diff --git a/examples/llama.py b/examples/llama.py
index d4ba310fab..67f48e90c5 100755
--- a/examples/llama.py
+++ b/examples/llama.py
@@ -370,7 +370,7 @@ After you are done speaking, output [EOS]. You are not Chad.
   TOKENIZER_PATH = (MODEL_PATH if MODEL_PATH.is_dir() else MODEL_PATH.parent) / "tokenizer.model"
   print(f"using LLaMA{LLAMA_SUFFIX}-{args.size} model")
   llama = LLaMa.build(MODEL_PATH, TOKENIZER_PATH, model_gen=args.gen, model_size=args.size, quantize=args.quantize)
-  param_count = sum(x.lazydata.st.size() for x in get_parameters(llama.model))
+  param_count = sum(x.lazydata.size for x in get_parameters(llama.model))
 
   if chatbot:
     # encode pre prompt
diff --git a/test/test_search.py b/test/test_search.py
index c4fefbfe08..485fd8fd7f 100644
--- a/test/test_search.py
+++ b/test/test_search.py
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@ class TestTimeLinearizer(unittest.TestCase):
 
   def test_reasonable_time(self):
     si = [si for si in Tensor([1,2,3,4]).add(1).lazydata.schedule() if si.ast.op not in LoadOps][0]
-    rawbufs = [Buffer(Device.DEFAULT, si.out.st.size(), si.out.dtype)] + [Buffer(Device.DEFAULT, x.st.size(), x.dtype) for x in si.inputs]
+    rawbufs = [Buffer(Device.DEFAULT, si.out.st.real_size(), si.out.dtype)] + [Buffer(Device.DEFAULT, x.st.real_size(), x.dtype) for x in si.inputs]
     tm = time_linearizer(Linearizer(si.ast), rawbufs, allow_test_size=False, cnt=10)
     assert tm > 0 and tm != float('inf')
 
diff --git a/test/unit/test_shapetracker.py b/test/unit/test_shapetracker.py
index 02103e93df..e26041ef77 100644
--- a/test/unit/test_shapetracker.py
+++ b/test/unit/test_shapetracker.py
@@ -797,35 +797,35 @@ class TestGetContraction(unittest.TestCase):
 class TestShapeTrackerSize(unittest.TestCase):
   def test_simple_size(self):
     st = ShapeTracker.from_shape((100, 100))
-    self.assertEqual(st.size(), 100*100)
+    self.assertEqual(st.real_size(), 100*100)
 
   def test_expand_size(self):
     st = ShapeTracker.from_shape((100, 100))
     st = st.reshape((100, 100, 1))
     st = st.expand((100, 100, 100))
-    self.assertEqual(st.size(), 100*100)
+    self.assertEqual(st.real_size(), 100*100)
 
   def test_expand_size_flatten(self):
     st = ShapeTracker.from_shape((100, 100))
     st = st.reshape((100, 100, 1))
     st = st.expand((100, 100, 100))
     st = st.reshape((100*100*100,))
-    self.assertEqual(st.size(), 100*100)
+    self.assertEqual(st.real_size(), 100*100)
 
   def test_shrink_size_axis_0(self):
     st = ShapeTracker.from_shape((100, 100))
     st = st.shrink(((0, 50), (0, 100)))
-    self.assertEqual(st.size(), 50*100)
+    self.assertEqual(st.real_size(), 50*100)
 
   def test_shrink_size_axis_0_variable(self):
     st = ShapeTracker.from_shape((100, 100))
     st = st.shrink(((0, Variable("a", 0, 50)), (0, 100)))
-    self.assertEqual(st.size(), 50*100)
+    self.assertEqual(st.real_size(), 50*100)
 
   def test_shrink_size_axis_1(self):
     st = ShapeTracker.from_shape((100, 100))
     st = st.shrink(((0, 100), (0, 50)))
-    self.assertEqual(st.size(), 9950)    # careful here
+    self.assertEqual(st.real_size(), 9950)    # careful here
 
 if __name__ == '__main__':
   unittest.main()
diff --git a/tinygrad/codegen/kernel.py b/tinygrad/codegen/kernel.py
index a790c2eede..876162448b 100644
--- a/tinygrad/codegen/kernel.py
+++ b/tinygrad/codegen/kernel.py
@@ -326,7 +326,7 @@ class Kernel:
           bst *= shp[j]
 
     self.sts.append(ShapeTracker((View.create(tuple(shp), tuple(stride)),)))
-    self.bufs.append(LocalBuffer(name=f"ldata{i}", size=self.sts[-1].size()))
+    self.bufs.append(LocalBuffer(name=f"ldata{i}", size=self.sts[-1].size))
     if DEBUG >= 4: print("aliasing buffer", self.sts[i])
     self.local_alias[i] = cast(LocalBuffer, self.bufs[-1])
 
diff --git a/tinygrad/codegen/linearizer.py b/tinygrad/codegen/linearizer.py
index 812ac6795a..892e8de645 100644
--- a/tinygrad/codegen/linearizer.py
+++ b/tinygrad/codegen/linearizer.py
@@ -206,14 +206,14 @@ class Linearizer(Kernel):
       self.loop_uops[var.expr] = self.uop(UOps.DEFINE_GLOBAL, dtypes.int32, (), var.expr)
     # define local buffers
     for lb in self.local_alias.values():
-      self.buf_uops[self.bufs.index(lb)] = self.uop(UOps.DEFINE_LOCAL, PtrDType(dtypes.float32), (), (lb.name, self.sts[self.bufs.index(lb)].size()))
+      self.buf_uops[self.bufs.index(lb)] = self.uop(UOps.DEFINE_LOCAL, PtrDType(dtypes.float32), (), (lb.name, self.sts[self.bufs.index(lb)].size))
     # add a local buffer for multistage reduce. # TODO: use local alias
     if self.group_for_reduce:
       # TODO: the strides of this can be controlled
       self.sts.append(ShapeTracker.from_shape(tuple([1] * self.global_dims + list(self.full_shape[self.global_dims:self.global_dims+self.local_dims+len(self.group_for_reduce)]) + [1] * (self.shape_len - self.upcasted - len(self.group_for_reduce) - self.first_reduce) + [x[0] for x in self.upcasted_axis(0)])))  # noqa: E501
       temp_dtype = self.get_base_dtype(get_lazyop_info(self.reduceop).dtype)
-      self.bufs.append(LocalBuffer("temp", self.sts[-1].size(), temp_dtype))
-      self.buf_uops.append(self.uop(UOps.DEFINE_LOCAL, PtrDType(temp_dtype), (), ("temp", self.sts[-1].size())))
+      self.bufs.append(LocalBuffer("temp", self.sts[-1].size, temp_dtype))
+      self.buf_uops.append(self.uop(UOps.DEFINE_LOCAL, PtrDType(temp_dtype), (), ("temp", self.sts[-1].size)))
 
     # kernel name (before late upcast)
     self.name = ("r_" if self.reduceop else "E_") + colored('_', 'BLACK').join([colored(str(x), c) for x,c in zip(self.full_shape, self.colors())])
diff --git a/tinygrad/features/search.py b/tinygrad/features/search.py
index 80205bbc44..4644777acf 100644
--- a/tinygrad/features/search.py
+++ b/tinygrad/features/search.py
@@ -64,7 +64,8 @@ def bufs_from_lin(lin:Linearizer) -> List[Buffer]:
   for x in lin.membufs: bufsts[x.idx].append(x)
   rawbufs:List[Optional[Buffer]] = [None]*len(bufsts)
   for k,lx in bufsts.items():
-    rawbufs[k] = Buffer(Device.DEFAULT, prod(lx[0].dtype.shape) if isinstance(lx[0].dtype, ImageDType) else max(y.st.size() for y in lx), lx[0].dtype)
+    buf_size = prod(lx[0].dtype.shape) if isinstance(lx[0].dtype, ImageDType) else max(y.st.real_size() for y in lx)
+    rawbufs[k] = Buffer(Device.DEFAULT, buf_size, lx[0].dtype)
   assert all(r is not None for r in rawbufs)
   return cast(List[Buffer], rawbufs)
 
diff --git a/tinygrad/lazy.py b/tinygrad/lazy.py
index 081bf59f85..a059b0ec93 100644
--- a/tinygrad/lazy.py
+++ b/tinygrad/lazy.py
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@ from typing import Union, Optional, Any, Tuple, List, Set, Dict
 from tinygrad.dtype import dtypes, DType, ImageDType
 from tinygrad.helpers import prod, merge_dicts, flatten, getenv, dedup, DEBUG, all_int, all_same
 from tinygrad.ops import LoadOps, UnaryOps, BinaryOps, TernaryOps, ReduceOps, BufferOps, Op, LazyOp, ConstBuffer, MemBuffer, ScheduleItem
-from tinygrad.shape.symbolic import sint, Variable, Node
+from tinygrad.shape.symbolic import sint, Variable
 from tinygrad.shape.shapetracker import ShapeTracker
 from tinygrad.device import Buffer, Device
 from tinygrad.graph import log_lazybuffer
@@ -34,8 +34,7 @@ class LazyBuffer:
                op:Optional[Op]=None, arg:Any=None, srcs:Tuple[LazyBuffer, ...]=(),
                base:Optional[LazyBuffer]=None):
     assert isinstance(device, str) and device == Device.canonicalize(device)
-    self.device, self.st, self.dtype, self.shape = device, st, dtype, st.shape
-    self.size = prod([x.max if isinstance(x, Node) else x for x in self.shape])
+    self.device, self.st, self.dtype, self.shape, self.size = device, st, dtype, st.shape, st.size
     if base is None:
       # properties on base
       self.op, self.arg, self.srcs = op, arg, srcs  # this is a LazyOp, except the src is LazyBuffers and not LazyOps
@@ -278,7 +277,7 @@ def create_schedule(outs:List[LazyBuffer], seen:Optional[Set[LazyBuffer]]=None)
           # can only have one output buffer
           # can only reduce contiguous
           # max one reduceop per kernel
-          if len(realized_children) > 1 or not st.contiguous or st.size() != r.st.size() or (tr in reduce_for_op and reduce_for_op[tr] != r):
+          if len(realized_children) > 1 or not st.contiguous or st.size != r.st.size or (tr in reduce_for_op and reduce_for_op[tr] != r):
             can_chase = tr not in reduce_for_op or reduce_for_op[tr] == r
             forced_realize = True
             break
@@ -304,7 +303,7 @@ def create_schedule(outs:List[LazyBuffer], seen:Optional[Set[LazyBuffer]]=None)
           tr_next = next(iter(tr.children))
           st_childs = dedup([s for s in tr_next.srcs if s.base == tr])
           if len(st_childs) > 1: break
-          if st.size() != st_childs[0].st.size(): break
+          if st.size != st_childs[0].st.size: break
           st = st + st_childs[0].st
           if not st.contiguous or tr_next.op in ReduceOps: break
           tr = tr_next
diff --git a/tinygrad/ops.py b/tinygrad/ops.py
index 04c348333b..aeb54a2af3 100644
--- a/tinygrad/ops.py
+++ b/tinygrad/ops.py
@@ -83,9 +83,9 @@ class FlopCounter:
     return ret
 
 InterpretedFlopCounter: Dict[Op, Callable] = {
-  BufferOps.LOAD: lambda arg: FlopCounter(arg.st.shape, arg.dtype, 0, {arg.idx: arg.dtype.itemsize*arg.st.size()}),
+  BufferOps.LOAD: lambda arg: FlopCounter(arg.st.shape, arg.dtype, 0, {arg.idx: arg.dtype.itemsize*arg.st.real_size()}),
   BufferOps.CONST: lambda arg: FlopCounter(arg.st.shape, arg.dtype, 0, {}),
-  BufferOps.STORE: lambda self,arg: FlopCounter(arg.st.shape, arg.dtype, self.consume_flops(), {**self.mem, arg.idx: arg.dtype.itemsize*arg.st.size()}),  # noqa: E501
+  BufferOps.STORE: lambda self,arg: FlopCounter(arg.st.shape, arg.dtype, self.consume_flops(), {**self.mem, arg.idx: arg.dtype.itemsize*arg.st.real_size()}),  # noqa: E501
   UnaryOps.CAST: lambda self,arg: FlopCounter(self.shape, arg[0], self.consume_flops(), self.mem),   # cast uses no flops
   **{op:lambda self: FlopCounter(self.shape, self.dtype, self.consume_flops() + prod(self.shape), self.mem) for op in UnaryOps if op != UnaryOps.CAST},  # noqa: E501
   **{op:lambda self,y,op=op: FlopCounter(self.shape,  dtypes.bool if op in (BinaryOps.CMPLT, BinaryOps.CMPEQ) else self.dtype, self.consume_flops() + y.consume_flops() + prod(self.shape), {**self.mem, **y.mem}) for op in BinaryOps},  # noqa: E501
diff --git a/tinygrad/realize.py b/tinygrad/realize.py
index dabe838068..144b7b1f36 100644
--- a/tinygrad/realize.py
+++ b/tinygrad/realize.py
@@ -46,5 +46,5 @@ def run_schedule(schedule:List[ScheduleItem]):
     # run the function (put it in JIT)
     assert all(x.realized is not None for x in si.inputs), f"can't run, some inputs aren't realized {[x for x in si.inputs if x.realized is None]}"
     if prg: prg.exec([si.out.realized] + [cast(Buffer, x.realized) for x in si.inputs], si.var_vals)
-    else: update_stats(colored(f"empty {si.out.st.size():10d} {si.out.dtype}", "yellow"), 0, 0, {}, None, 1, device=si.out.device)
+    else: update_stats(colored(f"empty {si.out.st.size:10d} {si.out.dtype}", "yellow"), 0, 0, {}, None, 1, device=si.out.device)
     realized_lazybuffer(si.out, GlobalCounters.kernel_count)
diff --git a/tinygrad/shape/shapetracker.py b/tinygrad/shape/shapetracker.py
index 7600307cfc..51fb6a5c7b 100644
--- a/tinygrad/shape/shapetracker.py
+++ b/tinygrad/shape/shapetracker.py
@@ -75,7 +75,10 @@ class ShapeTracker:
   @property
   def shape(self) -> Tuple[sint, ...]: return self.views[-1].shape
 
-  def size(self) -> int:
+  @property
+  def size(self) -> int: return prod([x.max if isinstance(x, Node) else x for x in self.views[-1].shape])
+
+  def real_size(self) -> int:
     if 0 in self.shape: return 0
     ret = self.expr_idxs()[0].max
     while not isinstance(ret, int): ret = ret.max    # TODO: this is a while loop?!? it should be more clear what max does