Considering new Mac Laptop, RAM question

So, my Macbook Air is now 6 years old, and my iMac 7. I've been able to update the imac with an SSD, and RAM, so I'm hoping it survives for another year or two. The Air, though, with it's older SSD and 4Gb of RAM and 6-yr old video processor, the fan blows often.

So, were I to replace it with a new Macbook Pro, with RAM that can't be upgraded, what's the Logos advantage to 16Gb RAM vs. 8? It's $200 to upgrade, which is not insignificant.

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Matthew

RAM is king, always get the most that you can possibly afford. I'm running 16gb on my MacPro and I would have more if possible. Logos is a resource hog and hard enough to run on 16gb. You'll be happier and less frustrated with 16gb, and it will improve everything you run, not just Logos. And it will make your Mac be viable for a longer period of time as everything constantly increases and wants more and more computer resources. I know it's $200 more, but if you're going to upgrade, go all the way. That's what I did.

Keith Pang

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/891797#Comment_891797

I agree with Matthew. I got 16GB for my MacBook Pro as well. Totally worth it for the long run. Especially if you are like me and like to use the laptop until it dies haha.

PetahChristian

You'll appreciate the additional 8 GB when Logos is indexing.

The only thing I'd suggest is waiting for the 2017 MacBooks which will use the Kaby Lake processor. It will offer improved battery performance, and a better GPU that natively supports 4k decoding. Even if you decide you don't need the newer model, the prices will drop on last year's systems.

Philip Bassham

I think of upgrades, especially to RAM, like I am paying more to be able to use my purchase longer. You could get by without having it now, but that $200 is going to add a couple of years to the usability of your computer. Doubly so when you are buying one that can't be upgraded in the future like you did with your current one. It's more, but it is still cheaper than having to get a new one sooner.

Brad

Ben, the Forum team is providing some solid guidance here. Go for 16 and don't look back.

Here is Apple's official take:

"The more memory your Mac has, the more apps you can run simultaneously and the better they will perform. If you’re planning to run professional applications like Final Cut Pro, it's a good idea to max out your memory.

MacBook Pro uses one of the fastest memory technologies available today — 2133MHz Low-Power Double Data Rate 3 (LPDDR3), synchronous dynamic random-access memory (SDRAM) — ensuring that the Intel Core i5 and i7 processors are constantly fed with data without wasting clock cycles. This means you can multitask with ease and run memory-intensive applications without compromising performance. And thanks to Compressed Memory in macOS, you can use memory more efficiently to get optimal performance from your Mac."

One of the most common complaints about the newest MacBook Pros is that we couldn't get them with 32Gb of Ram. Nevertheless, I'm pretty happy with mine, and Logos is running nicely, simultaneously with an additional app or two or..., within the 16Gb confines.

mab

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/891816#Comment_891816

I have 16GB in a Mac Mini. While indexing, the RAM being used goes to nearly 16GB. There's more than one program that can free some of that up and help finish your indexing without the computer feeling like it's bricked, but indexing is still something of a hog.

If I was buying a new computer today, I'd seriously consider getting 32GB. It's not necessary, but I believe that we are about to cross a boundary where it will become valuable.

The other thing is that some of the RAM gets used for graphics unless you have a dedicated graphics card.

Keith Pang

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/892898#Comment_892898

I wonder why Logos can't fix the issue of not using so much RAM while indexing. Also to not be such a battery hog. That would be the best improvements in my opinion for the future of Logos