8GB or 16GB 24” M1 iMac? | Mark Ellis Reviews

[@MarkEllisReviews]

In the market for a 24" M1 iMac? Which one are you going for and why?

[@MegaBasher666]

again a clear and valuable review and explanation > top-notch as always!,thanks Mark

[@MarkEllisReviews]

@@MegaBasher666 thank you!

[@MegaBasher666]

@@MarkEllisReviews no thanks needed, its you giving again a good, decent and honest opinion, just stay yourself and its awesome!!

[@billyg8614]

Bought 16GB M1 iMac with 2TB storage. Very happy with it, so far.

[@trashbeansoup2467]

None, because Apple refuses to sell me what I want without loading up the product with huge problems AND costs.

[@erikatzen9216]

Used the 8GB for photo editing files from a 50MP camera, no problem whatsoever. Turned a lot of them into tiffs and went crazy to test the system, still no problem. The screen is also good enough for professional editing. Go with the 8GB, especially if you can get it as a student deal.

[@MarkEllisReviews]

That says it all really, doesn’t it!

[@robinarora8137]

16gb minimum, will help the happy purchaser even after 4-5 years and will be easy to resell as more people would want 16gb used version after 4-5 years than 8gb version…. It’s better than to be in a situation after fee years where you feel the only reason to upgrade is low RAM

[@GearReviewDepot]

I'd rather have it and not need it, instead of needing it and not having it. 🙃

[@MarkEllisReviews]

Great advice!

[@hags2k]

Came to the same conclusion myself. Was rocking the 8 for a while and I was just doing so much multitasking. Teams, Skype, zoom, and outlook for work, discord, WhatsApp, and messages for personal just to stay connected. Then start adding the actual work apps - dozens of browser tabs, larger data sets in excel, office apps, and database software on top of that. I just didn’t want to waste any more time wondering if I should have just spent a little more at the beginning, especially if I plan to keep the machine for 5 years or more.

[@stevenzembriski6761]

You can never have enough ram or space more is always better! I would get 128gb and 8tb if I could lol

[@S3raph02]

Tell me you’re a Marine without telling me you’re a Marine

[@stevenzembriski6761]

@@S3raph02 semper fi

[@bliekp]

I’m afraid I don’t fully agree. I got the 8GB Mac Mini last januari for general office use, and the 8GB is sometimes not enough. It does get full and it does get a bit slower. Maybe it’s me, but this happens when I have several Safari tabs open, Spark mail, Outlook, MS Teams, one or two Word docs and maybe an Excel document or Powerpoint presentation. This is really enough to fill up the RAM. In hindsight, I would’ve spent the extra $$$ for the 16 GB.

[@MarkEllisReviews]

Ah, sorry to hear that has been your experience, Pim. Although it does demonstrate that if you can stretch to the 16GB, you should (as I've always said 😉).

[@bliekp]

@@MarkEllisReviews Very true. That’s what I should’ve done. But as you said in the vid, for general office use it’s fine. But… if you can afford it, really get the extra RAM. It’s worth it. I myself will probably upgrade to a new bigger iMac (27”??) next year and sell the mac mini then. Apart from this, the M1 Mac mini is an absolute beast. Love it.

[@Foxtrotlima73]

I bought the 8GB with the trackpad and magic keyboard with the fingerprint thingy. I got half a terabyte, and I use it for browsing, email, FaceTime and, err, that is about it. I just felt that the 16GB and the 1 or 2 terabyte storage was overkill and actually put the iMac out of my price range. You have just reinforced what I thought, so thank you!

[@MarkEllisReviews]

Excellent! Glad I could help in some small way. Enjoy the iMac!

[@joshuadrilon3832]

I recently ordered the baseline model because it's the only thing I can afford as of now, and it's not like I need the extra GPU performance or the extra accessories. What I did opt for is the upgraded 16gb ram, just to make the desktop fullproof for the future. I just started my photography studio this year, and I figured that should be enough for all my needs to be honest. Considering how expensive PC's got due to the lack of resources in my country during the pandemic, and how hard it is to find parts and build one yourself, the new imac really sold me in terms of performance, price and ease of use. It's quite a fair upgrade from the old intel versions, that's for sure. Can't wait to do work on it!

[@Jack-russell103]

Don’t get the base model. It’s only got one fan

[@lawrencevaughan5373]

Would love to see a comparison of 8 and 16 completing the same task.

[@nonlawat]

it took me a while to decide between 8 and 16 GB RAM. Well, I ended up buying 8 GB RAM since I am not a heavy user. Hopefully, it will be ok for 5 years! will update when it arrives in Aug! thanks for your review!

[@MarkEllisReviews]

Thanks for watching!

[@nonlawat]

@@MarkEllisReviews I got my iMac! love it. Wondering if you have any recommendation for usb-c hub for new iMac? maybe you can review it in the future ;-)

[@bradleyhenady2032]

@@nonlawat I just bought the OWC thunderbolt 3 dock for my m1 iMac and I LOVE it.

[@nonlawat]

@@bradleyhenady2032 thanks so much. I will check it out.

[@jasonmalozzi7962]

Watching this video helped me to solidify my decision to purchase an 8/256 (8-core GPU) refurbished through the Apple store some months ago. I was afraid of it slowing down so almost went to a new M2 Mac mini, but I am keeping the iMac. The screen is BEAUTIFUL and it performs all my tasks very well. Thanks so much for always supplying great videos!

[@pgVeritas]

Nice to listen to a calm, authoritative and honest reviewer. I agree with you that the benchmarks are not really worth bothering about. It would be better to watch someone completing the same day to day/specialist task on identically specced (including identical software, even those programmes which are installed, but not actively open/running) imac 24s but one with 8gb and 16gb. It’s better to have the sort of user experience review that you have given us. There’s also an important and subtle message you have sent out. In hard terms, Apple have form for throttling or limiting performance of older models. They have been prosecuted for it. Given that they make more from throttling than they pay in fines, it’s a good business case to throttle. Thus, if you buy an 8Gb Ram M1 model, it’s highly likely (to quote, Theresa May) that Apple will kill your machine to get you to upgrade to M1X or M2 or the bloody M25! (Brits will get that). The one problem with buying a 16Gb model is the delay in shipping.

[@MarkEllisReviews]

Thanks for the kind words, Alberto!

[@tcaudiobooks737]

Ordered in the 16gb in blue. Happy days.

[@MarkEllisReviews]

Happy days indeed.

[@AhsanStudios]

Thanks for the video. Just wanted to know I currently using 2015 macbook with 8gb ram and i do use it for Lightroom for pictures editing and wirecast for live streaming and it work fine but wanted to upgrade so do u think for these 2 tasks it would be wise decision to upgrade to M1 Macbook pro 8gb. Please advice. Thanks

[@DavidAlastairHayden]

Thank you! Your videos are excellent. So refreshing after watching tech reviews with dozens of stats. Not that I mind that reviews with stats. It's just nice to have things presented in a different way.

[@MarkEllisReviews]

Glad you like them! Thank you!

[@DavidAlastairHayden]

@@MarkEllisReviews I ended up getting the 7-core GPU with 16gb. And it's awesome. Perfect for my writing and publishing business.

[@abhi1ism]

I absolutely love your content. Bought the 8gb iMac for light work like reading, typing out notes, pdf document related stuff, watching movies etc. I plan to upgrade to a bigger iMac maybe in a year or two. Thoroughly enjoying my iMac at the moment.

[@MarkEllisReviews]

Ah, thank you! And I'm so glad you're enjoying your purchase.

[@pokeyt9241]

Very good advice Mark! Two key tenets you point out. Think about how the computer will be used. And buy what one can afford. Technology advances so fast that as soon as a piece of tech is taken out of the box (or sometimes even before) it is already outdated. Storage really is up to how much a user intends to keep on the iMac versus cloud or extra drives etc. But extra memory will never hurt for exactly the reasons you mentioned! Longevity because for certain, as MacOS and other softwares continue to evolve, they will benefit from and require the extra memory. And yet for the average user, the 8 GB will be more than enough. There are so many reviews on KZbin by well intentioned techies that are shredding aspects of the new iMac that for the average user are a non-issue. Yet some of the average users that watch the review may shy away from a lower spec models because of not understanding what it really means to their use case.

[@MarkEllisReviews]

Appreciate the very kind words!

[@pokeyt9241]

@@MarkEllisReviews Anxiously awaiting the delivery of the 16 GB / 512 GB model I ordered a few weeks ago!

[@charitygoldart]

“ Technology advances so fast that as soon as a piece of tech is taken out of the box (or sometimes even before) it is already outdated.” - That’s a bit of a silly exaggeration. Tech is outdated before it’s even out of the box?? These iMacs should be good for a number of years. We can’t play into the capitalist nonsense that things are outdated so quickly. Companies would have us buy a new machine every day if they could; we have to remain sensible.

[@kevintaylor1626]

Just picked up a brand new 2021 Imac...got a great deal! I think for my usage base model will be fine...great video by the way!

[@MenuFortyEight]

how much was it?

[@kevintaylor1626]

@@MenuFortyEight 1099.00 Cdn

[@eddiexiang3606]

I feel like my iPad Pro (2 years old) is more than powerfully enough, and the only reason I want to have an iMac is Mac OS. I would say 8g is enough for me. Wife and I have been using IPad Pro solely instead of MacBooks for 3 years now. Cant wait!

[@javiergandia2012]

Hello Mark, love your advices! Another thing to take into consideration if you're a "normal user" (not so "normal" perhaps): if you plan to run virtual machines (like Windows or Linux on Parrallels), 16Gb is a must. Great video!

[@MarkEllisReviews]

Thank you, Javier! And that's great advice.

[@BernardChua]

if for virtualization, base storage seem not enough. let say build 2 windows vm in the iMac.... :)

[@geeats6144]

For a teacher who’ll be doing online classes (Zoom and Learning Management Systems) better to go 16gb?

[@MarkEllisReviews]

I think if you're asking yourself that question and can stretch to it, just go for it :)

[@nay.m]

NO

[@LydiaOfAragon64]

Fantastic video with straight forward tech language I can understand lol. I’m in the process of purchasing my first iMac so I’m excited and scared at same time . I’m Hoping to run a small mix media business next year , selling some of my creations to help pay for uni costs. My aim is for it to see me though 3 whole years of uni . and Plan B if it doesn’t work out I have a pretty decent computer should I need to get a job working from home. Thank for making the video I’ve decided on the 16 GB in purple

[@comitells]

i've saved up enough money to buy my 1st iMac that is not 2nd hand in my life, sadly where i live the 16GB of RAM version is an online exclusive only. The physical authorized retail store only offers the 8 core 8GB models, and yes im going to do editing on it, i don't have a choice and i really want my m1 to last for years until it breaks. For comparison im still using a 20 inch mid 2007 iMac for basic use and iMovie, i know it's a bit of a longshot when i finally get an m1 imac but i'll make do with the 8GB of ram.

[@kharakim]

FWIW, as a professional user dealing mostly with text (not memory-intensive apps, like those for video, etc., except for occasional hobbyist activity), I often have more than a half-dozen apps running at one time, such as my word processor, outliner, dictionary, thesaurus, mail client, music player, database, contacts, and browser. The other day I got a low-memory warning on my 16GB M1 iMac.

[@MarkEllisReviews]

Thanks for watching and commenting!

[@carrs01]

I've noticed that if you specify the 16Ggb upgrade in the Apple Store it pushes delivery into Mid August. Memory chip shortages?

[@MarkEllisReviews]

Possibly - it really is affecting so many things at the moment.

[@abundant-goldenrod-breath]

I ordered the 16GB RAM model and this video really validated my choice :) Great video, you've got yourself a new subscriber

[@harleycooper9717]

I have 2 2015 iMacs 1 had 8GB the other 16gb and the 16 still whips along no bother. The 8GB drives me nuts just trying to have 3-5 apps open. Mail, safari, messages, a file or 2.

[@rodneyrobinson1115]

I only need it for email and Word docs. Also calendar. I think I'm going to get the base model.

[@florak1087]

Mark, you have made the video I have been looking for. I am deciding on a new iMac and was on the edge about going to the new one or getting a 2020 27" because I like the size. I like my computers to last longer and was looking everywhere to find out how long they will last. You were honest about all the questions people have and I totally appreciate that. A sigh of relief in deciding to go with the 24" new iMac. Thanks so much for this video (I won't ask any more question of why to get his machine). You have made me feel confident to buy the new one. NOW, which colour to get...OMG, they are all so nice! Cheers!

[@andrewbaird753]

Excellent Advice as always!! Thanks so much!! My two cents... I would even say that if you are doing any Tech Job the 8 GB would be perfectly adequate 💯 However, if you are going to be running VM's or Windows VIA Parallels on the MAC I would definitely recommend the 16 GB as the windows 10 VM can get just get a bit sluggish.

[@MarkEllisReviews]

Thank you Andrew! And I think you’re right on that!

[@AdityaKumar-py5qw]

Thank you so much for this review, I too was confused for the version as I'm a student 😀

[@MarkEllisReviews]

You are so welcome!

[@winylowe_granie]

Will 8 GB be enough for basic user of Adebe Lightroom and Photoshop?

[@MarkEllisReviews]

Yep!

[@ickledotco]

Really informative video, thank you. Good advice. Particularly interesting how you say you have 16 in one machine and therefore don’t need it for the other.

[@MarkEllisReviews]

Glad it was helpful!

[@kevintaylor1626]

Really enjoy your videos and reviews...question for you. Im looking to buy an Apple refurbished Imac from apple here in Canada base is 1299 the base 16gb with the same 7gpu is 1499 while the 8gpu with touch id keyboard is 1509 but that only has 8gb.....between the two better ones what’s more crucial the extra gpu power (and extra fan) OR the extra 8gb? I am more of a casual user so surfing/youtube/email maybe some video conversion....thanks!

[@Beefers26]

Good advice Mark, thanks. It's a shame we can't increase the RAM ourselves when it's needed later on like we can in the current 27 inch iMacs!

[@MarkEllisReviews]

Cheers! And yeah, those days are long gone, unfortunately. But I think it's less of an issue considering how well this M1 chip performs. Exciting future ahead!

[@florak1087]

Hi, Mark! I see this is a video from a year ago. BOY, I couldn't have used this advice back when I bought my 8 GB 24" iMac last July. I am now having issues with memory when I open two applications like my Yahoo email and while I watch a KZbin video. I am also making my first (painfully slow) web site on WIX. Sometimes I have just the site up and it has memory issues and is very slow to move things around. SO, saying this, UPGRADE, PEOPLE! I have been on the Apple chat and on phone with at least 5 people at different levels. The latest is to do something with the 'volume'. Can you or any talented people tell me what to do? I think I got a lemon. Much appreciate this video and any advice. Does Apple give refunds?

[@ZachDaniels-v8m]

So I’ve been watching all of your videos but now that it’s almost 2024 what should my buy be? Should I buy a 2021 with 16gbs of ram with a 1tb ssd. I can get one for around 1400 right now or should I buy the base model 2023 m3?

[@elysepahwa3197]

Wow, thanks Mark. I was having last minute jitters. I'm exchanging my basic HD for the 512 because of exactly that buyers remorse you mentioned, and Apple has been awesome extending the exchange period, due to circumstances. I got the 16 and I was thinking it wasn't necessary. But I'm ok with the extra cost and I love having the best! I also see you are ok with the 2 ports, which had me worried. I'm a home and very basic user, s/b just fine.Take care.

[@sueskiing]

Is the iMac stable as I’ve heard it could be easy to topple it over?

[@MarkEllisReviews]

Very stable.

[@TheBalloonGuys]

I just bought a new M1 iMac, upgrading from my mid-2010 21.5” iMac. I still have both machines on my desk. What you’re asking about is probably my only complaint - and it’s minor. There is a notable difference in the stability between the 2 machines. You can very easily tip over the new M1 with just your pinky if you lightly push downwards on the very edge of it. You absolutely can’t do that with the older machines. They are much more stable. That being said, it is a desktop. So just don’t do that and you’re fine.

[@sueskiing]

@@TheBalloonGuys Thanks for your help.

[@ChristianDuval1]

Thanks, I'm planning to travel to Miami buy one (I live in Dominican Republic), the iMac 24 inch and 16 gb ram, I use external HD so it can be the less capacity one, good video and tips!

[@MarkEllisReviews]

Nice! You should make a video charting that journey - sounds awesome.

[@imagenatura]

I got the 8gig and I'm quite happy. Never noticed a slowdown with Apple software. Adobe might be another story. Just use Apple and don't sweat it. For $200, you can get FXPX and Logic on the Educational discount. I'd much rather have that than the 16gb. BTW, those apps run great on 8gb. Most people have INTEL RAM with Adobe software trauma- this is the real problem.

[@MarkEllisReviews]

Glad it's working for you!

[@guavaboi]

Whats the brand of your speakers? Do you have a link to it?

[@marcomobile8195]

Great stuff! What about using Parallels with 16GB - not too less ? Which edition would you recommend for 16GB: Standard or Pro ?

[@mkleng]

Such relevant content, Mark. What's the current view point now? I'm thinking if I should buy the iMac M1 for home use. :) 🙏

[@davespeedy1]

I have purchased the I Mac but have connection problems with cables going to my hard drives is there any cabling resolutins

[@sankettt10]

I got Macbook pro M1 with 8gb RAM & it is working best even for task like 3D designing in Autocad . I think 8gb RAM is enough for most of us . By the way very informative video 💯👍

[@MarkEllisReviews]

Glad you got the machine for you :) And thanks for the kind comment!

[@88theps3user]

No way! Really that’s awesome! How do you like it? I’m thinking about getting an iMac you think 8gb will be fine? Did you get 256?512?

[@sankettt10]

@@88theps3user Since the softwares I use needs lot of on device storage that's why I got 512gb version . And yes 8gb RAM is enough 👍

[@ahmdo8485]

Do you know if revit is now working on it? This is the only reason holding me back from making a purchase. :(

[@sankettt10]

@@ahmdo8485 yess , any software can run on M1 macbook pro , not only revit but if any app is not natively working , it will ofcourse work through Rosetta

[@ZIPTRAVELS]

Great video. Can the iMac be upgraded to 16gb? In South Africa we cannot get the 16 go, they only selling the 8.

[@MarkEllisReviews]

Thanks! I’m afraid you can’t upgrade the RAM in these 24” iMacs!

[@rickved]

Will it do video smoothly is all I need to know.

[@wolvrG]

What would you recommend between MacBook Air and Pro in terms of fan difference for mainly coding related work??

[@edjohn4590]

I got the 16gb ram an 256gb storage as that’s the only one we get here… just bought a 2tb LaCie external for $80…

[@bretthowarth857]

I got the Mrs. the Purple iMac 8-Core CPU, 8 Core GPU, 512GB Storage, 16GB RAM just to make sure she would be good for years to come. Also this is her first Mac computer ever.

[@Applecompuser]

I would say get the 16. Its a shame you cant get it when needed as its a lot out of pocket at once. Generally, I like to spread my payments out. I hope they leave one line of macs with intel. I like the option to use windows if needed which has been very rare.

[@TrogART]

Qestion, I am somewhat ambidextrous and in my right hand I always use the trackpad and in my left a Wacom Pen. Recently I was helping a friend set up a Wacom Tablet on his older iMac and for the life of me I could not get it to work as well as the pen I have on my system. OK my question have or do you use one, do you know why this may be? As I am still dithering about what new mac to get and this particular point is of concern to me as my productivity is so good with my current setup, using both these devices together is awesome. If you know anything about Wacom have you any knowledge about them? I have been using PhotoShop, Lightroom, illustrator and Video editing software for ever. Anyway hope you see my comments and can reply and or do a video on using a Tablet. I am a designer and an illustrator by trade but have worked for both design firms, internet companies and games firms as well as for myself for I decades now.

[@elkewheeler]

A bit off topic - have you reviewed mesh wifi/ router reviews that work best with Apple ecosystem? (I'm looking to replace a time capsule and wdmycloud)

[@Ilkello99]

I’m so torn apart between the iMac and Mac mini :) I would go 16 gigs always just for future proof it

[@sueskiing]

Me too, really want the iMac but can’t really justify the £800 difference between the two. I already have UHD monitor, magic keyboard, trackpad and mouse but would love the Touch ID on the iMac keyboard, really hope they bring out a separate keyboard with the Touch ID on it that would work with the Mini 🤞🏼

[@colinstock325]

I’ve just replaced a 2013 27” iMac with a 16gb M1 Mac Mini system. In the end it came down to the monitor on the outgoing iMac monitor. The monitor worked perfectly, it was the internal processor that couldn’t cope with the latest software. I was getting the beach ball consistently when trying to write a letter. Obviously I had to pay out for a monitor (BenQ PD2700Q), Logitech keyboard (MX Keys) and mouse (MX Master 3).

[@nativoluis]

Hi, recommended for Adobe Illustrator, Photoshop Adobe XD and Figma or buy the 27 inch?

[@gerard3797]

So much people on these comparisons talk theoretical about this. If you are a normal user ask yourself this. Are you (1) a user that likes to have all programs open at the same time including 10 Crome tabs, or (2) are you a user that most of the times works in one or two programs with a few screens open and always closes them down after use. If you are the second get the 8gb, if you are the first, definitely get the 16gb. The amount of ram that programs like chrome use these days is very big. So if you want every screen to work instantaneous and you have the habit of leaving most programs open this is a no brainer. The speed of the internal SSD used for swapping memory (although fast these days) is still nowhere near the speed of the RAM and you will clearly notice this. This should by far be the biggest consideration. If you are a pro user, get a pro device.

[@larryroddy595]

Thanks for the information. I was on the fence about 8Gb vs 16Gb RAM. I fit into your 2nd scenario. Thanks again.

[@geopietro]

Thank you. Your advice was very valuable. Thank you again.

[@samfernandes50]

Thanks for this Mark, in addition to 16 GB would you also suggest 512 SSD? Would adding an external SSD later suffice to save on Apples pricing or is internal better (Ram swaps etc)? Any comment would be appreciated.

[@MarkEllisReviews]

I’d buy as much storage as you can afford, but keep in mind that it can indeed be boosted with external storage whenever you like - and that works just as well!

[@sebastiaanladan8886]

I think the 512 is worth it. It’s a nice guarantee that you always have enough storage.

[@samfernandes50]

Thanks Mark and Sebastiaan for your feedback. Getting the 16GB and 512!

[@sebastiaanladan8886]

@@samfernandes50 No sweat! Enjoy your new iMac!

[@SolomonandTheIncentives]

im a hip hop producer i use my m1 mackbook air for production im looking at getting a PC, should i get the M1 IMAC with 16GB, or a 2020 IMAc 27' 5k??? this is for music production please let me know yall

[@hutonthehill]

Thanks Mark! This is an incredibly helpful breakdown of the pros and cons of 8gb and 16gb of RAM for those of us working on processor hungry content on creaking older Macs. I didn't believe it would take 11 minutes to explain the differences but watched right through to the end 10/10! 😂

[@DM-sc4zy]

If you plan to keep the iMac long term, get the 16gb for sure. bear in mind software overtime will require more resources to run and your use case may change (eg: from editing 1080p video to 4k). SSD on the other hand is not as important as you can always use a dock to expand it.

[@Salty_Biscuitz88]

Haha i like the warm nice fuzzy feelings. Totally hate buyer’s remorse

[@gmasha_qtr]

I play the sims4 regularly. Does the two options matter?

[@NahkayNatural]

I’m a small KZbinr so I don’t edit daily but I make videos once or twice a week or every now & then. Would the base model be better for me or do I need the upgraded model? And should I get the 16gb be good because I plan to use this iMac long term. Thanks!

[@fmulleady]

Nice review. Do you plan to use the iMac 24 permanently or just for review purposes?

[@MarkEllisReviews]

Thanks! For as long as I can, to be honest.

[@casper2yall]

I would say 16 gig and one terabyte version is the best choice to future proof it..

[@mikes6844]

Sorry i couldn't watch this one as I decided on the 8Mb RAM. My iMac came today and I don't want to put it into my study, the unboxing, packing materials etc etc are just a joy and that's before switching on. Tomorrow, Saturday, I will introduce the beast into my world, hope that apps and hardware work as I hope (I'm a radio ham). The bit that niggles me is the USB type of ports as I can't connect my Time Machine back up dish without using a usb converter! The monitor is just fab. Regards Mike

[@MarkEllisReviews]

You made a great choice, Mike!

[@johnjordan9841]

hi what brand computer speaker is that

[@88theps3user]

THIS HELPED A LOT BRO! Def got my sub, can you do a video on 7cores vs 8cores

[@MarkEllisReviews]

Thanks! Don't worry about the 7-core thing - RAM is more important.

[@88theps3user]

So get 7gb instead and then just get all the extra gimics?

[@markreyes1866]

is there a way to upgrade ram manually on imac? tia

[@MarkEllisReviews]

Not on these, no.

[@markreyes1866]

@@MarkEllisReviews that sucks but anyway i got it for free😂 no complains! thanks dude!

[@oldbugr1]

First thanks for the videos. I'm new to Mac --I have an M1 Mac mini and installed CleanMyMac X. Should I have any other virus software and should I leave my Mac on in sleep mode? Thanks for any help

[@MarkEllisReviews]

Thanks, Ron! CleanMyMac X should do you, to be honest, and I wouldn't worry too much about sleep mode.

[@oldbugr1]

@@MarkEllisReviews Thank you

[@adelefernandez3208]

Well I am not planning to buy a new desktop computer in the next 5-7 years. So I guess I'll get the 16gb and 1tb ssd. I am using windows for 6 yrs now and really hating it. I have my M1 MacBook Air the base model as back up to my windows desktop. A lot better and quicker with M1 chip. It will be a massive upgrade for me but it will be worth the money :D

[@depeters1]

I’m not a business user. I occasionally shoot video with my drone just for fun. I use iMovie on my Mac mini to edit my (amateur)videos. 😆I have an old Windows laptop that sits on a second desk and it has run its course. I don’t want to get another Windows machine. I am hooked on Macs. I’ve decided to get the base model and upgrade the ram to 16GB. If in the future I need more ports or storage, I’ll buy external ports or drives. Does that make sense?😎

[@depeters1]

I've changed my mind. I've ordered the mid-level iMac instead and bumped the ram to 16GB. It's probably more than I need. But I like the fact that this will cover me for several years. I've watched other reviews but Mark's were most helpful. Thank you, Mark!

[@scottj.5534]

It seems that if I go for the 27" iMac with 8GB of RAM (which I believe will suffice for me), and I realize later that I would actually be better off with 16GB, then I can upgrade because the 27" iMacs, unlike the 24" iMacs are RAM upgradable. Am I missing something here?

[@paraconsistentjojo]

This really helped me. Thanks!

[@MarkEllisReviews]

Glad it helped!

[@lanceopia]

Audio is spot on.

[@MarkEllisReviews]

Thank you!

[@jayde5776]

I would have bought the 16gb one but no stores carried it. So I got the mid tier one with 8 cores and 8 gigs with 500 something memory.

[@PolluxChung]

I know how much RAM I would need if I got the iMac, but I watch this video anyway ;)

[@MarkEllisReviews]

Well, in that case, I massively appreciate your time - thanks!

[@diegofiorillo6412]

I got the mid range with 8gb. I use it to produce music so it works pretty hard but to honest I never noticed not even a second of it struggling

[@Kapono5150]

Why are the corners soo dark on the display?

[@anthonywhiteman4488]

Can I eventually upgrade from 8GB to 16GB by buying another 8 GB RAM chip?

[@MarkEllisReviews]

Afraid not!

[@anthonywhiteman4488]

@@MarkEllisReviews That really stinks.

[@IHOOP415]

What about the core gpu? Is there much difference between the 7 core and the 8 core? I’m convinced that getting the 16 gig would be a good move for me, but don’t I know if i should upgrade the base model to 16 gig or upgrade the middle tier version. I’m not super concerned with the Touch ID or the Ethernet port. The other main difference is the Core GPU and I don’t know much about that. Any help would be appreciated. Thank you!

[@MarkEllisReviews]

The 7-core GPU doesn’t appear to make any difference to anything in my experience.

[@weiweiliu0724]

Hi Mark, Thank you so much for sharing the information that I have now know which I should choose. Another thing to consider is that if I should go for 512g storage or 1T. I wonder if it is possible to have your advice on that, please. Thank you in advance.

[@MarkEllisReviews]

Glad you enjoyed! I'd go for as much storage as you can comfortably afford, but remember that it's the only thing you can add more of, easily, via external SSDs :)

[@weiweiliu0724]

@@MarkEllisReviews Thanks Mark for your advice on that. So perhaps the biggest storage is better otherwise 512G should be enough for only office uses? 😊

Is 8gb enough for garageband app?

[@jzk04]

Man, what an amazing t-shirt are you rocking!

[@MarkEllisReviews]

Thank you!

[@matthewsavidge6248]

well that answers my query an i think for £200 may as well have more to give the machine longevity, now i just have to decide if i want to up the storage from 256 to 512 aaarrgggghhhh lol , I've had my mac for 10+ years and its used 120gb but i haven't updated it for years or added any apps !

[@troyflatland5299]

People have been saying 8gb “might not be enough especially for the future” for so many years it’s a bad joke because 8gb was fine, is fine, and will be fine in the future and that’s not even factoring in silicon

[@paulb9453]

I got buyers remorse buying a VW Scirocco instead of a Golf, but heck, the Scirocco is so much fun. But getting back on track, my 8GB Mac Mini is fabulous and based on your recommendation, thanks. Plus, the retailer didn't stock 16GB and they had 0% finance - surely a no-brainer for the budget conscious.

[@MarkEllisReviews]

Definitely a no-brainer, and I bet that Scirocco was a huge amount of fun!

[@mstyahwill79]

If i initially buy 8gb can I later upgrade to 16gb?

[@EyePodX]

No, the memory is not upgradable since its integrated with the chip.

[@dayel9]

Thank you so much

[@MarkEllisReviews]

You're most welcome!

[@ea9849]

I got a 16gb 256gb mac mini and have buyers remorse of not upgrading the storage to 512gb. Sure I can expand the storage through external ssd, but the read/write speeds are significantly slower.

[@MarkEllisReviews]

Dammit :(

[@Jack_The_Ripper_Here]

Not when you're buying your Mac like me, from a mobile shop on a monthly plan and they only have the 8gb available. With 170 pounds upfront I have this amazing screen in front of me and I am delighted to work on it. I am not a professional gamer, video editor or programmer. I use it for mails, music, movies. For me it's an amazing machine and I am very happy. I will pay extra and buy a 16, 32 GB ram and so on when I will need it. And i'd probably won't buy an iMac if I needed so much ram, i'd go for something else for less. If I needed a powerful computer with 120 gb ram I'd go for a PC. With the amount you're paying for an iMac you can get an amazing powerful PC with more power. IMACs are computers you buy for speed clarity speakers not for using it to hack NASA or to edit movies for Hollywood. Unless of course, you want to pay a ton of money for the same power you can got from a PC for half that price.

[@alan85]

I’d already bought my 8GB iMac before watching this video and now you’ve given me buyer’s remorse :P

[@amira9759]

ahaha me too 😭

[@rbasi25]

I went for 8GB RAM since all I will be using it for is writing papers and watching youtube videos lol

[@MarkEllisReviews]

You'll love it!

[@matdallas100]

Great job 👍🏾

[@MarkEllisReviews]

Thanks!

[@neilbissett1240]

Top notch as ever mate thanks

[@MarkEllisReviews]

Thanks, Neil ;)

[@deadandburied7626]

Is 32GB round the corner?

[@MarkEllisReviews]

If the 14"/16" MacBook Pro rumours for later this year are true... possibly.

[@aaronpeople101]

In general, from what I’ve seen a lot of people say. 16 gb ram should be standard today.

[@MarkEllisReviews]

For base spec M1 machines, I disagree with that, I'm afraid. The 8GB M1 is seriously impressive.

[@aaronpeople101]

@@MarkEllisReviews that’s good to hear, I’d just be afraid of it using any virtual memory and prematurely degrading the SSD as I plan to keep my machine for potentially 10 years.

[@svitlana332]

I keep all my photos there! It’s enough 8

[@ea9849]

I am a C and Android software dev. 16gb ram is necessary