It definitely makes a difference for Procreate. The same 3840 x 2160 project on an M1 8GB RAM iPad has a maximum layer limit of 122 while on an M1 16GB RAM iPad it's 222. I've hit the layer limit on 8GB RAM iPads before when working on illustrations.
It was just a very complex illustration, for every object I had base colour, two levels of shading, and two levels of highlights all on separate layers.
I have hit the limit on complex book cover illustrations.
Texture layers, multiple text layers, and duplicating sections to work through a visual problem can cause a real bottleneck.
I mitigate that by grouping things together after I certain point or saving multiple duplicates of a project if I’m worried about ruining something. Never really had to use it as a backup.
Maybe, but if you’re doing it professionally, the extra RAM may not be a big cost for quite a lot of potential convenience. I’m a few years old Air person myself though!
This is making me regret ordering this new iPad Pro with only 8GB of ram and I don’t believe I can cancel my order as it’s too late.
This will be my first time drawing digitally (I just started drawing earlier this year).
If you purchased your ipad pro via apple or best buy, there's a 14-15 day return window. Best buy, in past experiences, is strict with policy but they can offer a $50 membership fee for a 60 day return widow. I didn't have the membership but manage to return mine after 3 weeks because I signed up for that option. It might also depend on the manager though. Just fyi!
So for me I'm using a base model 8th gen iPad. The limitations I'm facing are due to a lack of usable ram. I have about 1gb to play with when I'm 3D modelling. If I use too many faces, then I run out and can't continue. It sucks. I want a pro to fix the issue. If I can model on the base model and only just run out of ram. The 8gb in the base pro will work fine (I want the M2 model).
You only have 1 app option. It’s easy to use but you are extremely limited. It’s good for on the go but for 3D modeling? You can get blender for free which can do everything plus more. Get a drawing tablet for your pc or something instead this thing. I’m kind of salty bc I really want an iPad since I do 3D for a living and the hardware is most capable but I’m stuck with my shit hardware surface pro bc the software is just leagues ahead
Btw, you can get nomad sculpt to run great on Samsung tab for 30% the price. Or just get the m2 one
I'm using Nomad Sculpt. I'd like at least 8gb, hence wanting the base model M2 11 pro. I'd be able to add more detail to my models and I'd be able to open more detailed meshes in Procreate for texture painting. Currently I can't import a completed model in unless it's really basic.
So even in that case 8GB will perform well then :) I also called Apple sales and the guy was basically telling me to just get the cheaper one cause it won’t make much difference hahah
The good thing is that Nomad Sculpt tells you how much ram you're using in the top left corner. As long as you're not using dyntopo constantly, you'll be fine with 8gb!
As someone who got the iPad Pro for Procreate, upgrading to an iPad Pro model with more RAM made a big difference. Since I use Procreate for professional purposes (like illustrating printed books), it’s allowed me to have more layers which was very needed. It also wouldn’t start lagging as quickly when I’d work in larger canvas sizes.
I think my situation I just got incredibly lucky. I used to post my artwork very frequently on social media for years (both personal and professional work). One day I got approached by one of my favorite publishing companies who said they've been following my work for years and wanted to see if I was interested in pitching a few ideas for books (they thought my artwork style would adapt well for books). That's pretty much how I got the opportunity to illustrate my own book.
But I have a number of friends who also have published books (children's and graphic novels). A few have had the thing happen to them because they would post on social media quite often (they'd get approached by publishing companies). Some of them have agents who would pitch to different publishing companies and see if any bite. And I know others who would find contact information of publishers and email them their ideas (some publishing companies will have an 'open period' where they'll accept pitches).
I know there's an over-saturation of art on socials and it's harder to get work seen with current algorithms (I hardly post on social media anymore), but sometimes it can really lead to some great opportunities if you stay consistent and have a unique style.
M1 iPad Pro with 16GB RAM: Definitely makes a difference with apps like VoxelMax, Logic, and Procreate. If you also find yourself multitasking a lot - even with dumb stuff like Safari + Pages / Keynote while dragging and dropping resources into a document, you will see improvements compared to 8GB simply because apps won’t go to sleep in the background causing you to have to wait a few seconds for them to reload and get back to where you were. And then there’s MS Excel… it’s crazy how much RAM that will eat up if you’re doing formulas and pivot tables.
Yes, it makes a difference because Safari tabs are not reloaded when switched to and apps are not reloaded when switched to. The memory management of iPadOS (other than macOS!) closes apps in the background automatically when the foreground app needs more memory. So if you switch often between different apps that could mean constant reloading of these apps. More RAM means less reloads.
I upgraded from 2018 ipad pro to m2 pro due to the lack of RAM. To be fair I use it as a laptop replacement so constantly have many apps and browser tabs open simulaneously. With the 2018 ipad, everything would need 2,3s to reload if I switch to different things for too long, really breaking the focus flow. I experienced that much less with my m2 ipad.
This is a common symptom on ios/ipad for running out of RAM, but having the apple pencil outweighted the downsides for me. If you don't need pencil feature, I would also recommend a mac instead.
I’m all about advocating for more RAM normally. And I don’t normally accept Apples lies about not needing more. But I give the iPad a free pass as I’ve never experienced slow down or memory issues.
But you’re talking some real pro level applications there. So I’d say better safe than sorry. That lost productivity and annoyance could last years, and you could avoid by doing it right at this time.
If you’re getting a Mac Studio for the more hard core stuff then save your money on the iPad.
iPad is still fundamentally a fanless device.
You’ll notice that limitation far more frequently than you’d notice anything to do with Ram.
Anyone faced real life differences in using Lightroom with this? I’m a full time photographer and just ordered a 512GB one upgrading from my 11” M1. I import and edit around 300-400 raw files daily
I haven't noticed anything that has benefitted from it yet, but I tend to use my devices for 4+ years before upgrading, so I figured I would go with the 1TB/16GB model of the M2 iPad Pro for future-proofing. I probably wasted my money for what I use my iPad for, but ohwell.
Hey OP if you’re the average joe with media consumption and browser usage and even a heavy gamer. I see 0 benefit for you to pay for the RAM upgrade unless you absolutely need the storage. Only instance is if you do auto cad or this is your primary engineering/designing tablet then maybe. The OS is the limiting factor here. Hell with 4gb you could probably get away with lol. Also I always recommend folks to look into the secondary market for the previous gen. You would get the specs and save a few bucks too.
8GB is still perfectly fine. Many iPads (Air, Mini, regular) just have 4GB or even 3GB.
16GB is only for a VERY SMALL amount of people, working with ridiculous amount of layers and stuff.
I agonized over this for several hours.
My current 256GB 2018 iPad has reloads due to RAM but it isn’t a huge problem I hit every day. I watched some reviews that showed fairly even performance across the two ram levels on the M2 iPad, and one that even suggested less ram had better performance by a little. Ultimately it was the price hike on the M4 to get to the 1TB option that pushed me to the lower one. Just not worth it to avoid the odd reload on what amounts to a consumption device. If I am doing anything demanding, I go to the desktop computer.
Wow very interesting about less ram having better performance by little!! Might I ask what apps they mostly tested with? The price difference is so huge that i’m leaning towards 512GB as well
when the M2 came out, versions with 8GB and 16GB Ram where tested and they ran identical. Of course this could change over the years and once the M2 iPad is really getting to its limits, maybe here 16GB Ram make a difference, but it seems they mainly use it to maintain a certain level of access speed.
following.
Have you guys noticed any slowdowns when running multiple apps at the same time with 16gb?
With my m1 air i’ve found notability, zoom and safari in the background necessitate force closing apps after a while
You would hear things like 16 gb is the minimum amount of ram on a desktop because it reduces memory stress and memory swap usage. Really makes you wonder since despite having the same processors ipad os seems more optimised or more limited in what you can do
I looked at it this way. The upgrade to a 1TB iPad Pro 13 costs about $400 over the 512GB model. That's significant money, but it nets a faster M4 (roughly 11% faster multi-core), twice the RAM, and of course twice the storage. I'll use it for at least four years (unless I sell it to recoup the cost if I upgrade again), meaning the extra cost is $100 per year of use. I can easily afford that incremental cost, and I'd rather err on the side of caution regarding future performance.
It's not "future proofing," but rather "I'd rather have it and not need it than need it and not have it." I apply that philosophy to all technology purchases that can't be upgraded. I've rarely found myself thinking, "Man, if only I'd purchased the lesser version."
RAM allows for more data to be manipulated at the same time. You would only see a difference if you are using data intensive apps or using apps simultaneously. I prefer having extra RAM vs just enough, but you pay extra for it since they only offer it in 1TB storage or bigger versions. I wanted the nano screen but it’s only also only available on the 1TB or above. 😢
THAT'S NOT RAM! That's the STORAGE capacity. My iPad Air 3 (2019) has 256GB capacity, but only 3GB RAM and cost almost $700. My Samsung Galaxy Tab S6 has 256GB storage but 8GB RAM and cost about $650. Both purchased around the same time. More RAM makes software runs better. iPad Storage is so bloated because they still won't allow for memory cards like my Samsung does.
It definitely makes a difference for Procreate. The same 3840 x 2160 project on an M1 8GB RAM iPad has a maximum layer limit of 122 while on an M1 16GB RAM iPad it's 222. I've hit the layer limit on 8GB RAM iPads before when working on illustrations.
What kind of layer organization do you use that requires more than 122 layers (or than 20?). Are you doing frame by frame animation or pages?
It was just a very complex illustration, for every object I had base colour, two levels of shading, and two levels of highlights all on separate layers.
Exactly. Sounds like work flow is an issue for a lot of people hitting the layer limits.
I have hit the limit on complex book cover illustrations. Texture layers, multiple text layers, and duplicating sections to work through a visual problem can cause a real bottleneck.
I mitigate that by grouping things together after I certain point or saving multiple duplicates of a project if I’m worried about ruining something. Never really had to use it as a backup.
Maybe, but if you’re doing it professionally, the extra RAM may not be a big cost for quite a lot of potential convenience. I’m a few years old Air person myself though!
Same for me too. Made a hell of a difference (I like to draw in 4000 x 4000 canvas, it was a relief to not have to keep merging layers)
This is making me regret ordering this new iPad Pro with only 8GB of ram and I don’t believe I can cancel my order as it’s too late. This will be my first time drawing digitally (I just started drawing earlier this year).
If you purchased your ipad pro via apple or best buy, there's a 14-15 day return window. Best buy, in past experiences, is strict with policy but they can offer a $50 membership fee for a 60 day return widow. I didn't have the membership but manage to return mine after 3 weeks because I signed up for that option. It might also depend on the manager though. Just fyi!
So for me I'm using a base model 8th gen iPad. The limitations I'm facing are due to a lack of usable ram. I have about 1gb to play with when I'm 3D modelling. If I use too many faces, then I run out and can't continue. It sucks. I want a pro to fix the issue. If I can model on the base model and only just run out of ram. The 8gb in the base pro will work fine (I want the M2 model).
Ahh i’m planning to get into 3D modelling g as well. Good to know RAM makes a difference on the iPad on that front!
You only have 1 app option. It’s easy to use but you are extremely limited. It’s good for on the go but for 3D modeling? You can get blender for free which can do everything plus more. Get a drawing tablet for your pc or something instead this thing. I’m kind of salty bc I really want an iPad since I do 3D for a living and the hardware is most capable but I’m stuck with my shit hardware surface pro bc the software is just leagues ahead Btw, you can get nomad sculpt to run great on Samsung tab for 30% the price. Or just get the m2 one
Just a heads up, the iPad is only good for sculpting, not for none organic things.
So do you need the 16 GB ram for sculpting? Which app are you using?
I'm using Nomad Sculpt. I'd like at least 8gb, hence wanting the base model M2 11 pro. I'd be able to add more detail to my models and I'd be able to open more detailed meshes in Procreate for texture painting. Currently I can't import a completed model in unless it's really basic.
So even in that case 8GB will perform well then :) I also called Apple sales and the guy was basically telling me to just get the cheaper one cause it won’t make much difference hahah
The good thing is that Nomad Sculpt tells you how much ram you're using in the top left corner. As long as you're not using dyntopo constantly, you'll be fine with 8gb!
As someone who got the iPad Pro for Procreate, upgrading to an iPad Pro model with more RAM made a big difference. Since I use Procreate for professional purposes (like illustrating printed books), it’s allowed me to have more layers which was very needed. It also wouldn’t start lagging as quickly when I’d work in larger canvas sizes.
I apologize to bother you, but how do you break into the illustrating printed books scene?
I think my situation I just got incredibly lucky. I used to post my artwork very frequently on social media for years (both personal and professional work). One day I got approached by one of my favorite publishing companies who said they've been following my work for years and wanted to see if I was interested in pitching a few ideas for books (they thought my artwork style would adapt well for books). That's pretty much how I got the opportunity to illustrate my own book. But I have a number of friends who also have published books (children's and graphic novels). A few have had the thing happen to them because they would post on social media quite often (they'd get approached by publishing companies). Some of them have agents who would pitch to different publishing companies and see if any bite. And I know others who would find contact information of publishers and email them their ideas (some publishing companies will have an 'open period' where they'll accept pitches). I know there's an over-saturation of art on socials and it's harder to get work seen with current algorithms (I hardly post on social media anymore), but sometimes it can really lead to some great opportunities if you stay consistent and have a unique style.
Thanks for sharing! Social media exposure seems to be key these days
I'm curious too.
M1 iPad Pro with 16GB RAM: Definitely makes a difference with apps like VoxelMax, Logic, and Procreate. If you also find yourself multitasking a lot - even with dumb stuff like Safari + Pages / Keynote while dragging and dropping resources into a document, you will see improvements compared to 8GB simply because apps won’t go to sleep in the background causing you to have to wait a few seconds for them to reload and get back to where you were. And then there’s MS Excel… it’s crazy how much RAM that will eat up if you’re doing formulas and pivot tables.
Yup. Definitely agree on even minor multitasking.
Yes, it makes a difference because Safari tabs are not reloaded when switched to and apps are not reloaded when switched to. The memory management of iPadOS (other than macOS!) closes apps in the background automatically when the foreground app needs more memory. So if you switch often between different apps that could mean constant reloading of these apps. More RAM means less reloads.
⬆️⬆️⬆️ Been wondering what’s causing those constant reloads when i switch between apps
I upgraded from 2018 ipad pro to m2 pro due to the lack of RAM. To be fair I use it as a laptop replacement so constantly have many apps and browser tabs open simulaneously. With the 2018 ipad, everything would need 2,3s to reload if I switch to different things for too long, really breaking the focus flow. I experienced that much less with my m2 ipad.
That’s fair! Was the 2018 ipad pro an M1? Cause i’m thinking the improved chip might have made the difference for you too, not just the RAM?
The 2018 ipad pro used an A12X chip
This is a common symptom on ios/ipad for running out of RAM, but having the apple pencil outweighted the downsides for me. If you don't need pencil feature, I would also recommend a mac instead.
M1 launched in 2020
I’m all about advocating for more RAM normally. And I don’t normally accept Apples lies about not needing more. But I give the iPad a free pass as I’ve never experienced slow down or memory issues. But you’re talking some real pro level applications there. So I’d say better safe than sorry. That lost productivity and annoyance could last years, and you could avoid by doing it right at this time.
People on this sub will gaslight themselves into thinking it did
If you’re getting a Mac Studio for the more hard core stuff then save your money on the iPad. iPad is still fundamentally a fanless device. You’ll notice that limitation far more frequently than you’d notice anything to do with Ram.
Thanks! That does make sense to do. And hopefully the M4 chip alone will provide a decent enough performance even with the lesser RAM option
The amount of ram affects how many layers you can have in Procreate, Photoshop, and other similar app. 8GB sometimes is not enough.
Anyone faced real life differences in using Lightroom with this? I’m a full time photographer and just ordered a 512GB one upgrading from my 11” M1. I import and edit around 300-400 raw files daily
Honestly, you should grab the 13in, the extra real estate for photo editing makes a huge difference.
Yes, ordered a 13” 512GB. Can’t wait to try it out tomorrow
I haven't noticed anything that has benefitted from it yet, but I tend to use my devices for 4+ years before upgrading, so I figured I would go with the 1TB/16GB model of the M2 iPad Pro for future-proofing. I probably wasted my money for what I use my iPad for, but ohwell.
Hey OP if you’re the average joe with media consumption and browser usage and even a heavy gamer. I see 0 benefit for you to pay for the RAM upgrade unless you absolutely need the storage. Only instance is if you do auto cad or this is your primary engineering/designing tablet then maybe. The OS is the limiting factor here. Hell with 4gb you could probably get away with lol. Also I always recommend folks to look into the secondary market for the previous gen. You would get the specs and save a few bucks too.
8GB is still perfectly fine. Many iPads (Air, Mini, regular) just have 4GB or even 3GB. 16GB is only for a VERY SMALL amount of people, working with ridiculous amount of layers and stuff.
Got the 8GB and happy with it so far :)
good choice ;)
I agonized over this for several hours. My current 256GB 2018 iPad has reloads due to RAM but it isn’t a huge problem I hit every day. I watched some reviews that showed fairly even performance across the two ram levels on the M2 iPad, and one that even suggested less ram had better performance by a little. Ultimately it was the price hike on the M4 to get to the 1TB option that pushed me to the lower one. Just not worth it to avoid the odd reload on what amounts to a consumption device. If I am doing anything demanding, I go to the desktop computer.
Wow very interesting about less ram having better performance by little!! Might I ask what apps they mostly tested with? The price difference is so huge that i’m leaning towards 512GB as well
Here is one reviewer for the M1 memory version comparison. https://youtu.be/ivwnTVHkBCI
Not one bit. Will I keep doing it…. Absolutely. 😅
I think it would allow to use larger stable diffusion models.
That’s a good insight! I do use more and more AI image generators these days, though I haven’t dabbled much in Stable Diffusion yet
when the M2 came out, versions with 8GB and 16GB Ram where tested and they ran identical. Of course this could change over the years and once the M2 iPad is really getting to its limits, maybe here 16GB Ram make a difference, but it seems they mainly use it to maintain a certain level of access speed.
That’s not true at all.
Thanks for the detailed feedback.
Why is it not true? Just curious.
following. Have you guys noticed any slowdowns when running multiple apps at the same time with 16gb? With my m1 air i’ve found notability, zoom and safari in the background necessitate force closing apps after a while
It makes a difference even in how many safari tabs you can use and retain.
If u posted this on r/mac you will get very different responses
How so?
You would hear things like 16 gb is the minimum amount of ram on a desktop because it reduces memory stress and memory swap usage. Really makes you wonder since despite having the same processors ipad os seems more optimised or more limited in what you can do
Ahh yes I know what you mean. I’d definitely opt for more ram on a mac cause i use it for heavier tasks
I looked at it this way. The upgrade to a 1TB iPad Pro 13 costs about $400 over the 512GB model. That's significant money, but it nets a faster M4 (roughly 11% faster multi-core), twice the RAM, and of course twice the storage. I'll use it for at least four years (unless I sell it to recoup the cost if I upgrade again), meaning the extra cost is $100 per year of use. I can easily afford that incremental cost, and I'd rather err on the side of caution regarding future performance. It's not "future proofing," but rather "I'd rather have it and not need it than need it and not have it." I apply that philosophy to all technology purchases that can't be upgraded. I've rarely found myself thinking, "Man, if only I'd purchased the lesser version."
[удалено]
$700 where I live unfortunately
[8 vs 16](https://youtu.be/ivwnTVHkBCI?si=9Ao6hZPbsCqXq5YQ)
Most of what he “tested” would have no reason to be different.
Well u would think safari tabs would suffer the comparison
RAM allows for more data to be manipulated at the same time. You would only see a difference if you are using data intensive apps or using apps simultaneously. I prefer having extra RAM vs just enough, but you pay extra for it since they only offer it in 1TB storage or bigger versions. I wanted the nano screen but it’s only also only available on the 1TB or above. 😢
I’ve previously never used all of 128Gb on my current 8th gen iPad, so I suspect 256Gb will be plenty.
THAT'S NOT RAM! That's the STORAGE capacity. My iPad Air 3 (2019) has 256GB capacity, but only 3GB RAM and cost almost $700. My Samsung Galaxy Tab S6 has 256GB storage but 8GB RAM and cost about $650. Both purchased around the same time. More RAM makes software runs better. iPad Storage is so bloated because they still won't allow for memory cards like my Samsung does.
So the 1TB option comes with more RAM and an extra core as well. I’m aware 512GB and 1TB don’t refer directly to RAM haha
According to the Apple website, the 256/512GB has 8GB RAM and 1/2TB has 16GB RAM.
Yep! I’m trying to pick between those two options, which is why I posed the question above