Nexus 9 Tablet : Lets talk about RAM !

[Paul627g]

This seems to be a HUGE concern for many. While I am far from the expert or even intermediate to talk the tech specs behind RAM usage and what is good or bad. But in regards to the Nexus 9 and more specifically the NVIDIA Tegra K1 64 bit processor you keep hearing how 2 GB of RAM isn't enough. Couple thoughts of my own is...

• If it was a concern or factor it would of been addresses in testing of the device and Android 5.0 Lollipop and they would of bumped it to 3 GB or maybe 4 ?
• Only a select few had test units during the final phases (last month or so) leading up to the announcement to even see how the device performed. So much of what were reading is pure speculation by many. You don't have the device in hand and even if you did Google hasn't even officially released final Android 5.0. So how could you claim anything on a test unit w/ unfinished software?
• Its new technology.. This is the first mobile 64 bit chip for Android. Its in the infancy stages, developers and all alike will need time to update and learn to harness the power behind the 64 bit and use it efficiently. Heck developers are still finding newer and better ways to optimize 32 bit processors
• Comparing the Nexus 9 to the Nexus 6. Just isn't fair.. Two completely different devices, one is 32 bit and the other is 64 bit. Yes they have similarities but also are two different animals and have different requirements to achieve the end result.

Those are just a few of my own personal thoughts and things I've gathered over the last few days. I'm sure there is much more to discuss and we'd love to hear it.

 

[Golfdriver97]

Another thing to keep in mind: the UI is minimal, so that has less of an impact on RAM. And RAM use on Android doesn't work the same way as it does on a Windows PC.

 

[raptir]

Well, I've expressed my opinion on this matter before, but here are some more of my thoughts...

• You're looking at a premium device with a top of the line processor and screen... why skimp on the RAM? It just doesn't make a whole lot of sense.
• ...that said, the Nexus 9 is still cheaper when compared to other "full-sized" premium tablets. The iPad and Galaxy Tab S 10 are each $100 more than the Nexus 9. So while it is not a cheap device like the Nexus 7, it's still not "on par" for price with other comparable devices like the Nexus 6.
• Tablet vs Phone... As odd as it sounds I think I'm more likely to multitask on a phone. Whether it's music + GPS, or chromecasting a show while I browse. With my tablet I am typically more focused on one activity, like watching a movie or playing a game.
• In the PC world, 64-bit applications tend to use more RAM than 32-bit. I don't know much about Android development but I assume the same would apply here. Still, given that I rarely see more than 1GB used on my phone I don't think this is going to be an issue in the near future.
• Something like the LG G3 or Galaxy Note 4 may need more RAM due to the heavy skin. Stock Android does not use nearly as much RAM as Android + TouchWiz or Android + whatever LG's skin is called

As a summary... I'm disappointed that they only stuck 2GB of RAM in what would otherwise be a performance beast, but I don't think it's going to be a huge problem for the device.

 

[TheIowaKid]

But what about display drivers? I would think that would be memory heavy, right? Im still buying one because its the premium stock Android tablet that I have been waiting for, and I want to support it. My concern is actually the heat given off by it. I heard the Shield gets really hot.

 

[raptir]

But what about display drivers? I would think that would be memory heavy, right? Im still buying one because its the premium stock Android tablet that I have been waiting for, and I want to support it. My concern is actually the heat given off by it. I heard the Shield gets really hot.

Are you referring to the resolution of the device? A 2048x1536 display at 32-bit color only needs a 12MB framebuffer. A 1080p display needs an 8MB framebuffer. The majority of the memory used by a GPU is due to texture sizes and that isn't going to change dramatically between this and a normal 1080p device, since I doubt many games are pushing 2048x1536 textures.

As far as heat goes, I personally haven't been able to find any posts about the Shield Tablet having heat issues. But this is a different CPU (2 Denver cores instead of 4 ARM Cortex A15 cores). That said, most Android devices do get hot when gaming.