With the modern studio machine that hardly breaks a sweat with tasks that would have melted its predecessors, should the studio owner concern themselves with the finer points of memory? We investigate the options.

The Wild West

Those with careers spanning more than ten years will recall the days when the studio computer brought wonder and despair in equal measure. Before this, those actually brave enough to use a computer for anything other than printing off invoices found themselves on a new frontier with only other forum-sifters for company.

Certainly, many will recognise a later tipping point where computing power, virtual instruments, and audio plugins started to align regarding what could be reliably done. Before this, some audio tasks were still out of the comfort zone of the average off-the-shelf Windows machine and a good many Apple ones as well. Increasingly, advances in hardware have made the dreaded computer crash more of a curiosity than an existential crisis.

More Is More - But More What?

Ask anyone who specs machines for a living how much storage should a studio machine have, and the answer is usually “more”. While the same could be applied to other metrics such as CPU speed, or available RAM, it is possible, without too much thought, to buy an off-the-shelf computer that will run moderate audio tasks without setting fire to the curtains! That said, one universal truth still holds true: future needs can be hard to predict. With audio plugin performance (in terms of pure DSP) leaning on CPU, sample-based virtual instruments love RAM and lots of it.

Considering RAM upgrades

In an age where sustainability is on the tick-list, perhaps one of the most often-quoted advantages of running a professionally built custom system for audio is its configurability and future-proof credentials. Windows machines in this role differ from the premium alternative offerings by being intrinsically expandable. The premium alternative encourages the user to upgrade beyond their current needs at the point of sale (or, indeed just to buy another computer at a later date). Clearly, investing in a modular, expandable PC can be a smart move for some. With the amount of RAM essentially only limited to the number of physical slots provided, the possibility of an example configuration with 32GB for now with another 32GB ‘on standby’ is attractive.

For those running Apple machines, the options are slightly more complicated, with upgrades for the MacBookPro especially being restricted by design. Certainly, the wider introduction of Apple Silicon powered Macs has signalled an end to the possibility of aftermarket RAM upgrades owing to their System on a Chip design. Storage media specialists OWC elaborate:

Although you can upgrade the memory of any 27-inch iMac or Mac Pro, the only MacBook Pro models that are upgradeable are non-retina models released up to 2016. No MacBook Pro models with “Retina Display” or “Touch Bar” can be upgraded. You can upgrade all Intel Mac mini desktops except for models released between 2014 - 2017 (Macmini7,1) and M1 Mac mini models (Macmini9,1). As far as MacBook Air, it is impossible to upgrade the RAM of any model since it is soldered directly to the board to make them thinner and lighter.

There are several popular brands including Crucial, Mac Sales, and Mr Memory who stock a selection of aftermarket RAM for both Windows and Apple machines. Of this latter category, the range covers solutions spanning sticks for modern MacPros and some iMacs, as well as those allowing the brave to jumpstart their G4 museum piece…

The Joy Of Specs

One of the most accurate sources of information regarding whether or not to upgrade is often hiding in plain sight. Simply looking up the system requirements of software currently in use can help spec a machine for today, but comparing with what was in use five, ten, or fifteen years ago can help inform future decisions. Take the current requirements for Toontrack Superior Drummer 3, which is 4 GB RAM with 8 GB or more recommended. Contrast that with v1 from 2008, where the minimum requirement was 1 GB RAM. From this it could be argued that doubling the current RAM requirement could see you through the next seven years or so.