Its better to upgrade SSD or RAM (Unified Memory) at new MBA M2?

[AstroRexaur]

I'd saw many videos but none of them can analyze this question. SSD vs RAM (Unified Memory (UM)). With this new issue about the SSDs and the swapping to help the RAM (UM), I don't know what is better: Upgrade the SSD to have 2 (256gb) storage meaning faster swapping and storage data management or upgrade to 16gb of UM? I just want choose 1 of the 2.

 

[Apple_Robert]

Depends on your workflow. What do you do the most on your Mac?

 

[Dnzilla]

Consensus on youtubers seems to be storage.
Because the spend solves 2 issues
Insufficient storage
Speed of storage

 

[sjperformance]

I was wondering the same. I decided to go with the 8/512. I'm not an intensive user. I haven't bought a mac in many years. I still prefer to have extra room for storage.

 

[AstroRexaur]

Depends on your workflow. What do you do the most on your Mac?

Like doing question banks/web browsing/YouTube etc; have Whatsapp/Mail/Telegram/Apple Music open, normal stuff. No video/photo editing (well maybe 10 photos every 6 months for instagram).

 

[AstroRexaur]

Consensus on youtubers seems to be storage.
Because the spend solves 2 issues
Insufficient storage
Speed of storage

Thanks, I watched a lot of YT videos but none of them told it like you wrote it. Is so simple and yet they make it so difficult. 100% Thanks.

 

[JPack]

Consensus on youtubers seems to be storage.
Because the spend solves 2 issues
Insufficient storage
Speed of storage

+ Increased Write Endurance

All writes won't be confined to a single 256GB chip.

 

[AstroRexaur]

I was wondering the same. I decided to go with the 8/512. I'm not an intensive user. I haven't bought a mac in many years. I still prefer to have extra room for storage.

Im stuck because I preordered and got it at the release day. Now with this new issues, I need to return this one and buy the 512gb one. That's so difficult to me, now I need to wait almost 1 month.

 

[AstroRexaur]

+ Increased Write Endurance

All writes won't be confined to a single 256GB chip.

and the swap memory will be faster right?

 

[sjperformance]

Im stuck because I preordered and got it at the release day. Now with this new issues, I need to return this one and buy the 512gb one. That's so difficult to me, now I need to wait almost 1 month.

I hate it how right now my local apple store has starlight/silver/gray ready for pick up today but basic 8/256. New order says 1-2 weeks but ill be eyeing out the app everyday a few times a day. Maybe I get lucky and get a 8/512/67w. I know Miami a big market and we get a lot of inventory. 4 stores near me actually.

 

[JPack]

and the swap memory will be faster right?

Yes!

 

[cosmogrammar]

Would like to get a bit more clarity on which is really better for speed. I don't need the extra SSD storage, just want everyday work tasks & R code compiling to go as quickly as possible!

But, doesn't seem like anyone has really tested this.

 

[MDePew24]

Im stuck because I preordered and got it at the release day. Now with this new issues, I need to return this one and buy the 512gb one. That's so difficult to me, now I need to wait almost 1 month.

I did a similar thing except I went from 16gb and 512gb when I initially ordered and then ordered another with 1tb so I will be returning the 512gb when it comes in this week.

 

[AstroRexaur]

I did a similar thing except I went from 16gb and 512gb when I initially ordered and then ordered another with 1tb so I will be returning the 512gb when it comes in this week.

Straight into my poverty face! Haha.

 

[MDePew24]

Straight into my poverty face! Haha.

Definitely not how it was intended! I am going to get the 512 delivered before the 1tb so I'll have to take it back that day or I'll want to open it and keep it too.

 

[srexy]

Im stuck because I preordered and got it at the release day. Now with this new issues, I need to return this one and buy the 512gb one. That's so difficult to me, now I need to wait almost 1 month.

I'm still pondering whether to return my new to me M1MBA 512/8 and get the M2 with same or improved specs. Happy to have ordered through Amazon with a 90 day return window. Regardless - a huge improvement over my 2015 Retina 13 MBP!

 

[Analog Kid]

and the swap memory will be faster right?

I don’t see any reason it would be…. People are looking at throughput metrics to draw conclusions about swap performance— but the speed at which Blackmagic writes a 5GB file says little about how quickly you can page in a 16kB virtual memory page.

It’s two of the same chip in the 512GB, latency is probably similar so swap is unlikely to improve. If you have more RAM you’ll be less reliant on swap to begin with.

 

[Analog Kid]

Like doing question banks/web browsing/YouTube etc; have Whatsapp/Mail/Telegram/Apple Music open, normal stuff. No video/photo editing (well maybe 10 photos every 6 months for instagram).

You aren’t doing anything performance intensive, so I‘d focus on lifestyle considerations rather than performance concerns.