In 2018, macOS Mojave introduced using about 2GB of RAM for itself. This figure stayed almost the same since 2013, which means that with 8GB of physical RAM, you have about 6GB for all applications. If for some reason Apple decides to release a new OS which. A quad-core 2.5GHZ CPU, 8GB RAM and GeForce 470 GTX/Radeon 6870 HD or higher and recommended by Epic. But for making 3D games, you'll want better than those parts. Here's the breakdown. The commonly held wisdom is that you can get by with 8GB of RAM, but with how much Chrome and Windows 10 use does this still hold up in 2018?
8GB of G.SKILL Ripjaws X Series DDR3 2133 comes in at around $40. Here is a definitive guide to how much RAM your PCs needs. Note that how much RAM, along with the type and speed, that your system. Hello people:DI am really happy to bring you this video today! 8GB of RAM (2x4GB) vs 16GB de RAM (2x8GB)! I tried to make this video sooner, but i only made.
The gaming industry is evolving at a rapid pace. As games become more technically-advanced, it's only natural that hardware has to evolve and upgrade right alongside them. In the past, relatively weak processors and graphics cards were more than enough to run the newest releases, and the average laptop or PC didn't need too much RAM to be a decent gaming machine.
Nowadays, standards have changed and more advanced hardware is essential for anyone looking to play the latest and greatest games. So if you plan to invest in a new gaming PC or laptop, or simply considering an upgrade to your current machine, one of the big questions you might be asking yourself is ‘How much RAM do I really need?'
There's no single answer to this question, as every case is different and it all depends on your personal circumstances and the type of gaming you want. The simple rule is that more RAM will result in better overall performance and faster speeds for both gaming and general computing, but with options ranging from as low as 4GB to as high as 64GB or even 128GB in certain cases, it's important to choose the right RAM option for you and not overspend on memory you won't ever need to use.
Why is RAM so Important?
To figure out how much RAM you're going to need, it makes sense to understand the exact role that RAM plays when it comes to gaming. To keep things simple, when you run games on a laptop or PC, the system needs to move a lot of temporary files around quickly. Since RAM offers the fastest way to do this, the PC will store all of the necessary data in the RAM for rapid and easy access.
With technical advancements in gaming, the average title has bigger files than ever before due to better quality visuals and audio, so a typical AAA game is going to need a whole lot of memory space to run smoothly. If you don't have enough RAM in your system, it'll have to start relying on the hard-drive for file transfers, resulting in slower performance and weaker frame rates.
Is 4GB of RAM Enough?
Now that we know what RAM is actually used for in gaming, let's look at your options. The minimum amount of RAM you can find nowadays is 4GB. Is this enough for gaming? The simple answer is no, unless you're only interested in playing old games or small, independent releases that won't tax your system heavily.
If you don't plan on playing the latest blockbuster releases and AAA games, 4GB could be enough, but investing in a 4GB system right now isn't the smartest idea as it will reduce the longevity of your machine. At the moment, many games will be playable with 4GB. However, in another year or two, as games become even better and really do start needing that extra memory to run properly, low-RAM systems simply aren't going to be enough.
In short, it is perfectly possible to run plenty of popular titles like Grand Theft Auto V or Fortnite with 4GB and not notice much of a detrimental effect on your performance, but the gaming world moves fast and it always pays off to ‘future-proof' your system by spending a little extra on stronger hardware that will actually save you money in the long run.
Is 8GB the Perfect Amount?
So if 4GB isn't enough, 8GB should be ideal, right? Quite simply, yes! Right now, 8GB is the ideal amount of RAM. A quick browse of the latest releases like Assassin's Creed Odyssey or Shadow of the Tomb Raider, or even a look at the required technical specifications for upcoming games on Steam shows that almost every title asks for 8GB of RAM to run smoothly.
In real-life tests, even with games that are a little more intense on your system, 8GB is almost always enough to enjoy great performance levels without any choppiness or significant frame rate drops. Of course, you still need a good graphics card and processor to cope with the demands of AAA releases, but in terms of RAM, 8GB is great.
Plenty of modern laptops and PCs will come with 8GB of RAM as standard nowadays, and this is the perfect option for people who want to enjoy their games. It's not going to cost you a lot of cash and will provide perfectly adequate performance for the foreseeable future. This amount of RAM is also ideal for general daily computing; if you like to have lots of internet tabs and other software open all at once, 8GB will be more than enough to keep your system ticking over.
Is 16GB Too Much?
Since 8GB is regarded as the sweet spot for modern gaming PCs and laptops, 16GB might seem like overkill, but many hardcore gamers tend to gravitate towards this amount of memory. Benchmarks and other tests show no real difference in performance when running AAA games on 8GB and 16GB systems, so why would anyone prefer spending more on the higher amount?
Well, when it comes to 16GB, it's all about future-proofing. 16GB might not be too useful right now, at least not when it comes to gaming, but as we've already said, games are getting better and more technical with each passing year. As games evolve, they're going to require stronger graphics cards and processors, as well as more RAM.
Therefore, even though 16GB isn't going to have any real effect on your system right now, it could turn out to be very helpful a year or two down the line. It's important to note that there are no downsides to having more memory in your machine, so choosing 16GB over 8GB has no drawbacks, aside from the added cost. So, if you want to stay one step ahead of the game and equip your PC with the RAM it needs to survive the coming years, 16GB is a fine choice.
What About Higher Amounts of RAM?
As we just wrote, more RAM has no downsides, so we can't exactly say that it's a bad idea to invest in higher amounts of RAM. However, for the vast majority of users, anything more than 16GB is more or less a waste of money because it simply won't have any effect on your daily computing and gaming experiences.
Some motherboards support up to 128GB of RAM in total, but machines with enormous amounts of memory aren't designed with gaming in mind. 32GB+ RAM is only going to be useful to professionals who do a lot of video editing and graphic design. For gaming, streaming, movies, and regular day-to-day computing, these high amounts of RAM are simply unnecessary.
Even if you're looking to future-proof your machine, it doesn't make much sense to invest in 32GB or more because new forms of RAM are being developed and older formats will become obsolete in the years to come. Simply put, if you invested in 32GB of RAM today, it would probably be outdated before you ever actually needed it.
Conclusion
In conclusion, it's clear to see that 8GB or 16GB of RAM is the ideal amount for a good gaming rig. If you're hesitating between the two and you have the money, go for 16GB just for the sake of future-proofing, but if you're worried that 8GB isn't enough, you can breathe easy. 8GB is perfectly adequate for modern games and will be fine for the next few years. 16GB is a nice bonus, but anything higher than that is overkill.
One of the most asked questions on all Mac forums is whether it is ok to buy a MacBook Pro with just 8GB or it would be better to upgrade to at least 16GB. Answers obviously vary from person to person, but the common consensus is it depends on which applications you are going to use.
The problem with forums is that the more you read them, the more confusing it gets because people are suggesting solutions, but they do not know your circumstances. I don't know them either, but I can help you to reach a decision by asking some questions and refuting some common myths.
Once you get all the required information, you (hopefully) will be able to make an informed decision which works best for you.
TLDR; Is 8GB enough for a MacBook Pro? In most cases, for anyone asking this question, 8GB of RAM would be enough for surfing the internet, checking emails and working with documents. People who do coding or computer design professionally and can actually benefit from additional RAM already know the answer.
And now let me prove my point of view.
Three reasons why you should never buy a MacBook with only 8GB of RAM
1. You change your mind every day
Last year you were an astronaut and were making deals with aliens on the board of Enterprise. Today you are a famous chef in a restaurant with 34 Michelin stars. And you suspect that tomorrow you may abruptly change your career and become a glorious JavaGrape and HDLM developer in a furniture store in Tinytown, AL.
As we all know, furniture store developers suffer from an outsized need for 16GB memory in order to track dozens of sofa purchases per year.
You asked the developer in the furniture store and she suggested to future proof your MacBook because otherwise, you will miserably fail as a glorious developer.
2. Buying a MacBook is like car shopping
You still remember the worst mistake of your life when you bought a 2 door Mini convertible in 2016. As soon as you signed the credit application you found out that the girl you met last week at your friends' house is planning your wedding in May.
Within three weeks after buying a car you had buyer remorse. What were you thinking? How are going to fit your wife and three children that were born 10 days after the wedding to the Mini convertible?
No, you will not make this mistake again with your laptop. You will future proof and buy a MacBook with 43GB of RAM so you can watch pictures of your triplets in 3D.
3. Buying a MacBook is like buying a new iPhone
I met a lot of people who flip burgers in McDonald's and they own last generation iPhones which cost a little less than MacBook Air.
'What's the secret of the financial success of those amazing people?', you wonder. How they manage to upgrade expensive iPhones every two years? The secret is simple and it's called 18-month special financing (no interest if paid in full).
Let's assume that the base MBP model with 8GB will cost $1799.00. With 18-month special financing, you will have to pay $100 per month (let's ignore taxes). Can you afford payments? Ok, let's move on.
Now, let's add $200 and upgrade the memory to 16GB. Now, you have to pay $111 per month. Can you still afford the payments?
You nod. Your face lits up with a smile. You hide a heap of crumpled dollar bills in the back pocket of your Duluth pants and go to Apple site to apply for credit.
Two reasons why even 8GB is too much for you
1. What is RAM?
If you know that a Ram is a pickup truck from Dodge, you know that the right number is 3500, not 8. You frantically scroll the web page and finally ask me for help.
'Al', you say, 'there is no 3500 option. Chrome internet explorer download. I would settle on 2500 or 1500, but I can't find them either!'
'Calm, Padawan', I reply, '8 is not 8. 8GB is 8 * 1024 * 1024 * 1024 which is equal to …err… more than 3500 for sure. So pick 8 and don't worry!'
2. You reading this article
If you're reading this article there is a 93% chance that you are either a newbie or not very good with tech. If you were using Apple laptops for many years you would be scaring mortals on forums with unrealistic demands for computing power.
But, let's get serious. We will use an elimination process to find those fancy people who will benefit from extra memory.
Why?
When solving any problem, it's best to start with the 'Why?' question. In our case, the question is, Why are people asking about choosing between 8GB and 16GB? There are two answers:
- Apple allows to upgrade CPU, RAM and storage at the time of purchase and many people seem to start desperately googling to find out if upgrades are required or worthful. By the way, if are wondering if storage upgrade is required as well check my post about 128GB minimum storage for MacBooks.
- The buyer knows that RAM in MacBooks is soldered to the motherboard and there is no way to upgrade it later.
If you're already aware of limited MacBook upgradeability, then you should answer another question: If it was possible to add memory later would it solve your problem?
If you have previously owned a laptop, did you ever upgrade memory on them? Or did you buy another laptop?
In case if you have never upgraded old laptops, then chances that you would care about MacBook upgradeability are virtually zero. So stop worrying and go ahead with the new MacBook Pro with 8GB (or the same amount of RAM you already have on your current laptop).
Myth of future-proofing
When asking about RAM upgrades, most users talk about future-proofing their purchase. What does that mean? Final round of family feud.
Future-proofing is basically fear. A fear that one day Apple will release a new upgrade and I will not be able to use my MacBook. Or a fear that one day I decide to be a programmer or a designer and I will need more resources and now I am stuck.
Let's first address the first fear. I always recommend having automatic upgrades on so the OS (operating system) on your laptop is up to date, has all enhancements (including performance improvements) and is secure. But the thing you don't have to upgrade to the new OS.
In 2018, macOS Mojave introduced using about 2GB of RAM for itself. This figure stayed almost the same since 2013, which means that with 8GB of physical RAM, you have about 6GB for all applications.
If for some reason Apple decides to release a new OS which will demand 8GB then you don't have to upgrade. If you made a mistake and upgraded you can always go back, especially if you have a Time Machine backup. Disk sensei 1 4 download free.
I work in the computer industry and I have customers who are still using 30-year old software!
Now, what about a career change? Steam keygen to all games 100 working credit. Well, I think I covered this already.
What's the worst thing is going to happen?
Every time I am faced with a dilemma, this is a question I ask myself.
Let's assume that I have only 8GB, and I installed an application that needs a lot of memory. In 99% of cases, it means that the application will run slow and only in 1% of cases it will not run at all. If there is not enough memory, the operating system starts swapping data between memory and the disk drive.
Back in the day, when we had HDDs, it would mean that the application will be unusable. Now, with faster SSDs, the performance is simply terrible but still tolerable.
Is 8gb Ram Enough For Programming 2018 F150
Macbook office suite. If you have such an application, you may be forced to close all other apps to free as much memory as possible, which is inconvenient but doable.
Do you really need a MacBook?
This is actually a very good question. If you never had a laptop before, why do you think you need a Mac?
If you want to play games then you should know that the MBP is not a gaming laptop. Gaming laptops have specific requirements and the main requirement is a dedicated GPU (graphics processing unit). You can buy a gaming laptop cheaper than an MBP with the possibility of the future upgrade for half the price.
Is 4gb Ram Enough
If you are a LAMP developer then maybe you better off with a Linux laptop?
PC laptop vs MacBook Air
Since we started questioning the feasibility of MacBooks as a class laptops, let me share a story about my laptops.
In 2014 I bought two laptops. First was a MacBook Air with 4GB RAM and 128GB SSD. The second was a Dell XPS 15 (for the price of 15-inch MBP) with 8GB RAM and 512GB HDD. A year later, I upgraded my Dell with 16GB RAM and 512GB SSD because I wanted to run a SQL Server on it.
Now, after 5 years, I have a chance to check a future proof myth. I don't use either laptop for anything serious. On both of them, I only edit Word documents and browse the internet.
MBA runs as well as it used to 5 years ago. When I open the lid, it's instantly on. When I edit documents, I see no lag. It still has an original battery which holds for hours.
Is 8gb Enough
Dell is another story. Did you notice that after 5 years, PCs get …tired. When I open a lid on Dell it takes 8-10 seconds until Windows shows a sign of life. It's like waking a teenager for school.
When I type on my Dell, I have to periodically stop and see how letters are slowly popping up. Animal crossing new leaf emulator online. One cool thing that Dell has is a TouchScreen Display which is very helpful. Because the touchpad on Dell stopped working three years ago. Did I mention that I had to replace the battery on Dell?
As for internet browsing, I call Google Chrome an equalizer. It's equally painfully slow on both laptops.
How much memory do you really need on macOS?
According to LaptopMag 8GB will let you do anything except high-end gaming. They even backed up those numbers with some testing. Anyway, I kind of agree with them and you can use the chart below as a reference (at least for the near future).
I would add some exceptions:
- If you're planning to run VMs on a MacBook Pro, then you have two options: run only one VM at a time with low RAM settings or go for 16-32GB.
- If you're planning to work with Photoshop, Illustrator, and other design software, it won't hurt to have 16GB.
- If you're planning to run Windows on MacBook go for 16GB.
Conclusion
- If you still not sure let me give you very simple tips:
- If you can afford additional $200 go for 16GB
- If you already have 8GB MBP and you notice a memory pressure go for 16
- If you're buying for credit, go for 16
- Otherwise, buy MacBook Pro with 8GB
It's very hard to tell how much power you need for a laptop when you not good with tech. But remember you have a 14-day return window. Install all apps during that time, open them all and stress test the system. Use the activity monitor to see if you benefit from memory or CPU upgrade.
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