M1 Mac Mini 8gb or 16gb

[forumuser641699]

I'm looking to upgrade my 2012 i7 Mac mini which has 16gb to the new M1 version but 16gb is 200 odd quid more than the 8gb.

Do I really need that much ram with the M1? I rarely use instrument plugins and my sessions are usually 8-12 tracks. Would the 8gb be plenty?

[sonics]

Since there is no upgrade path, not buying the 16GB version would be foolish, especially for anybody involved in music production or video.

It looks like you'll be using Mac for many years; can you really be certain of your future needs? Storage can be expanded externally, but not RAM.

So that's a "yes" from me!

[MarkOne]

I agree with Sonics.

One of the great things about Macs is their longevity, as well as my M1 MBP and Mini, we have a 2012 MBP that is still doing useful work here (Not as a production machine any more, but nonetheless it still does very well for office duties). But that was the last upgradable MacBook and in its life it saw more memory and an SSD. (Both of those were options when I bought it), but if I hadn't done those upgrades it would have stopped being a useful production machine long before it did, simply because the day to day resource requirements go on increasing.

So given this might be still going strong in 2030 it would be silly to not spec it up has much as you can to maximise the investment

[Luke W]

I'd also say its worth going for the 16GB. If you're absolutely certain that your usage won't increase then I'm sure the 8GB machine would do the trick, although that won't account for software becoming generally more RAM hungry over the next few years.

I've been bitten by the "I'll never need that much of XYZ" viewpoint myself once or twice (despite always advising others against it!), so I'd compare the initial spend on the extra RAM now to the cost of another new machine in a couple of years, and see if that sways the decision.

[Stonehousestudio]

I wrote this on my site and it might help some people out. Long time Mac user here and ex-Apple, I also worked closely with Logic team.

https://guitarbomb.com/2021/04/13/is-ap ... uitarists/

[OneWorld]

I'm looking to upgrade my 2012 i7 Mac mini which has 16gb to the new M1 version but 16gb is 200 odd quid more than the 8gb.

Do I really need that much ram with the M1? I rarely use instrument plugins and my sessions are usually 8-12 tracks. Would the 8gb be plenty?

RAM is like love and affection - you can't have too much of it LOL

Seriously though, you are considering a circumstance that is good for present circumstances, but can you really anticipate circumstances that the future will bring? Another thing to consider is if and when you come to sell the computer, the extra RAM will make your computer all the more appealing to a prospective buyer

Happy memories!