[Xisiqomelir]

I am going to buy a new MacBook Pro in the next month or so (as soon as the updates come through), but I'm trying to decide how much memory I really need.

I don't do that much with my computer, I don't play games or cut together complicated videos. So at any given point in time I may have open:

Mozilla (several tabs)
AIM
Skype (with video chat)
Powerpoint (several open with >20 pages each)
Word
itunes OR a media player with a downloaded TV show playing
BitTorrent (or Azuereus) downloading said TV shows

Yeah thats pretty much the maximum I would do at once. So will 1GB manage that pretty smoothly or should I splurge and get the 2GB.

[PER3]

I thought that the MBPs shipped with 2GB?

[Xisiqomelir]

Originally Posted by PER3 

I thought that the MBPs shipped with 2GB?

I have no clue - I'm pretty out of the loop on the internal workings of computers, but the purchase website for the 15" says:

Memory
More memory (RAM) increases overall performance and enables your computer to run more applications at the same time. The 15-inch MacBook Pro supports up to 3 gigabytes of RAM.


1GB 667 DDR2 SDRAM - 1x1GB
2GB 667 DDR2 SDRAM - 2x1GB [Add $175]
3GB 667 DDR2 SDRAM - 1x2GB, 1x1GB [Add $750]

[peeb]

Right now, Powerpoint will be running under Rosetta, so for that alone you should probably go for 2gb.

[peterthorn]

Ram is always good to have, and more ram always better...
I would also go for the 2 GB, but I would probably buy the 1 gb block seperately (and buy a decent brand like kingston). As they have finally done it rightly and made the intro level machine with 1 gb in one block (instead of two 512 blocks), there is mostly no financial reason to buy the second GB block at the same time.

Peter

[peeb]

Agree that more ram is better - up to a point - there is a diminishing return after which more is just wasted money.

[Xisiqomelir]

Originally Posted by peeb 

Right now, Powerpoint will be running under Rosetta, so for that alone you should probably go for 2gb.

Thanks! I'll probably go for it.

Whats Rosetta?

And peter thank you also for your response. I can buy the 2GB for $158 more, can I really do that much better than that and install it myself?

[peeb]

Rosetta is a compatibility layer that allows Intel machines to run PPC software. It slows everything down and uses more memory, but means that old software does not need to be re-written to run.