this post was submitted on 24 Jun 2024
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There were a number of exciting announcements from Apple at WWDC 2024, from macOS Sequoia to Apple Intelligence. However, a subtle addition to Xcode 16 — the development environment for Apple platforms, like iOS and macOS — is a feature called Predictive Code Completion. Unfortunately, if you bought into Apple's claim that 8GB of unified memory was enough for base-model Apple silicon Macs, you won't be able to use it. There's a memory requirement for Predictive Code Completion in Xcode 16, and it's the closest thing we'll get from Apple to an admission that 8GB of memory isn't really enough for a new Mac in 2024.

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[–] [email protected] 8 points 6 months ago
[–] [email protected] 46 points 6 months ago (3 children)

8GB of dedicated VRAM is hardly enough these days...

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[–] [email protected] 83 points 6 months ago (18 children)

imagine showing this post to someone in 1995

shit has gotten too bloated these days. i mean even in my head 8GB still sounds like 'a lot' of RAM and 16GB feels extravagant

[–] [email protected] 13 points 6 months ago (2 children)

I have a VPS that uses 1GB of RAM, it has 6-7 apps running in docker containers which isn't the most ram efficient method of running apps.

A light OS really helps, plus the most used app that uses a lot of RAM actually reduce their consumption if needed, but use more when memory is free, the web browser. On one computer I have chrome running with some hundreds of MB used, instead of the usual GBs because RAM is running out.

So it appears that memory is full,but you can actually have a bit more memory available that is "hidden"

[–] [email protected] 10 points 6 months ago

Same here. When idle, the apps basically consume nothing. If they are just a webserver that calls to some PHP script, it basically takes no RAM at all when idle, and some RAM when actually used.

Websites and phone apps are such an unoptimized pieces if garbage that they are the sole reason for high RAM requirements. Also lots of background bloatware.

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[–] [email protected] 16 points 6 months ago (3 children)

I chalk it up to lazy rushed development. Good code is art.

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[–] [email protected] 23 points 6 months ago (44 children)

I still can't fully accept that 1GB is not normal, 2GB is not very good, and 4GB is not all you ever gonna need.

If only it got bloated for some good reasons.

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[–] [email protected] 96 points 6 months ago (3 children)

This isn’t a big deal.

If you’re developing in Xcode, you did not buy an 8GB Mac in the last 10-years.

If you are just using your Mac for Facebook and email, I don’t think you know what RAM is.

If you know what RAM is, and you bought an 8GB Mac in the last 10-years, then you are likely self-aware of your limited demands and/or made an informed compromise.

[–] [email protected] 15 points 6 months ago

I’m not gonna stand up and declare that 8gb is absolutely fine, because in very short order it won’t be. But yeah, currently for an average use case, it is.

My work Mac mini has 8gb. It’s a 2014 so can’t be upgraded, but for the tasks I ask of it it’s ok. Sure, it gets sluggish if I’m using the Win11 VM I sometimes need, but generally I don’t really have any issues doing regular office tasks.

That said, I sometimes gets a bee in my bonnet about it, so open Activity Monitor to see what’s it’s doing, and am shocked by how much RAM some websites consume in open tabs in Safari.

8gb is generally ok on low end gear, but devs are working very hard to ensure that it’s not.

[–] [email protected] 38 points 6 months ago* (last edited 6 months ago) (3 children)

If you know what RAM is, and you bought an 8GB Mac in the last 10-years, then you are likely self-aware of your limited demands and/or made an informed compromise.

Or you simply refuse to pay $200+ to get a proper machine. Like seriously, 8GB Mac's should have disappeared long ago, but nope, Apple stick to them with their planned obsolescence tactics on their hardware, and stubbornly refusing to admit that in 2023 releasing a MacBook with soldered 8Gb of RAM is wholy inadequate.

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[–] [email protected] 1 points 6 months ago (2 children)

For the record, on Windows 10, I'm using 9GB (rounded up from 8.something) to run Firefox and look at this website, can't forget Discord inviting itself to my party in the background, and the OS. I had to close tabs to get down here. Streams really eat the RAM up.

Throw a game in there, with FF open for advice and Discord running for all the usual gaming reasons, and yeah, way over.

Notice I haven't even touched any productivity stuff that demands more.

8? Eat a penis, Apple. Fuckin clown hardware.

[–] [email protected] 13 points 6 months ago

Also for the record, I have experienced an 8GB Mac Mini run Firefox with at least 20 tabs, Jetbrains Rider with code open and editable, Jetbrains DataGrip with queries, somehow Microsoft Teams, MS Outlook and didn’t seem to have a problem. Was also able to share the screen on a Teams call and switch between the applications without lag.

Windows OS couldn’t handle your application load? Eat a penis, Microsoft. Fucking clown memory management.

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[–] [email protected] 42 points 6 months ago (3 children)

8GB is definitely not enough for coding, gaming, or most creative work but it’s fine for basic office/school work or entertainment. Heck my M1 Macbook Air is even good with basic Photoshop/Illustrator work and light AV editing. I certainly prefer my PC laptop with 32GB and a dedicated GPU but its power adapter weighs more than a Macbook Air.

[–] [email protected] 9 points 6 months ago (1 children)

8GB is definitely not enough for coding, gaming, or most creative work but it’s fine for basic office/school work or entertainment.

The thing is, basic office/school/work tasks can be done on any laptop that costs twice less than an 8GB MacBook.

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[–] [email protected] 35 points 6 months ago (2 children)

8GB would be fine for basic use if it was upgradable. With soldered RAM the laptop becomes e-waste when 8GB is no longer enough.

[–] [email protected] 14 points 6 months ago* (last edited 6 months ago) (1 children)

Yeah, the soldering is outrageous. I miss the time when Apple was a (more) customer friendly company. I could open my Mac mini 2009 and just add more RAM, which I did.

[–] [email protected] 11 points 6 months ago (1 children)

When I bought my first MacBook in ‘07 I asked the guy in the store about upgrading the RAM. He told me that what Apple charged was outrageous and pointed me to a website where I’d get what I needed for much less.

I feel that if Apple could have soldered the RAM back then, they would have.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 6 months ago (1 children)

I feel that if Apple could have soldered the RAM back then, they would have.

Apple used to ship repair and upgrade kits with guides on how to apply them. Not sure they were as anti-repair then as they are now.

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[–] [email protected] 15 points 6 months ago* (last edited 6 months ago) (3 children)

For who? My mother who only use facebook, youtube and googling don't need 8gb

[–] [email protected] 8 points 6 months ago (1 children)

I had a laptop with 8GB. Doing one of those things was fine, but when you open up another program it takes forever to switch to the browser

[–] [email protected] 1 points 6 months ago

And then you have to activate linux app support for a thing she needs and can not do with chromebook and suddenly it is more complicated than macOS?

[–] [email protected] 36 points 6 months ago (2 children)

Sounds like all she needs is a dirt cheap chromebook then

[–] [email protected] 2 points 6 months ago* (last edited 6 months ago) (1 children)

That all depends on how much work they want to put into troubleshooting it for her. I got my mom a Mac Mini when her PC needed to be replaced. It’s way less responsibility on my part. I mostly just answer the occasional how-to.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 6 months ago

Mac is easier than Windows, sure, but not easier than a chromebook. Nothing is simpler than a Chromebook. You can do much more with a Mac, but a chromebook is much easier.

[–] [email protected] 14 points 6 months ago (1 children)
[–] [email protected] 32 points 6 months ago (1 children)

Then her situation isn't applicable to this topic

[–] [email protected] 20 points 6 months ago (1 children)

This comment chain made me chuckle. It's such an "internet comment section" ..trope? I don't know the right word.

[–] [email protected] 7 points 6 months ago (1 children)

It’s a straw man argument that doesn’t address the main point the comment or was making.

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[–] [email protected] 10 points 6 months ago

I don't know what Xcode is so yeah, I haven't been found wanting with my 8GB M2. Videos, downloading, web browsing, writing, chat applications, some photo editing, games (what I can actually play on a Mac, anyway), all good here.

16GB+ is obviously going to be necessary though, and not exactly that expensive to put into their base models so it should be put in soon.

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