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> Better memory management means less RAM can be better than more RAM No, it can't. If more RAM means it's slower RAM then maybe it can be better to have less

> Better memory management means less RAM can be better than more RAM No, it can't. If more RAM means it's slower RAM then maybe it can be better to have less of it in some workloads. But otherwise it's never better to have less RAM than more RAM. Better memory management can make the impact of less RAM be less severe, but it's still unambiguously worse. Especially if you have workloads that actually need the RAM like large ML models or editing 8K videos.

fastball 6y ago
Only worse if your only goal is "have more RAM". If the purpose of owning a computer is "get shit done", better memory management absolutely can be better than just throwing more RAM at the problem.
- kllrnohj 6y ago
  > better memory management absolutely can be better than just throwing more RAM at the problem. Those are not competing in any way. Better memory management does not require nor benefit from less RAM. Apple doesn't give you a different kernel when you choose the 8GB SKU instead of the 16GB one. It's the same software, just with less RAM. And having that less RAM is best case break-even in "day to day" experience, but never better.
- ksk 6y ago
  It's true that if the OS could predict exactly which memory pages to keep and which to swap out, we could save memory wastage, but so far I haven't seen any memory management scheme that can reduce memory consumption by half. For me personally, I won't even consider a machine with less than 32GB ram in 2020/2021. With 32GB, I never close out of applications that I use regularly, and so it allows me to switch state instantaneously for not that much more money. My workloads are typically read-heavy & multiple GBs - editing/screening/cataloging hundreds of RAW photos, loading of multi-GB games, having about 50 tabs open in FF, etc. After having switched careers I rarely code anymore, and I don't think these are uncommon requirements.

fastball 6y ago

Only worse if your only goal is "have more RAM". If the purpose of owning a computer is "get shit done", better memory management absolutely can be better than just throwing more RAM at the problem.

kllrnohj 6y ago
> better memory management absolutely can be better than just throwing more RAM at the problem. Those are not competing in any way. Better memory management does not require nor benefit from less RAM. Apple doesn't give you a different kernel when you choose the 8GB SKU instead of the 16GB one. It's the same software, just with less RAM. And having that less RAM is best case break-even in "day to day" experience, but never better.
ksk 6y ago
It's true that if the OS could predict exactly which memory pages to keep and which to swap out, we could save memory wastage, but so far I haven't seen any memory management scheme that can reduce memory consumption by half. For me personally, I won't even consider a machine with less than 32GB ram in 2020/2021. With 32GB, I never close out of applications that I use regularly, and so it allows me to switch state instantaneously for not that much more money. My workloads are typically read-heavy & multiple GBs - editing/screening/cataloging hundreds of RAW photos, loading of multi-GB games, having about 50 tabs open in FF, etc. After having switched careers I rarely code anymore, and I don't think these are uncommon requirements.