How much RAM do I need

chockydavid1983chockydavid1983
Posted:
in Current Mac Hardware edited January 2014
Hi everyone, just wondering if anyone can help me out please?

I am considering a purchase of a new Mac for music. I have heard a lot about the importance of RAM. How much do I realistically need to run a sequencer such as Nuendo with a few high-quality VST instruments and effects please? You seem to be able to get up to 8GBs with Macs. Also, does the size of the hard drive matter as much as the amount of RAM please?

Thanks in advance, regards, Chris.

Comments

  • Reply 1 of 11
    wingnutwingnut Posts: 197member
    Well, the amount of RAM you have is related to performance, whereas the size of your hard drive is related to storage. In other words, having a larger hard drive won't increase your performance one bit (provided the drives you are considering have the same amount of cache, the same interface, and the same spindle speeds).



    As for your RAM question, I'm not as much help, since I don't know much about the apps you're using or their system demand. If you're buying a powermac, definitely get 1GB, maybe 2GB. Maybe someone else here will know more than me about the apps you're using.
  • Reply 2 of 11
    chockydavid1983chockydavid1983 Posts: 18member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by Wingnut

    Well, the amount of RAM you have is related to performance, whereas the size of your hard drive is related to storage. In other words, having a larger hard drive won't increase your performance one bit (provided the drives you are considering have the same amount of cache, the same interface, and the same spindle speeds).



    As for your RAM question, I'm not as much help, since I don't know much about the apps you're using or their system demand. If you're buying a powermac, definitely get 1GB, maybe 2GB. Maybe someone else here will know more than me about the apps you're using.



    Hi, thanks for your reply. All the apps I would be using would be the sequencer, I just gave Nuendo as an example of what I'm using currently. At the moment, I'm not sure what other VST instruments and effects I would be using, I would need good-sounding instruments of at least piano, guitar, strings, bass, drums and the main effects such as stereo reverb, compression, parametric EQ and delay.
  • Reply 3 of 11
    wingnutwingnut Posts: 197member
    Well, if cost isn't that big of an issue, start with 2GB. You can always add more later, should you need it. It's a very easy thing to do.
  • Reply 4 of 11
    slugheadslughead Posts: 1,169member
    don't forget to buy as much as you can 3rd party, as Apple charges roughly twice what the RAM is worth
  • Reply 5 of 11
    toadietoadie Posts: 78member
    I have a dual 1.8 G5 with 1.25 GB of RAM. That much always kept me happy until I started doing some major digital photography work with both iPhoto 5 and Photoshop CS open. Things started slowing down, so I just ordered a second gig of RAM. At $130 (transintl) for 2 x 512 matched pair, it wasn't so bad.



    My iBook has 768 and that is plenty for what I do with the little beastie.
  • Reply 6 of 11
    chockydavid1983chockydavid1983 Posts: 18member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by Toadie

    I have a dual 1.8 G5 with 1.25 GB of RAM. That much always kept me happy until I started doing some major digital photography work with both iPhoto 5 and Photoshop CS open. Things started slowing down, so I just ordered a second gig of RAM. At $130 (transintl) for 2 x 512 matched pair, it wasn't so bad.



    My iBook has 768 and that is plenty for what I do with the little beastie.



    Hi, thanks for all your input, all very useful and interesting, thanks. Is anyone out there in a similar situation to me with regards as what they use the Mac for. Mine is as above plus it would be for just that and nothing else as I have a Laptop for everything else.

    Thanks in advance, regards, Chris.
  • Reply 7 of 11
    a_greera_greer Posts: 4,594member
    Quote:

    How much RAM do I need?[/B]



    Simple answer in EVERY case is as much as you can afford without skimping on other equipment, if you are a media pro, start at 2 gigs, if you are a pro-sumer, get a gig minimum, a consumer or doing general business, nothing less than 512, no matter what you run, Mac, windows, linux, ANYTHING.
  • Reply 8 of 11
    groveratgroverat Posts: 10,872member
    For all that you'll be running I think 2GB would be fine to start with. Budget for 3 or 4GB but start with 2.



    I have friends who use that exact same software package and their setup is a Dual 800mhz G4 with 1.5GB RAM and they are always talking about getting a new machine.
  • Reply 9 of 11
    chockydavid1983chockydavid1983 Posts: 18member
    Hi, thanks for your input everybody, I'm now have a much better idea of what I need and will probably go for a PMG5 with 2 GB RAM to start off with, then upgrade later if needs be. Thanks again, regards, Chris.
  • Reply 10 of 11
    oceansizeoceansize Posts: 22member
    I'm wondering where the processor fits into this equation:



    How would 2GB RAM work on a DP 1.8 processor?



    Does the DP 2 and DP 2.5 processor affect performance that much?
  • Reply 11 of 11
    thomazthomaz Posts: 42member
    Well hmm all i can say try looking on the web for benchmarks done on a dual g5 2ghz and 2.5ghz if u can find it.If u have the same setup one each its goin to be obivous that a 2ghz is faster than a 1.8 and a 2.5 is faster than the lessers.But i don't know by how much.
Sign In or Register to comment.