I'm in the market for the new iMac 24" device. It's damn near impossible to find one in a store with 16GB Ram. The system requirements for programs like Photoshop and Illustrator is "8GB. (16 GB Recommended). Apparently there's something about the Apple processor that runs faster than their older Intel processor? Any input would be appreciated. I don't use Photoshop often, but don't want to get stuck down the road with insufficient RAM. Thank you.
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New iMac Ram Sufficient for Photoshop?
- Thread starter HRJR
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Unless you are a lightweight Photoshop user don't get 8GB RAM. (Actually, unless you are a lightweight user in general, don't get 8GB RAM.) I use Photoshop and 16GB is just OK on Apple Silicon. Photoshop uses more memory on Apple Silicon than on Intel, because it takes some of the shared "unified memory" for its graphical acceleration function (which on Intel is performed by the separate GPU with its separate VRAM).
Sure, there will be people who will say they run X, Y, Z on 8GB fine, and some people have very tight budgets, but there is a real benefit to getting 16GB RAM for apps like Photoshop, that getting 8GB is verging on a mistake if you have the choice
Sure, there will be people who will say they run X, Y, Z on 8GB fine, and some people have very tight budgets, but there is a real benefit to getting 16GB RAM for apps like Photoshop, that getting 8GB is verging on a mistake if you have the choice
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I can comfortably say 16 GB is a requirement for every user. Why Apple sells Macs with 8 GB of RAM is simply beyond me. Just get 16 GB of RAM, you'll be happier later on... Getting only 8 GB is almost a guarantee that you'll be swapping with the disk a lot of the time, if not all the time.
EDIT: As @wilberforce mentioned, keep in mind, the RAM and VRAM are shared, so you will experience more RAM usage than on any Intel Mac.
EDIT: As @wilberforce mentioned, keep in mind, the RAM and VRAM are shared, so you will experience more RAM usage than on any Intel Mac.
I don't entirely agree 16GB is a requirement for every user. For a large part of the target market for the 24" iMacs 8GB would be fine, i.e., the home user that uses it for email, browsing, etc., and wants something sleek that fits in with their decor and lifestyle.
But for those that have to ask if 8GB is enough, it usually isn't.
DO NOT get only 8gb of RAM.
It won't be "enough".
Your choices are:
- Custom order from Apple's online store
- Buy an Apple-refubished model that has 16gb
- Perhaps buy new from a place like B&H Photo (which carries custom-configured Macs, but has a return policy that you may object to).
It won't be "enough".
Your choices are:
- Custom order from Apple's online store
- Buy an Apple-refubished model that has 16gb
- Perhaps buy new from a place like B&H Photo (which carries custom-configured Macs, but has a return policy that you may object to).
for a simple Photoshop task 8GB of RAM is enough. May be slow down a bit, but operationally no problem at all. That's why VM does exist in computing. Even 4GB RAM will be operational as well though not fast.
8GB isn't enough to do anything comfortably beyond simple web, email, photo browsing, and office apps. Add anything else, and 16GB should be the minimum.
Also, you want to future-proof yourself—don't get 8 GB, because then in 5 years, 8 GB isn't going to be enough RAM, you know what I mean?