessly under this load, hooked up to the external monitor.

What are the culprits here as you think? Is it just the RAM or both RAM and GPU?

MacBook Pro 13″, macOS 10.15

Posted on Aug 1, 2020 10:07 PM

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Answer 1

Top-ranking reply

Grant Bennet-Alder

Level 10

140,765 points

Aug 2, 2020 9:35 AM in response to sahanlak

In a 13-in MacBook Pro, the screen buffer for the external display is in main RAM.

Your machine has 16GB or real RAM.

Chrome is a notorious RAM-hog.

Photoshop needs all the RAM you can possibly feed it AND a fast scratch disk.

Depending on how you think about it, you are trying to do too many things at once or you have not enough computer (or both).

You do not really need more GPU Horsepower, you just need more RAM if you want to do all those things at once. A MacBook Pro with Discrete Graphics such as the 15/16-in models or an external GPU accidentally has a separate display RAM, but is more expensive and throws WAY more heat.

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Answer 2

Axel Foley

Level 10

150,978 points

Aug 2, 2020 1:38 AM in response to sahanlak

You have a 2016 MacBook Pro and you are already maxed out at RAM. You are not going to be able to upgrade the total RAM. The 32GB RAM MacBook Pros did not begin to arrive in the market until 2018.

The only option from your choices is an external GPU. Currently, it appears that your MacBook Pro is creating some serious amount of Swap data. It appears almost all of it is related to Chrome and Photoshop. GPU may help reducing the cache created during rendering not only for Photoshop but also for the processes that you may be using with Chrome.

Axel F.

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Answer 3

Aug 2, 2020 9:37 AM in response to sahanlak

External display on a 15/16-in ALWAYS uses Discrete graphics. It has no pathway from Integrated Graphics to external displays.

But you are not complaining about Graphics ability, you are complaining about far to little RAM.

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Answer 4

sahanlak Author

Level 1

8 points

Aug 2, 2020 8:24 AM in response to Axel Foley

50% of the time I am on the external monitor. Considering just laptop screen and both mbp 13” and 16” having same igpu ram size do you think in mbp 16 chrome will utilize discrete gfx when workload increases?

thanks

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Answer 5

sahanlak Author

Level 1

8 points

Aug 2, 2020 9:42 AM in response to Grant Bennet-Alder

Thanks, that's what I wanted to know before buying the next machine. I like the 13" and was on the fence about buying it thinking the gpu will not be enough for my requirements. I am going to go ahead with 32GB 13" for my next computer.

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Answer 6

sahanlak Author

Level 1

8 points

Aug 2, 2020 3:03 AM in response to Axel Foley

Thanks. If I am buying a new MBP do you recommend a 13” with maxed out RAM? The intergraded GPU will still max out to 1536mb right?

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Answer 7

Axel Foley

Level 10

150,978 points

Aug 2, 2020 8:13 AM in response to sahanlak

Yes and Yes are the answers to both of your questions. While you are at it then I would even recommend a larger screen area however I do know that you use an external monitor most of the time so this may not be necessary.

Axel F.

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Do I need a GPU or more RAM?

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