MacBook Pro - 2 gigs or 4 gigs of RAM??
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- bcline
So I've decided that I want to get a MacBook Pro, however.... I have a dilemma.... do I need 4 gigs of RAM right away or can I use the 700 buckaroos to go towards an Apple Cinema display? Is 2 gigs of RAM enough for heavy photoshoping, after effects, and flash? Or should scrap a nice display and get 4 gigs?
I know what I really need is a Mac Pro, but I'm graduating in 4 months and need to be fairly portable for about a year.
Any thoughts would be much appreciated.
- RoyBoy0
Buy the Screen, upgrade Ram later..
- Beech0
get non-apple ram ... might be an option if your into that kind of thing
- slappy0
get the ram put in buy a apple reseller, the extra 2gig only cost us 200 aussie bucks from digilife here and you get to keep your warrenty.
- rafalski0
http://www.crucial.com/store/lis…
..and you get to keep original ram which you can still ebay.
you don't lose warranty by swapping the ram. As I remember, swapping hard drives is only allowed on mb 13"s
- bcline0
wow, so the concensus seems to be pretty clear. I just wanted to make sure 2 GIGS was enough at least for now. do i need to worry about non-apple RAM at all, like performance in the laptop or anything?
- NONEIS0
Apple ram is technically "non-apple" ram with their sticker tacked on top. Oethr ram is the same, jus amke sure you buy the right type. http://www.crucial.com makes it pretty painless on you.
You may find that 2 gigs is plenty, for hardcore photoshoping that is. I say get 4 if you are doing video on that bad boy, but toerhwise it might just sit there and go to waste. If the money is burning a hole though...
- max_prophet0
well they dont actaually, 'put their sticker on top' either, or call it 'Apple ram'.
Largely its just samsung, with a samsung sticker.
- NONEIS0
Well they do slap their "sticker price" on it, thanks for the semantic gymnastics.
- eb60
I use crucial ram in my power mac. Good stuff.
- bcline0
thanks for the responses guys. next question - if i'm getting an extra display + do i need a 15 inch or 17 inch macbook pro?
- ribit0
either 15 or 17 will drive the largest displays... even a MacBook will drive external displays.. but see the tech specs page on the Apple site for exact max pixel dimensions...
- bcline0
so would get the 15 in or 17 in ?
- ribit0
If you are going to have an external display, why not go for the portability of 15"?
- Jaline0
I'd go with the 15". Much more portable.
- bcline0
k... cool... thanks guys ( and gals )... gonna get it later this week... super stoked :)
- mirrorball0
iM GETTING A mAC bOOK PRO soon too!
good advice here, got the 23" apple cinema display so i'll be maxing out the ram on the bad boy for photoshop and indesign work, wouldn't mind the 17" screen but to save mullah and get the ram 15" is what Im going for.
- dibec0
Go with the screen, get your memory later. If you shop around you can get 4 gigs for about 280 bucks (OWC, Crucial).
I also bought the new 2.4 a few months ago. I thought 2 gigs was enough, but you really push it when you have AI, PS, DW, FL, Aperture, Safari, iTunes, Mail, and Transmit open.
* Please note there have been rumors of new displays coming out soon. 24 to replace the 23. Not certain when, how much, etc. I just mention that, because I almost bought the 2.33 within two weeks of the new 2.4 coming out. It would have sucked and I would have hated Apple.
Also invest in raid back up ... your disk drive will be eaten alive very quickly ... I shoot in raw so gigs are like megs to me.
happy metal touching.
- NONEIS0
As a caveat to the last post, you can wait, but do know Apple has an unlisted policy, that I have used before, where if they happen to upgrade something right after you purchase (I believe it's within 30 days) then they will just give you the new device / screen etc in exchange for your recently purchased item. If you talk to the genius the right way you can probably push that 30 day limit as well.
- BattleAxe0
has good deals on RAM
- cram0
i bought the 17 a year ago and i like it but sort of wish that i just got the 15 for portability and an extra monitor.
get non apple ram for sure.
good luck.