Macbook Pro advice.

[ArsMemoria]

So, I'm running an early-2011 MBP with an i5 2.3GHz and 4GB ram and running Logic Pro X. I'm going to be upgrading this machine soon, but not sure if I want to go with just 8GB or spend on a full 16GB upgrade. The main thing is I use this for practicing with the covers posted in the Practice Room as well as on school assignments. Eventually, it's gonna be turned over to my wife when I graduate, probably used as a storage and backup device, and I'm picking up a brand new model.

Do you all think 8GB would be enough? Or will I just want to upgrade later on anyways?

 

[He's Dead, Jim]

I have the exact same computer and I find running your average song in Reaper strains it once all the plugins are turned on. I have to print the FX on new tracks and mute the originals just to be able to master. So if I were you I'd get as much RAM as humanly possible. But the thing about Mac RAM is that you can get it installed factory-direct from Apple, or you can buy it from a third party for 1/3 the price and install it yourself. Just make sure the computer has enough slots when you buy it and you should be good to go.

 

[Gujukal]

I think 8 GB is enough, because your CPU will struggling with a lot of VSTi's and tracks anyway.

 

[guy in latvia]

Unless you have loaded an absolutely insane amount of VSTis 8GB will be fine. Even some of the biggest kits in superior won't go over 4gb. But thats more of a writing thing, when mixing, all should be bounced to wav files instead. The most important aspect is your CPU, try and get the best you can afford. In a typical mix of 80 or more tracks my CPU starts dying once i have plugins running on every track. A typical workaround is to print stems of everything, but it can be frustrating when you have to go back and make changes.

 

[Gujukal]

I've run over 150 tracks with plugins on most of the tracks without any problems on my PC

 

[egan.]

But the thing about Mac RAM is that you can get it installed factory-direct from Apple, or you can buy it from a third party for 1/3 the price and install it yourself. Just make sure the computer has enough slots when you buy it and you should be good to go.

Not true anymore. On current MBP's ram is soldered to the logic board.

 

[He's Dead, Jim]

Not true anymore. On current MBP's ram is soldered to the logic board.

Oops. Thanks for catching that.

 

[JeffTD]

Not true anymore. On current MBP's ram is soldered to the logic board.

This is very true, but it's worth mentioning that a base-level 15' MBP now comes with 16GB RAM stock, which is overkill for most audio applications.

 

[Line666]

Yeah, generally speaking you're going to be running out of processor overhead before you use up all 8 gigs of ram unless you like running insane amounts of sample libraries.

And yeah the all soldered parts thing is an absolute pain in the arse. MBPs are still the best laptops on the market by far but.

 

[ArsMemoria]

Thanks for the replies, and it's pretty much what I've been thinking: 8GB should be enough for what I need and I can toss a good SSD in with the cash I was gonna spend on 16GB. Currently, my RAM usage in activity monitor is right at 4GB whenever I'm running LPX and a little over 3GB when I'm just messing around on the internet.

 

[id3alism]

If your machine just feels a little bit slow, my best advice is to exchange the hard disk with a ssd. The difference was like day and night on my mid 2012 macbook pro.

 

[Riku]

I have the same MBP with 8gb. I don't think that you can put 16gb in it.

 

[ArsMemoria]

"*Apple officially supports a maximum of 8 GB of RAM, but as first confirmed by site sponsor OWC, this model actually is capable of using up to 16 GB of RAM with two 8 GB memory modules."

http://www.everymac.com/systems/app...-13-early-2011-unibody-thunderbolt-specs.html

Can be done, but I'm thinking I might just stick with 8GB, grab a SSD drive and roll with it until I upgrade to a new machine.

 

[Ericlingus]

just curious. What buffer size do you guys mix at? I mix at the highest buffer size I can (2048 at 44.1khz).

 

[Trevoire520]

As far as the soldered RAM thing goes that only applies to the retina MBP's I believe.

 

[ArsMemoria]

just curious. What buffer size do you guys mix at? I mix at the highest buffer size I can (2048 at 44.1khz).

I track at 128/44.1, but never change my buffer size when I mix. So, it runs at the same settings mostly out of not paying attention half the time.