Should I buy 8Gb Model

[StephenMorton]

I have been looking for a second Pi 4. One left alone in a case as a reliable desktop replacement. One without a case to mess around with for projects.

If I was to buy another Pi, I could go for 8Gb for the desktop machine. I get the feeling though web browsing , RDP client, the odd spreadsheet open, watching you tube, listening to radio 4 and a Python ide are not stretching the existing 4Gb. According to the little memory monitor that I have running I rarely use above half way on the scale.

Any ideas. I am tempted by another Pi and 8 Gb is now top of the range.

Thank you, Stephen.

[Imperf3kt]

I was about to say "What 8GB model?"
But thought I'd check the blog first...

I can't imagine a usage for so much ram within the limitations of the Pi, but I'm sure somebody can use it all and still need more.

[bensimmo]

I have been looking for a second Pi 4. One left alone in a case as a reliable desktop replacement. One without a case to mess around with for projects.

If I was to buy another Pi, I could go for 8Gb for the desktop machine. I get the feeling though web browsing , RDP client, the odd spreadsheet open, watching you tube, listening to radio 4 and a Python ide are not stretching the existing 4Gb. According to the little memory monitor that I have running I rarely use above half way on the scale.

Any ideas. I am tempted by another Pi and 8 Gb is now top of the range.

Thank you, Stephen.

You'll find your answer here
viewtopic.php?f=66&t=275371#p1668182

[StephenMorton]

Sorry. Wrong place. Stephen.

[StephenMorton]

I was about to say "What 8GB model?"
But thought I'd check the blog first...

I can't imagine a usage for so much ram within the limitations of the Pi, but I'm sure somebody can use it all and still need more.

I did a quick Double check. I was only browsing the Pi Hut for a cable or two.

I suppose you add the extra RAM, a 64 bit OS and boot from USB 3 SSD and you have a very different machine with different purposes.

[StephenMorton]

I have been looking for a second Pi 4. One left alone in a case as a reliable desktop replacement. One without a case to mess around with for projects.

If I was to buy another Pi, I could go for 8Gb for the desktop machine. I get the feeling though web browsing , RDP client, the odd spreadsheet open, watching you tube, listening to radio 4 and a Python ide are not stretching the existing 4Gb. According to the little memory monitor that I have running I rarely use above half way on the scale.

Any ideas. I am tempted by another Pi and 8 Gb is now top of the range.

Thank you, Stephen.

You'll find your answer here
viewtopic.php?f=66&t=275371#p1668182

Thank you. I see the reasoning. I will stick for the moment with the 32 bit Raspberry Pi OS but look at an 8Gb model in preparation.

On nice thing about the Raspberry Pi Is that an upgrade to the latest model does not cost £1000. Unlike a mobile phone.

Best wishes, Stephen.

[PeterO]

I was about to say "What 8GB model?"
But thought I'd check the blog first...

I can't imagine a usage for so much ram within the limitations of the Pi, but I'm sure somebody can use it all and still need more.

Limited only by your imagination !

PeterO

[bjtheone]

I use one as my desktop machine... and can easily consume the entire 4 GB. Already have an 8 GB on order.

Yes I certainly could change my usages behaviour, have less stuff always running, and keep fewer tabs open in Chromium. The 3B+ worked, the 4GB 4B works much better, and I imagine an 8Gb will work incrementally better still. There really is no such thing as too much RAM, if they build it I will fill it.

[StephenMorton]

I was about to say "What 8GB model?"
But thought I'd check the blog first...

I can't imagine a usage for so much ram within the limitations of the Pi, but I'm sure somebody can use it all and still need more.

Limited only by your imagination !

PeterO

[StephenMorton]

I use one as my desktop machine... and can easily consume the entire 4 GB. Already have an 8 GB on order.

Yes I certainly could change my usages behaviour, have less stuff always running, and keep fewer tabs open in Chromium. The 3B+ worked, the 4GB 4B works much better, and I imagine an 8Gb will work incrementally better still. There really is no such thing as too much RAM, if they build it I will fill it.

You must do more work than me. I would struggle to fill 4GB at the moment. I work mainly with Azure based SQL Servers. I just use an RDP client on the Pi. I am going to try in the next few days to justify the 8Gb.

If anything I am probably over utilising the processor and SD card at times. Of course SSD is now easier. A processor upgrade will wait for Pi 5.

Best wishes, Stephen.

[Brian Beuken]

Im very excited by the 64bit OS, but really can't see the need for 8GB, I barely stress out a 2GB never mind my 4GB.. I know there are some uses, but its surely a very small user need. Seems to me its solving a problem that does not really exist..yet?

But yeah at some point.. I'll bite, gotta keep the collection complete.

[jahboater]

On nice thing about the Raspberry Pi Is that an upgrade to the latest model does not cost £1000. Unlike a mobile phone.

In fact the extra £20 now gets you 4GB instead of 2GB, so its becoming better value.

[bomblord]

I was about to say "What 8GB model?"
But thought I'd check the blog first...

I can't imagine a usage for so much ram within the limitations of the Pi, but I'm sure somebody can use it all and still need more.

I did a quick Double check. I was only browsing the Pi Hut for a cable or two.

I suppose you add the extra RAM, a 64 bit OS and boot from USB 3 SSD and you have a very different machine with different purposes.

Now we just need someone to release something like the old Western Digital Pi Drive case with an SSD and a decent cooling solution.

[rainer.brito]

Hi!

Honestly, even with all the love we have for the Pi's, the 8GB version is not that useful for a normal user. If we stick to the Raspberry Pi OS (Raspbian sounds better, I cannot deny that ) and its desktop tweaks and etc, we never have a memory issue for real. I use my Pi 4gb version for serious and professional audio recording, mixing and mastering and never had an issue under Raspbian.
Off course some users may get a 8GB versions and make it a "POWERFUL DESKTOP" with more complex Desktop environments and etc.

We know this is some "marketering" by the foundation (and it is ok, they may need it), but it is not a real step forward. So I would say to people like me that lives in, as we used to call decades ago, 3rd world countries: it is going to be absolutely pricey and you should not afford it as a alternative for a 4gb pi (already very expensive here). Actually I think no one should be just buying nothing if what we have just works (specially now when there are global explosion of unemployees)

So, no, maybe you should not buy another Pi just because it is newer or it seems to be better when it may not be better for your real user case.

Best and take care!

[camccar]

With the extra ram i'll be using docker for dev task.

[LTolledo]

....currently in a fierce argument with my finance manager regarding this......

[bjtheone]

Hi!

Honestly, even with all the love we have for the Pi's, the 8GB version is not that useful for a normal user. If we stick to the Raspberry Pi OS (Raspbian sounds better, I cannot deny that ) and its desktop tweaks and etc, we never have a memory issue for real. I use my Pi 4gb version for serious and professional audio recording, mixing and mastering and never had an issue under Raspbian.
Off course some users may get a 8GB versions and make it a "POWERFUL DESKTOP" with more complex Desktop environments and etc.

We know this is some "marketering" by the foundation (and it is ok, they may need it), but it is not a real step forward. So I would say to people like me that lives in, as we used to call decades ago, 3rd world countries: it is going to be absolutely pricey and you should not afford it as a alternative for a 4gb pi (already very expensive here). Actually I think no one should be just buying nothing if what we have just works (specially now when there are global explosion of unemployees)

So, no, maybe you should not buy another Pi just because it is newer or it seems to be better when it may not be better for your real user case.

Best and take care!

I understand and respect your opinion. However if you look at the incremental cost for a "desktop replacement" it is an $26 dollar upgrade to the overall package. Doubling the RAM for 4% incremental cost is a no brainer. My current use case can fill the 4 GB. While I am certainly not RAM starved, it means some more open tabs or being able to run more memory hungry background processes, while still watching videos.

My version of said desktop replacement is:

* 32 inch 1080p monitor ($250)
* logitech K840 keyboard ($100)
* logitech MX Master 2S mouse ($100)
* 128 GB SSD plus enclosure ($85)
* Case & FanShim ($40)
* Pi 4B 4G ($79)

for a grand total of $654, and yes I find it ironic that I have $450 worth of "infrastructure" supporting a $200 computer.

[jamesh]

Hi!

Honestly, even with all the love we have for the Pi's, the 8GB version is not that useful for a normal user. If we stick to the Raspberry Pi OS (Raspbian sounds better, I cannot deny that ) and its desktop tweaks and etc, we never have a memory issue for real. I use my Pi 4gb version for serious and professional audio recording, mixing and mastering and never had an issue under Raspbian.
Off course some users may get a 8GB versions and make it a "POWERFUL DESKTOP" with more complex Desktop environments and etc.

We know this is some "marketering" by the foundation (and it is ok, they may need it), but it is not a real step forward. So I would say to people like me that lives in, as we used to call decades ago, 3rd world countries: it is going to be absolutely pricey and you should not afford it as a alternative for a 4gb pi (already very expensive here). Actually I think no one should be just buying nothing if what we have just works (specially now when there are global explosion of unemployees)

So, no, maybe you should not buy another Pi just because it is newer or it seems to be better when it may not be better for your real user case.

Best and take care!

Foundation Marketing? Not really (and all this stuff is Trading anyway). People have been asking for a 8GB Pi4 (whether they need it or not), so we've made one. It's not for everyone, not even for the majority, so if you don't need it, don't buy it! (Which I suspect is the exact opposite of marketing)

[ag123]

one day Microsoft may offer Windows 10 on Pi

[drgeoff]

Doubling the RAM for 4% incremental cost

I think you would be better to spend some of that $26 on a new calculator.

[jbudd]

....currently in a fierce argument with my finance manager regarding this......

How many minutes do you have to stretch out the argument before you can point out that the time has cost more than the Pi would?

[Technocolour]

OP should buy said Pi if he needs one, or would find it fun and have the means to do such purchases.

I don't understand the meta discussion regarding RAM though? There are people who always can use more. (For an example of usage, I do number crunching on multi GB worth of sensor data, and I can assure any reader that I'm perfectly capable of eating up any increases in RAM.)

And it expands the customer base of the boards, since more are addressed. As long as you sell enough to cover the stock and logistics costs, you're making money. And since I expect that the R&D cost is comparatively low, the alternative cost analysis probably looks pretty sweet too.

[bjtheone]

Doubling the RAM for 4% incremental cost

I think you would be better to spend some of that $26 on a new calculator.

I have no idea of costs world wide but in Canada 4GB model is $79, 8GB model is $105, or $26 difference. My "system" build cost is $654, $26 represents an additional 4% of that cost. Making it a no brainer if I was building another desktop. That is the decision I would be making when deciding which Pi to include in the desktop build. It is exactly the same reason why the current desktop has a 4GB model rather than a 1GB (which would have been functional) or a 2GB. Small incremental cost, functional improvement, and more future proofing.

Obvious as an bare board the differential is 33% upcharge (79 -> 105). However, the actual Pi board represents only a small fraction of a true desktop.

As a pure upgrade the cost is $105, which represents less than the cost of one nice dinner which I can't currently take my lovely wife out to. Given that she is self isolating at home, she is quite enthused I have yet another reason to lurk in my office and tinker.

[rainer.brito]

Hi people!

jamesh, don't get me wrong, I'm just posting aiming at the OP question. And I would like to remember, dear friends, that the Pi community is not just a 1st world community. Pi is already a world wide community. So, please, I ask you from my heart, do not say "If you don't need it, don't buy it!" is a anti-marketing saying. It is just a non-sense statement in a very harsh world where a Pi can costs 1/2 of a family income (specially where I live). Off course it is marketing jamesh, we all know that. I would say to you, very kindly, that I did not knew any people asking for a 8gb (and I am a very active member of a nacional raspberry pi community). Maybe some people? yeah, maybe some people from a very specific place.
I respect and understand what you said, but... please, just don't say it that way. The world is bigger than we think, you know that.

That is it people! Long live to the Pi's...!

Best and take care!

[ronnymorrissey]

I totally agree with the poster above

One can be a huge fan and admirer of the foundation and the raspberry pi itself but also be critical and questioning.

As I have posted on another thread - why release an 8gb model without an increase In processor speed? If processor speed was unimportant then why aren’t we all still using
486 PCs?

Asking that question doesn’t make someone a troll or ungrateful and shouldn’t be met with ‘if you don’t like it, don’t buy it’