Is 8gb ram enough?

Question

Level 1

1 points

Is 8gb ram enough?

So, I understand this has been asked before, but I'd like an answer for my specific curcumstances.

I currently have a retina model, but I can return it if it's really necessary.

Now, this is what I normally do:
- Gaming, BF3, TF2, MC, etc.
- School Work (checking email too)
- Photo Editing (1 to 4 pics (20p to 1080p) at one time on photoshop/aperure

- Video editing in Premiere/Audacity, usually 1080p video about 30 minues long.
(Things listed above are never done simultaneously.)
- I usually have safari/skype/steam/an IRC client running in the background during anything I do
- I'm keeping the laptop for about 4 years.

+ I do the same on my desktop with Windows and I never run out of ram, my desktop runs on 8gb RAM currently.

So, is it really necessary to upgrade from 8 to 16gb?

MacBook Pro with Retina display, Mac OS X (10.7.4)

Posted on Jul 1, 2012 10:59 AM

Reply

Answer 1

steve359

Level 6

17,187 points

Jul 1, 2012 11:09 AM in response to ThePilotGuy

8 GB goes for $50 these days at macsales.com or crucial.com. Skip BK or McGreasy's a few times and just upgrade.

16 GB goes for about $150 (some report slightly less than $150) from the sames sources.

Did not read the "Retina unit" part. Sorry.

Reply

Answer 2

Courcoul

Level 6

18,684 points

Jul 1, 2012 11:06 AM in response to ThePilotGuy

IMHO, medium to heavy duty use of Lion & apps works better on 8GB. I'm even planning on going all the way up to 16GB on mine since I do a lot of virtualization.

On your non-upgradeable Retina, I don't understand your question as all models come with 8GB minimum. Are you thinking of getting a 16GB unit? If you can afford it, and plan to keep the Mac througout its warranted life, that would be a good idea.

Reply

Answer 3

Jul 1, 2012 11:08 AM in response to steve359

RAM can not be upgraded by the consumer on the retina MBP. So the OP must either live with his 8GB or return the computer for one with 16GB.

My vote, he should go for the 16GB because he can not upgrade later.

Reply

Answer 4

dominic23

Level 10

84,018 points

Jul 1, 2012 11:14 AM in response to ThePilotGuy

MBP Retina

As far as memory is considered it is "now or never" situation.

If you find the apps mentioned above work without any lag stay with the present configuration.

Try some multitasking and find out whether that slows down the MBP or not.

Then decide.

Best

Reply

Answer 5

Tmakedon

Level 1

0 points

Jul 8, 2012 10:03 PM in response to ThePilotGuy

You dont need 16 gb of ram, this thing flies with the 8gb and SSD. I have a quad core Imac i7 with 16 gb and I threw everything at both machines, with Final Cut Pro X and Motion, and the macbook pro retina with 8 handled it without a page out and as a matter of fact was a bit quicker to render due to the SSD yet the activity monitor in the imac showed it ate up more ram. More than meets the eye, Ill keep my money for the next computer. Your bottleneck will not be ram with 8gb, no way. That is way more than enough and yes even for editing, like I said my loaded imac i7 proved this to me firsthand in a real life user experience, not posters coming on here talking about having 20 tabs open on a laptop, give me a break!

Reply