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8GB RAM in M3 MacBook Pro Proves the Bottleneck in Real-World Tests

Corefile said:
8GB of main memory is garbage. Don't let AAPL rob you.
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Apple only robs you if you buy a macbook with more than 8GB of RAM. 😁

I like that Apple offers base models of their devices at more reasonable prices. This year I bought an M2 Mac Mini 8GB/256GB for $479... absolute bargain for a Mac OS system. This config hasn't stopped me from doing any of the media encoding and OS emulation/virtualization that I've done on systems with higher specs.

The alternative to the 8GB RAM on entry models is to bump up the base RAM to 16GB and the price by $200.

I know that people want the price to remain the same but the RAM to be increased to 16GB, but Apple has no reason nor incentive to do that. People willingly fork over more money for obscenely priced (IMO) upgrades. Sure there's a bit of complaining, but that subsides quickly and then the wallet comes out.

Apple doesn't care how much people complain if at the end of the day they have the customer's cash in hand.
 
0423MAC said:
Enough of them that apple decided it was best to use terms like "casual gaming" and "everyday productivity apps" to describe the entry base model of a pro laptop with 8GB as opposed to a broad set of professionals looking to use a laptop.
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Which it is a fine laptop for...
 
davedude said:
Both are crappy user experiences. An 8GB machine for $1,600 that chokes with 20 browser tabs is crappy user experience. Did you watch the video?

But yes, please keep going with the mental gymnastics and bootlicking.
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I'm gonna post something interesting because I find your comment to be a bit misleading...
I'm on a baseline 2021 M1 Macbook Air, 256GB SSD and 8GB RAM.
I put your assessment to the test, and just opened Safari with 20 tabs (ranging from YouTube videos, Amazon and other online shopping sites, to construction tech guidelines websites,) Apple's Mail with a very poor inbox organization filled with 1,546 mail messages; I have running the latest Logic Pro 10.8 version using instances of Arturia's latest Analog Lab Pro, Prophet V, Mini V -all of them famous for being CPU and RAM hogs in Windows- Logic's Electronic Drum Kit designer, and two of Wave's mastering plugins on constant looping using the live loops window, and AutoCAD 2024 with an actual construction blueprint for a fire protection system with four different print layouts. No lag on any of the applications, no hiccups, you can browse any website with no video lagging... I'm attaching a screencap, which I edited out the name of the AutoCAD project using Pixelmator Pro with all apps still operating. Love Logic Pro... it's barely hitting 15% CPU loads and NO STRESS on the SSD drive. AutoCAD smoothly pans and zooms in and out the project, all tools respond quickly... and all apps and plugins are M1 native. Coworkers can use browsers, Office and AutoCAD projects on laptops with Core i5 and i7 chips with 16GB RAM and 1TB SSD drives with a healthy dosage of GUI hiccups. I don't buy the lie that any version of a new M3 Mac laptop can't handle Safari with 20 tabs using a couple pro apps at the same time.
 

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Timo_Existencia said:
Huh? They are offering a lever of alternatives depending on the type of Pro you are. An professional accountant uses every day productivity apps, and can buy an 8 gb machine. No controversy here.
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Agreed there is no controversy. It's right on their website.

Apple opted to use terms such as casual gaming, streaming movies to best describe the typical use case for a pro level laptop.

I get this is your schtick, but at least be better at it.
 
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Timo_Existencia said:
Are you one of their "last followers?" If not, why do you care?
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Hell no, i have no brand loyalty and i‘m not a fan of anything, it would not serve me in any way. I use whatever suits my needs and it’s often not Apple, and a pathetic 8GB RAM Laptop for $1599 surely not. Specially not when an Apple Marketing Moron ermm Genius with zero technical expertise tries to sell it as 16GB to the folks.

There is no better way to indirectly say to the face of their customers „We Apple think you are plain dumb!“
 
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Timo_Existencia said:
GREAT! Then move on! If it's not for you, then why are you here on MacRumors going on and on about how much you hate the product? :)
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Because they are welcome to be here as much as you are. It is a community of varying thoughts, not an echo chamber of defending Apple even if that's what some people want it to be.
 
MapleBeercules said:
You know when you look up professional in the dictionary it has the following

  1. Conforming to the standards of a profession.
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That is the issue, apple marketing is ignoring the dictionary definition and applying the term “Pro” too many products. As a consumer, whenever Apple say “Pro” you should assume it does not mean anything.
 
The premise of this YouTube video is utter stupidity. These are the same clowns who did outrage bait about MacBook Air thermal throttling last year.

The 8GB RAM MBP only exists for corporate buyers to dish out to office workers who are working in MS Office or Google docs.

No one seriously doing media exports is going to buy a new machine with 8GB RAM to do it.
 
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ProfessionalFan said:
Again ignore the "Pro" name then.

Explain how 8GB RAM is enough for a 1600 buck laptop.
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What is there to “explain”? I do not have insight into BOM cost… it is you and others who think that that laptop should have 16 vs 8, nothing more.
As has been pointed out, there are plenty use cases where 8 is sufficient, and if Apple weren’t selling those - they’d make a change.
 
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I hope Apple releases a configuration with 4 GB of RAM just out of spite. Watch people whine and cry like little girls, and watch Apple still be the most profitable company in the history of human existence :)
 
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Chuckeee said:
Would a true computer professional be satisfied with 8GB, nope. But that same professional probably wouldn’t be satisfied with just a plain M3 notebook either.

The term “Pro” is effectively meaningless especially with regard to Apple products. Apple have overused Pro so much and so often the term Pro is now meaningless for Apple products.

M3 Pro ARM Silicon processor chip
A17Pro iPhone processor chip
MacBook Pro laptop
MacPro desktop computer
iPad Pro
iMac Pro
iPhone Pro
iPhone Pro Max
Apple Vision Pro
Pro Display XDR
AirPods Pro
Beats Fit Pro
Powerbeats Pro
Final Cut Pro software

It is to the point, that since so many things are “Pro”, nothing is actually “Pro” anymore.

There are real issues with some Apple 8GB products for many people. But using the excuse that it’s inappropriate for a Pro laptop is nonsensical, since the term Pro means absolutely nothing with regards to any product from Apple. Might as well complain “how can it be a true Apple product if it isn’t red, green or yellow”
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I develop very advanced software on a 2021 Air with "only" 8GB.

Professionals come with varying needs.

But I agree that the Pro moniker has lost its meaning, especially when they pull stunts like this.
 
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jbachandouris said:
Fortunately Best Buy didn’t have this configuration in stock when I went there.

18GB (misprint on site?) and 512GB SSD 14”
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this is what irritates me about Apple's store stock --- they know the 16GB is popular but they don't keep that configuration in stock. You have to order it or hope that a 3rd party retailer has it on hand since they probably special ordered it for inventory.

And yes you read that right. The M3 Pro configuration starts with 18GB of RAM. Everyone is trying to sort out why.
 
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It's not exactly a surprise. RAM for the CPU and RAM for the GPU are all coming from the same hardware. If they're fighting for it, Virtual Memory needs to be in use once physical memory is full. Regardless of how fast the storage is, it will not be fast enough to replace physical memory, at least, not in 2023.
 
Wildkraut said:
Well why are you here? Just move on! Why are you here reading the justified criticism if you’re satisfied.

Smells like buyers remorse!
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What “justified criticism”? It is purely complaining about cost, nothing else…
And again, get the right tool for the job
 
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