[iMore Question]

Hey guys. I just got a July 2014 MBP 13.3inch, 2.8ghz i5 with 512 Flash storage, and 8 GB RAM. I am starting to wonder if I will need more RAM in the near future and if I made a mistake not upgrading it to 16GB. I just use my computer for internet, e-mail, editing PDF docs on Preview, screen casting (not often), uploading videos, word processing, Skype, etc... not all at the same time of course.

I just think back to when I got my first MacBook, the late 08 unibody, with 2GB ram and 4 years later it had gotten so slow, i upgraded to 8GB RAM. Now, in this new machine, it runs super fast, but I still have only 1-2 GB RAM free or even less sometimes, with just Safari and Preview open. I also have 214 processes running ... is this normal? How can I reduce some those processes?

Or am I totally overthinking it? I paid a pretty penny for this thing and I'd assume it'll last me at least 6 years, which is the interval in which I usually buy new Macs... are the new SSDs and faster processors better at using RAM? My activity monitor shows 1.5GB free and no memory pressure at all... so am I just overthinking the numbers? What happens when RAM is like, 20MB!?

[kch50428]

Spec wise you sound OK... OSX wise... My MacBook Pro circa mid 2008 is running the current Yosemite fine...

[warcraftWidow]

You'll be fine. Those specs with those used should last for a long time.