4 ms·

Might be the OS X version but my work 2012 MBP, 10.8.4, has 4 GB RAM and a 500GB HDD. With a text editor, an email client, a couple of terminals, a couple of c

Might be the OS X version but my work 2012 MBP, 10.8.4, has 4 GB RAM and a 500GB HDD. With a text editor, an email client, a couple of terminals, a couple of chrome tabs and an IDE open, the RAM gets loaded and the swap starts to trash. I get huge slowdowns all the time. With my own MBPr (10.8.4), I have 8GB and never get into similar cases. And having a SSD instead of the HDD, I don't fear nearly as much the day I'll hit the swap. The OS itself takes over 1.2GB of RAM, add to that ~1GB for the IDE (IntelliJ), ~1 GB for Chrome tabs, that's already > 3GB. Add the terminals, email client, various other processes and daemons... 4 GB is not much.

ghshephard 13y ago
Re: Work MBPr - just curious, but did your work load down your native image with a bunch of Security Crap? I know a lot of people who have complained that once IT gets ahold of the MBPro, the systems become effectively 1/3rd the performance. Also - the SSD makes an insane impact on performance. But - Yes, I think everyone on HN can agree - we'll all get 8GB when we have to make the decision.
- minimax 13y ago
  My work MBP has a spinning drive and FileVault 2 (whole disk encryption) turned on. Anything I/O bound (booting, starting applications, paging) is super slow.
- AYBABTME 13y ago
  Yup it is, that sheds some lights on the huge gap of performance.
rangibaby 13y ago
Spinning rust + low RAM in OSX = not a nice time. Is there a reason you can't just upgrade your work laptop to have 8GB?
- AYBABTME 13y ago
  I've asked for 8 GB, I think it's on the way.
Gorbzel 13y ago
Does the work machine have a 5400 rpm drive? I know that a 7200 wouldn't touch the speed of an SSD, but I'm wondering if slightly more rotational speed makes any difference with swap/otherwise. I'm starting to see quite a bit of slowdown on my 2010 MBP and the worst offender is always when it has to hit the HDD, yet I already have maxed the RAM.

ghshephard 13y ago

Re: Work MBPr - just curious, but did your work load down your native image with a bunch of Security Crap? I know a lot of people who have complained that once IT gets ahold of the MBPro, the systems become effectively 1/3rd the performance. Also - the SSD makes an insane impact on performance. But - Yes, I think everyone on HN can agree - we'll all get 8GB when we have to make the decision.

minimax 13y ago
My work MBP has a spinning drive and FileVault 2 (whole disk encryption) turned on. Anything I/O bound (booting, starting applications, paging) is super slow.
AYBABTME 13y ago
Yup it is, that sheds some lights on the huge gap of performance.

rangibaby 13y ago

Spinning rust + low RAM in OSX = not a nice time. Is there a reason you can't just upgrade your work laptop to have 8GB?

AYBABTME 13y ago
I've asked for 8 GB, I think it's on the way.

Gorbzel 13y ago

Does the work machine have a 5400 rpm drive? I know that a 7200 wouldn't touch the speed of an SSD, but I'm wondering if slightly more rotational speed makes any difference with swap/otherwise. I'm starting to see quite a bit of slowdown on my 2010 MBP and the worst offender is always when it has to hit the HDD, yet I already have maxed the RAM.