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Non M owner here, isn’t the RAM in these machines a faster type of RAM since it’s used as both system memory and VRAM? And if it’s faster then normal RAM is that why the M machines do good even at 8GB compare to 16GB of slower normal RAM?
Short answer… yes. SOC architecture allows for equivalent performance with better power efficiency, meaning better performance with equivalent power efficiency.
It is normal RAM. There’s nothing special about LPDDR5X now. They do share it between CPU and GPU, that brings some advantages in that both can access the memory, but some disadvantages compared to dedicated VRAM as your GPU can now eat a chunk of that 8GB. Window Server is using 1.5GB RAM for me right now. That’s essentially memory all used by the GPU to render macOS’ UI.
Non M owner here, isn’t the RAM in these machines a faster type of RAM since it’s used as both system memory and VRAM? And if it’s faster then normal RAM is that why the M machines do good even at 8GB compare to 16GB of slower normal RAM?
Short answer… yes. SOC architecture allows for equivalent performance with better power efficiency, meaning better performance with equivalent power efficiency.
It is normal RAM. There’s nothing special about LPDDR5X now. They do share it between CPU and GPU, that brings some advantages in that both can access the memory, but some disadvantages compared to dedicated VRAM as your GPU can now eat a chunk of that 8GB. Window Server is using 1.5GB RAM for me right now. That’s essentially memory all used by the GPU to render macOS’ UI.