Well, the iBook/Macbook just went to 512 MB standard around this time last year I think. I expect that the Macbook and Mac Mini will be last. I bet the next MBP rev will be all 1-GB, and the Mac Pros might be all 1-GB.
And I know what I see. Checking the size of my VM swap directory, I have...
Lookee there. 12GB.
18 apps open, anywhere from 1 to oh, 14 windows open in each...
Yup. 512MB.
Beach ball? Only in Lotus Notes, which I use under protest.
512MB is more than usable for the average user, with the average workflow. Would I like to have 1GB? Sure. Do I think that it is needed to be *standard* across *all* models? No. The average user doesn't *need* it yet. When they do, it'll happen.
Until then, if *you* need it for *your* workflow, then for god's sake just go buy it, and stop whining that it didn't come for free.
Crap on a stick, I have an old B/W G3 @ 350MHz with a whopping 256MB of RAM sitting in the next room running 10.3 *Server*, and offering up the full suite of web, mail, ssh, yadda yadda, while also being a secondary GUIrific computer, and primary interface for the shared iTunes/iPhoto libraries. Do I push it hard? Heck no. But it's amazing what you *can* do on that little RAM. If I needed more, I'd buy it, but right now I need disk space more. :P (VM on that machine is currently at <1GB, btw...)
really what do you need, under what circumstances does more ram mean better performance. i upgraded to > 512 only because i was considering VPC which in these forums was termed a ram hog. so maybe it's one upmanship to say "mine is bigger"
show me the stats like above maybe it's just fine, and it's a perceived need.
give documentation of need, and which apps need more than others then if you use the app we can say it's rec. to increase.
as far as the beach ball, i'm not sure that is ram dependent. my ibook g4 .9 1.2gb ram gets it all the time especially with safari and ebay. drives my wife nuts, says my dell is faster and better doing surfing. my dell is 4 yrs old with 512 ram.
we need more quantification
i do suggest getting the ram as a single dim so you can add without wasting "puchased" ram. but the other point is ram gets cheaper by the month so buy when apps need it not sooner. now it's sooooo easy to upgrade. save the $$$$ before you buy try out your apps you use, check forums of those that use similar apps then upgrade as needed. especially since the cost of ram from apple is high and you can get some other option, like more HD
under what circumstances does more ram mean better performance.
High-end applications? Also, if you have many apps running and regularly switch between them, if you've only 512 MB of RAM, all the swapping could really slow stuff down.
Quote:
Originally posted by NOFEER
as far as the beach ball, i'm not sure that is ram dependent. my ibook g4 .9 1.2gb ram gets it all the time especially with safari and ebay.
The beach ball can sometimes appear when memory is being swapped. In your case, it could be all the javascript eBay uses. Have you tried Camino or Firefox for eBay instead of safari?
I'm an average user, and 512MB isn't bad. Granted I wouldn't call it great or anything. There will be instances of slowness, but nothing too bad.
Still, I went with 1GB on this MacBook. At least Apple's standard isn't 256MB anymore. I switched to Apple a year ago with the 256MB Mac Mini. It was fine with Panther, but with Tiger -- OUCH.
Comments
Originally posted by Ireland
So. I own a Mac, and I know what I see!
And I know what I see. Checking the size of my VM swap directory, I have...
Lookee there. 12GB.
18 apps open, anywhere from 1 to oh, 14 windows open in each...
Yup. 512MB.
Beach ball? Only in Lotus Notes, which I use under protest.
512MB is more than usable for the average user, with the average workflow. Would I like to have 1GB? Sure. Do I think that it is needed to be *standard* across *all* models? No. The average user doesn't *need* it yet. When they do, it'll happen.
Until then, if *you* need it for *your* workflow, then for god's sake just go buy it, and stop whining that it didn't come for free.
Crap on a stick, I have an old B/W G3 @ 350MHz with a whopping 256MB of RAM sitting in the next room running 10.3 *Server*, and offering up the full suite of web, mail, ssh, yadda yadda, while also being a secondary GUIrific computer, and primary interface for the shared iTunes/iPhoto libraries. Do I push it hard? Heck no. But it's amazing what you *can* do on that little RAM. If I needed more, I'd buy it, but right now I need disk space more. :P (VM on that machine is currently at <1GB, btw...)
Originally posted by Ireland
I have 2Gb RAM
So you've just proven that you have NO recent real-world experience working with only 512MB RAM. Good job, Ireland.
show me the stats like above maybe it's just fine, and it's a perceived need.
give documentation of need, and which apps need more than others then if you use the app we can say it's rec. to increase.
as far as the beach ball, i'm not sure that is ram dependent. my ibook g4 .9 1.2gb ram gets it all the time especially with safari and ebay. drives my wife nuts, says my dell is faster and better doing surfing. my dell is 4 yrs old with 512 ram.
we need more quantification
i do suggest getting the ram as a single dim so you can add without wasting "puchased" ram. but the other point is ram gets cheaper by the month so buy when apps need it not sooner. now it's sooooo easy to upgrade. save the $$$$ before you buy try out your apps you use, check forums of those that use similar apps then upgrade as needed. especially since the cost of ram from apple is high and you can get some other option, like more HD
Originally posted by NOFEER
under what circumstances does more ram mean better performance.
High-end applications? Also, if you have many apps running and regularly switch between them, if you've only 512 MB of RAM, all the swapping could really slow stuff down.
Originally posted by NOFEER
as far as the beach ball, i'm not sure that is ram dependent. my ibook g4 .9 1.2gb ram gets it all the time especially with safari and ebay.
The beach ball can sometimes appear when memory is being swapped. In your case, it could be all the javascript eBay uses. Have you tried Camino or Firefox for eBay instead of safari?
Still, I went with 1GB on this MacBook. At least Apple's standard isn't 256MB anymore. I switched to Apple a year ago with the 256MB Mac Mini. It was fine with Panther, but with Tiger -- OUCH.