The most successful piece of content I've ever written in terms of views and engagement is my guide to choosing between 8GB and 16GB on an M1 MacBook.

To this 24-hour interval, my website receives thousands of hits every week for that article. Clearly, people are yet having a hard time choosing between the two configurations for what is at present Apple's base of operations-level bootleg Mac chip.

This brings me to the side by side conundrum. How on earth do you choose between the unified memory (we take to call it that rather than 'RAM' now, apparently) options on the new M1 Pro and M1 Max chips?

My first piece of communication is to start with the chip itself. That'll dictate what y'all can and can't do with the unified retentivity, after all. Then, if you haven't read it nonetheless, head over to my M1 Pro vs M1 Max guide and and so drib back hither to continue your purchasing decision.

Ready? Allow's get into information technology.

Who is the 16GB MacBook Pro for?

The 16GB option is only available if y'all plump for the M1 Pro. Then, if the M1 Max just felt far too expensive and capable for your requirements, the next decision you'll need to brand rests between 16GB and 32GB of unified memory.

In that location's a $400 difference between the two, which makes this a meaning decision. And, as you lot'd look, Apple does its all-time to tempt you lot to upgrade.

"The more retentivity your MacBook Pro has, the more apps you can run simultaneously, and the better they will perform," says the retention guide pop-upward on Apple'southward website.

Simply how does this interpret to real-world usage?

A example in point: I'm confident that for my workflow – which involves 4K video editing, minor sound production, and all the normal 'office work' blazon stuff – I never push the limits of the 16GB retentivity in my M1 Mac mini.

And then, if your use instance matches mine and you don't desire to stretch your wallet whatever further, get the 16GB. The performance of the M1 Pro lone volition see you sailing through everything else.

If you think y'all need more than, continue reading.

Who is the 32GB MacBook Pro for?

For a great many people, straying beyond 16GB will make lots of sense. Indeed, I doubtable it is what a significant number of MacBook Pro buyers have been waiting for since the launch of the M1 flake last year.

Put simply, if you work with very large files or spend almost of your mean solar day in Xcode, the 32GB choice volition result in a car you tin rely on to easily sail through the solar day.

The same goes for music producers; large sample libraries and certain software instruments are notorious memory hogs, and, quite only, the more memory y'all have, the more enjoyable time yous'll take going near your work.

If the $400 upgrade to 32GB of RAM feels every bit though it volition offer a meaningful render on your investment in terms of productivity or uninterrupted joy, become for it.

If you're worried about future-proofing your investment and have zero interest in spending a boatload of cash on another MacBook Pro in 3 years' time, proceed reading.

Who is the 64GB MacBook Pro for?

Yous can but spec the new MacBook Pro upwards to 64GB of unified memory if you opt for the M1 Max scrap. This means, at that point, yous're already spending a metric tonne of cash on this laptop.

And then, what'southward some other 32GB on height of the base of operations-spec M1 Max? Well, it's another $400, which volition make an already stratospherically expensive laptop astronomically expensive.

If your palms are starting to sweat a little at this phase – stop, leave the selected 32GB equally it is, and cheque out. That's what I did. I edit video, therefore the simply large files I work with are of the MP4 variety, and Final Cut Pro is pretty good at managing that process without relying too heavily on retentiveness.

For me, spending more money on additional GPU cores fabricated far more sense than increasing the unified memory. You might be in the same boat – if so, spend your pennies elsewhere.

Only if you lot want the absolute maximum memory headroom in your MacBook Pro either for peace of mind or because y'all suspect your incredibly intensive workload with very large files is going to push it to the limit – become for it. All of these MacBook configurations will last a very long time, simply the specced-out 64GB model will outlive nigh of them.

Conclusion

Hands-up – I haven't got my hands on whatever of these configurations yet.

But I don't need to.

My reports on real-world performance will of class follow, merely my considerable feel running both the 8GB and 16GB configurations of the M1 chip gives me plenty of conviction in offering the advice in a higher place.

We're living in a totally different earth when it comes to Mac retentiveness. My 8GB M1 MacBook Air and 24" iMac experience like they have 16GB. The 16GB Mac mini feels like information technology has far more in the memory tank.

Can you imagine what 32GB and 64GB of this new unified retentiveness is going to exist capable of within the highly optimised earth of macOS Monterey? It's and then heady. But it also ways that y'all tin can relieve your pennies far more easily than you could during the Intel days.

What are you going for? What's your opinion on the M1 Pro and M1 Max memory argue? Go involved in the comments!