Apple to offer 32GB of desktop RAM in top-end 2017 MacBook Pro, 16GB for 12" MacBook

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Comments

  • Reply 21 of 74
    spice-boy said:
    Does anyone that has the new MacBook like it? Maybe Apple spent too much effort on that "nobody asked for it" led strip and forgot about what a pro needs from a pro machine. 
    I love mine. I have a base model 13 inch Touch Bar. Was going to get a MacBook but wanted something that could do some light  Photoshop and video editing so it's perfect. Mostly use it for Logic. 
    brucemc
  • Reply 22 of 74
    wizard69wizard69 Posts: 13,377member
    Jdmr1701 said:
    ...I really don't see the Macbook getting 16GB of memory right now unless there is a beefier CPU in that thing to handle more load. I haven't any experience with that laptop but have heard it is pretty slow and noticeably so. I don't think that will every or ever has been used as a professional laptop...
    Don't underestimate those little MacBooks. My wife has the base model - m3 CPU, 8GB RAM - and it is a very useful machine that she uses to run her business. She runs MS Office all day, writes extensively, sends out invoices, creates presentation materials, organizes large bodies of images, etc. - in other words, a lot of real typical work. And it's just fine. She loves that it's so small and light, and how clear and bright the screen is. She takes it everywhere. In other words, I lot of people - perhaps a majority - could use the little MacBook and never notice that it's significantly slower than a Pro, because it does everything they actually need. There are of course people who genuinely need more, and this machine is not for them.
    Different people have different needs!   Nothing really surprising there.    My problem with the mac Book is the small screen that is an issue only older people can really relate too.    Even my 13" MBP challenges me at times.
  • Reply 23 of 74
    Here is a post on OS settings to improve RAM availability, and arguably privacy: macperformanceguide.com/blog/2017/20170110_1000-macOS-bloatWare.html
    Oh, good. Finally someone else takes notice of the nonsensical bloat happening to OS X. Just the other day I had a runaway process that I had to find using Activity Monitor? "Why is my disk writing? I'm not using it?" Come to find out it had wasted over 10 gigabytes of write doing who the hell knows what, and maybe sending some away across the Internet. Wasn't a third party process, either.

    We need a new Snow Leopard.
    pscooter63Donvermoavon b7dysamoria
  • Reply 24 of 74
    spice-boy said:
    Does anyone that has the new MacBook like it? Maybe Apple spent too much effort on that "nobody asked for it" led strip and forgot about what a pro needs from a pro machine. 
    I love mine. I have a base model 13 inch Touch Bar. Was going to get a MacBook but wanted something that could do some light  Photoshop and video editing so it's perfect. Mostly use it for Logic. 
    Does the Touch Bar work with Logic and if so, how pls?
  • Reply 25 of 74
    ksecksec Posts: 1,569member
    I am no aware of DDR4L roadmap from memory makers. Most current DDR4L sold are not true DDR4L. And Intel dont support LPDDR4 until 2018.

    Unless they switch over to AMD, how they will get 32GB in 2017 is beyond me.
    williamlondonpscooter63spheric
  • Reply 26 of 74
    Here is a post on OS settings to improve RAM availability, and arguably privacy:

    macperformanceguide.com/blog/2017/20170110_1000-macOS-bloatWare.html



    Great post identifying the console issue. The new version churns out so much it uses 30% CPU and notibilby drains the battery.  Apple conviently disabled it on their store demo machines!
  • Reply 27 of 74
    anomeanome Posts: 1,533member
    wizard69 said:
    anome said:
    Watch them charge $2,000 extra just for the memory too. Crooks!

    Let's see, they're going to release the 32GB memory "everyone" has been after, which is going to introduce engineering challenges - it won't be LPDDR4, as that's still not supported, so they're going to have to install desktop memory in a notebook, while not sacrifice portability or battery life, and you're complaining they might just charge a bit extra for?

    Would you like them to bring you a pony, too?

    I suppose it doesn't matter, they could offer everything everyone's been asking for, and we'd still only hear "but it doesn't come in Jet Black" or "it doesn't have a 5.25" floppy drive" or some other niggling complaint.

    I'm not convinced that using desktop RAM in the rMBP is a great idea, mostly for the reasons I hinted at above.


    Hey now those 5.25" drives are now collectors items.

     As for the ""desktop RAM"" I thought the quote was desktop class RAM which could mean anything at this point. As for LPDRR4 RAM, who knows Intel could be working on a Kaby Lake variant to support that interface. Desktop RAM by the way could be construed to mean RAM in plug in modules.

     In any event for me RAM isn't a shortcoming on these 2016 MBP, the tiny battery is. Until they address the batteries power capacity it really doesn't matter what they do with the rest of the machine. Real "pro" usage on battery power, just drains the battery to damn fast on these machines. We can only hope that the rumored new battery technology comes through and we get back real run time.
    I'm not sure what the distinction between "desktop RAM" and "desktop class RAM" is. They won't be putting full size DIMM sockets to take full size DIMMs, since they don't socket RAM these days, anyway.

    If Intel are working on a mobile version of Kaby Lake that supports LPDDR4, they haven't put it on their roadmap, or we'd have heard about it by now, Their official line has been Cannon Lake will add support for LPDDR4. The Kaby Lake U class desktop chips apparently will, but none of the mobile chips will. Using a desktop class processor in a notebook creates even bigger problems than using desktop class RAM. Think your battery life is bad now? 
  • Reply 28 of 74
    I'm not sure professionals needing 32GB RAM is in need of the same battery life as other user categories. I sure don't, I'm always near a power outlet and I think that goes for most of my colleagues. We move between power outlets. Usually home and work. If I can do a meeting for a few hours on battery that's fine but all meeting rooms I've been in also have power outlets. Why not do what some third party vendors, provide a charger that also can act as a battery. An optional battery pack that sits in your backpack. That could easily give a few extra hours off the grid.
  • Reply 29 of 74
    Soli said:
    dws-2 said:
    I think this is poorly informed speculation. Intel's chips that allow 32 GB and work in the MBP's power envelope will not be available in 2017, at least not according to their roadmap. Based on Intel's roadmap and recent performance, I can only hope they might be available in 2018.
    If we speculate the return of the 17" model, it might be possible. That said, I still think rumour is both highly suspect and unlikely.
    I wouldn't be so sure. 

    Apple needs a bit of "wow" right now. 

    Along with true pro levels of performance, capitalizing on pent up demand for merger screens in league with current and coming trends, it will be a hit. 

    Literally no no one would have anything against that. 
  • Reply 30 of 74
    dysamoriadysamoria Posts: 3,430member
    I don't really care. I don't want disposable computers. Make us new Mac Pros. 
    brucemctallest skilwilliamlondon
  • Reply 31 of 74
    dysamoriadysamoria Posts: 3,430member
    PS: I just spent a lot of time in Logic last night and realized my use of the tool keyboard shortcuts is done by touching of keys and the flat nonsense of the touch bar would greatly slow my usage. They should've been physical with OLED labels.

    Long live physical keys!!
    brucemcwilliamlondon
  • Reply 32 of 74
    SoliSoli Posts: 10,035member
    dysamoria said:
    PS: I just spent a lot of time in Logic last night and realized my use of the tool keyboard shortcuts is done by touching of keys and the flat nonsense of the touch bar would greatly slow my usage. They should've been physical with OLED labels.

    Long live physical keys!!
    You mean a row of individual keys that are all separate OLED displays?
    dysamoria
  • Reply 33 of 74
    For most people (me) having 32GB isn't the problem.  The 8GB model is fine...  The problem is the high price for the decent sized SSD.  I have 256GB in my IPad.  A laptop should have at least 512GB or be able to be upgraded.  I also need LTE.

    I'm willing to pay $500 more for a mac, but $1000 markup is ridiculous.  That's basically 2 performance equivalent Dells for the cost of one Mac.

    I better hope for a huge discount to the late 2016 model (when the new one comes out) or it's not going to happen.  My needs are basically equivalent to what a student would need. (I'm not a student).  I think they are driving a future generation of computer users to an inferior Windows 10 PC for greed (and stupidity).
  • Reply 34 of 74
    dk49dk49 Posts: 267member
    They should also bump the base RAM in 13 inch Macbook pro to 16GB.
    williamlondon
  • Reply 35 of 74
    SoliSoli Posts: 10,035member
    dk49 said:
    They should also bump the base RAM in 13 inch Macbook pro to 16GB.
    Is that possible with the dual-core Core chips they're using?
  • Reply 36 of 74
    jkichlinejkichline Posts: 1,369member
    spice-boy said:
    Does anyone that has the new MacBook like it? Maybe Apple spent too much effort on that "nobody asked for it" led strip and forgot about what a pro needs from a pro machine. 
    I have the 13" 2016 rMBP. Love it. TouchID is awesome. Touch Bar takes a lot of new habit formation since I'm used to key shortcuts, but has a lot of potential from a software development standpoint. The keyboard is solid with a great feel and faster typing. Trackpad is huge and works great. Dongles are a pain now but already getting new devices with new cables. Not a huge deal to get USB-C and TB3 launched.

    I'm heading to the NAMM Show this week and expect to see USB-C interfaces in full swing. USB 3.1 can handle recording about 256 channels of multitrack. TB3 could handle 1024 on a single channel. It's amazing tech.
    edited January 2017 Solifastasleepwilliamlondonroundaboutnow
  • Reply 37 of 74
    kevin keekevin kee Posts: 1,289member
    I don't think Apple can win, can't they? If you need more power machine to run your application, then this is definitely not for you. In fact, you shouldn't even think about getting a laptop. But for major uses including business owner, academic researches and general administrators, the current MB and MBP are perfectly sufficient.
  • Reply 38 of 74
    JinTechJinTech Posts: 1,020member
    My editor completed a feature length documentary (with heavy use of Multicam) on a 2011 iMac with 32 GBs of RAM, and I watched the dailies on my 2015 MacBookPro (with 16 GBs of RAM, in Premiere, so Multicam intact) and you know what, aside from the numerous bugs we ran into with Premiere, we completed everything in less than four months with next to no hiccup! Don't tell me we are not working professionals because we are. It's been tested over and over again that the latest MacBookPro's are more than sufficient at nearly anything you throw at them.
    pulseimagesbrucemcdysamoriaroundaboutnownhtchia
  • Reply 39 of 74
    hmmhmm Posts: 3,405member
    wizard69 said:
    Different people have different needs!   Nothing really surprising there.    My problem with the mac Book is the small screen that is an issue only older people can really relate too.    Even my 13" MBP challenges me at times.
    I don't think I could ever use a 13" screen. I don't know how you do it. 
    williamlondondysamoria
  • Reply 40 of 74
    brucemcbrucemc Posts: 1,541member
    I have no question that for some applications and professions, that 32GB (or more) of RAM is a key requirement for productivity.  

    The question of course is how many have this requirement and will be willing to pay the price Apple would charge for such a laptop (even ignoring the price bump in last MBP with TouchBar). The machine will not be cheap, and if developed would have less battery life and be less portable (heavier & larger) - this is simply the design & engineering trade-offs over next couple years (per Intel and memory roadmaps).  How many units are we talking about?  My sense is that we are probably talking maybe 10's of thousands of units per year (how many Mac owning or desiring video or related professionals, that would pay the price, and want that power in a laptop form, vs. the lower priced and more portable options, or an iMac).  Maybe we could push that to 100K units per year.

    In the last two years, Apple sold 39M Mac units - averaged to 19.5M units per year.  100K units would be 0.5% of the Mac shipments.  If you double that to 200K units per year (I think that is waaaayyy too optimistic for this hypothetical machine), you hit 1%.  One percent of Mac sales!  The Mac platform is in serious trouble if they don't make a machine for the 1% (or less)?  It is hard to believe that.

    That said, I think Apple should do it, if only to take some venom out of the media-blog-o-sphere of very loud critics.  It could be paid for out of the marketing budget, just to keep a more positive impression of the brand. 




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