How can Apple sell a Mac with 8GB of RAM in 2023 and call it "Pro"

[crsh1976]

I don't get the obsession over what amount of RAM constitutes a "Pro" machine. Not every professional use needs a ton of RAM. If you do, great, they'll happily sell you a whole load of RAM, but that doesn't mean everyone has the same needs as you.

That argument stopped being reasonable when Apple made their computer non-upgradable.

The base M3 MBP configuration makes no sense, its only purpose is to upsell pricy upgrade options - if you're content with 8 GB (that is totally possible), you probably should be looking at a MBA instead of a MBP to begin with.

In fact, for any model that uses the base M3 chip, the MBA is a better deal - no need for a pricy MBP.

 

[phillytim]

That argument stopped being reasonable when Apple made their computer non-upgradable.

1000X THIS.

Either make a MacBook upgradable OR quit making the up-front RAM/SSD prices 10X of what comparable off-the-shelf chips are - then we wouldn't complain near as much.

 

[surfzen21]

That argument stopped being reasonable when Apple made their computer non-upgradable.

The base M3 MBP configuration makes no sense, its only purpose is to upsell pricy upgrade options - if you're content with 8 GB (that is totally possible), you probably should be looking at a MBA instead of a MBP to begin with.

In fact, for any model that uses the base M3 chip, the MBA is a better deal - no need for a pricy MBP.

The M2 and now the M3 is enough for what I use it for and 8gb of ram as well. However, I wanted MiniLED and 120hz so this would be prefect for me.

I'll probably get the M3Pro binned though for longevity.

If there comes a time that I NEED a more powerful machine it will be worth me spending the money on that higher spec'd machine.

Any complaints come from socialists. /s/

 

[surfzen21]

1000X THIS.

Either make a MacBook upgradable OR quit making the up-front RAM/SSD prices 10X of what comparable off-the-shelf chips are - then we wouldn't complain near as much.

It is up-gradable.

Just learn how to solder
🙃

 

[headlessmike]

It is up-gradable.

Just learn how to solder
🙃

Like a real pro!

 

[boss.king]

That argument stopped being reasonable when Apple made their computer non-upgradable.

Why does a machine being upgradable or not have anything to do with whether someone needs more than 8GB of RAM for their work? If you expect you'll need more in the near future, get more now. If not, 8GB is fine. This is an entirely separate point.

The base M3 MBP configuration makes no sense, its only purpose is to upsell pricy upgrade options - if you're content with 8 GB (that is totally possible), you probably should be looking at a MBA instead of a MBP to begin with.

Sure it does. What if you want a better, brighter display but don't need the grunt of the Pro or Max configs? Maybe you want ports and don't want to have to mess with a dongle every time you plug something in. Maybe you just live somewhere really hot and need a bit of active cooling for your machine. Obviously it's not the perfect config for everyone, but it arguably makes more sense than the 13" touchbar machine that they were selling before this.

In fact, for any model that uses the base M3 chip, the MBA is a better deal - no need for a pricy MBP.

The MacBook Air is a fantastic machine (that's why I bought one, although mine is specced up a little for my needs) but there are ways in which the base M3 Pro is better. If those improvements aren't for you, that's fine, but let's not pretend the base Pro and the MacBook Air are completely identical machines.

 

[NT1440]

Compared to what? What is "Pro" about this compared to a yet to be released M3 MB Air?

In other words, please show me the use case of the previous 13" M2 MB "Pro" with Touchbar vs M2 MB Air such that the faux "Pro" M2 was "far and away more capable of doing college work and recording music."

All M1’s *already* did college coursework and audio recording with ease (unless you trying to run whole orchestral arrangements as a hobby somehow). The M1 was already overkill for your average computer buyer. That’s what I was comparing to, the audience this machine is actually targeted to.

You don’t need to read any further into specs as that type of user when literally every computer Apple sells already meets your needs.

You need to under that us tech forum dwellers are not the main audience for *these* Apple products. These are people that appreciate quality computers but are not into “tech”. It’s not their interest when buying a computer. The ask for this casual computer user is “can I do this task with it”, and the M1 proved to be a resounding yes for this audience.

 

[headlessmike]

My questions were rhetorical...

Fun fact: the punctuation mark for a rhetorical question is the interrobang (‽).

 

[SolarSailer120]

I went from 8GB M1 to 16GB M2 and performance-wise they feel very similar. Don't understand why the new 14" base pro couldn't be 16/256 instead of 8/512 (probably media storage would be their argument)

 

[nvmls]

OP, see if people stopped buying these rip off specs, maybe they would reconsider some of these mind-bending decisions.

At the end of the day, Cook's leadership has been all about penny pinching one way or the other, it's not about offering their best anymore, but their most profitable scenario at the expense of user experience.

 

[amancalledsun]

It’s the “student” Pro machine. It’s far and away more capable of doing college work and recording music. It’s the lowest level above the air lines and more capable than the M1, which shocked everyone by its capabilities at such a low configuration.

For the vast majority of people this machine is actually targeted to, it’s more machine than they’ll ever need.


So really the complaint here is people don’t like the *branding* term encroaching on their “Pro” status…but this machine was never made for you.

The real “Pro” machines start with the M3 Pro line, so buy that if you’re in need of those specs and stop being so damn precious about branding.

Apple silicon is still garbage for recording music until 3rd party hardware and plugin developers support it natively. Many still do not, 2 years in to the transition. The vast majority of professional musicians and recording studios use neither garageband or logic.

 

[amancalledsun]

Nonsense, not everyone needs more than 8GB, simple as that…
And there are people out there that use office apps and can do their job with just a couple tabs open… take a look around the real world

Nonsense. Those people would be better served with an Air. They don’t need what is supposed to be a Pro machine.

 

[NT1440]

Apple silicon is still garbage for recording music until 3rd party hardware and plugin developers support it natively. Many still do not, 2 years in to the transition. The vast majority of professional musicians and recording studios use neither garageband or logic.

Cool, this machine isn’t aimed at *professional musicians*. Apple was kind enough to spoonfeed that to people in the form of literally walking you through the settings they see each machine being tailored for, did you miss that? Guy playing bass on his couch while a friend runs the keyboard, can’t miss it.

Why do you people insist on missing the demo Apple squarely aimed at for each class of machine?

 

[NT1440]

OP, see if people stopped buying these rip off specs, maybe they would reconsider some of these mind-bending decisions.

At the end of the day, Cook's leadership has been all about penny pinching one way or the other, it's not about offering their best anymore, but their most profitable scenario at the expense of user experience.

What if people are buying them, and actually enjoy using them to do things? I’d imagine they’d sell millions of them…

 

[Analog Kid]

Nonsense. Those people would be better served with an Air. They don’t need what is supposed to be a Pro machine.

I'm sure they appreciate you making their decisions for them...

 

[amancalledsun]

Cool, this machine isn’t aimed at *professional musicians*. Apple was kind enough to spoonfeed that to people in the form of literally walking you through the settings they see each machine being tailored for, did you miss that? Guy playing bass on his couch while a friend runs the keyboard, can’t miss it.

Why do you people insist on missing the demo Apple squarely aimed at for each class of machine?

Ah. So not for Pro’s, then. Understood.

 

[henkie]

Just do not buy what you do not want, duh. What is important to most aware enough to read here is not the base available, but rather what the max available is and how much configuration choice exists. In that regard MBPs rock.

Note that granny may not need more than 8 GB RAM but still appreciates the pro display and pro speakers of a base MBP. Providing a low end MBPro choice is a good thing.

Personally I was thankful Apple provided a Max M2 chip and 96 GB RAM and offered a good range of SSD sizes with the previous generation, so that is what I chose. Now we have a new generation with + performance and 128 GB RAM available, but granny can still cheap out with 8 GB RAM that will work just fine for her. Excellent!

Granny, with 2000 euro to spend on a laptop....And you are thankful for Apple providing/forcing you overpriced upgrades (paying ~4 times the market value if you would buy the component yourself)?

 

[aevan]

I'm so incredibly disappointed in the 14" M3 MacBook Pro. There is NOTHING about that machine that is "Pro". 8GB of RAM in a pro machine is a joke, as is only being able to drive a single external display and having only two Thunderbolt ports. The 512GB SSD is merely "acceptable", which is fine in the base machine I suppose. What's aggravating is that Apple had to TRY to neuter this machine. This is better than the 13" Pro it's replacing, but just barely. I'm continuing to hold out for an M3 Air 15". I'm sure it'll only be $200 cheaper, but I'm not paying extra for the 14" non-Pro.

Well, I mean… buy the M3 Pro MacBook Pro. This is for people who don’t need additional monitors and RAM.

“Pro” means “premium” in Apple terms. There are so many different pros anyway.

 

[xantufrog]

And only two thunderbolt ports... it's not exactly a function-first philosophy

 

[histeachn81]

Get ready to get slammed by all the Apple sycophants who sees no wrong whatsoever with Apple and will continue to pay the Apple tax regardless of anything that Apple sells.

You're preaching to the choir of 'blasphemers' who dare speak out against Apple's view of using the lowest requirements like 8Gb ram or 256Gb storage for its Mac products because Apple can and will continue to do so, to make money, even in 2023.

Unfortunately, there's actually is an aftermarket, albeit a relatively small one, of people who buy the 'base' configuration models, many of whom, have no right, later complain it was a bad idea.
Ironically, the aftermarket which doesn't look good on Apple and more indication that those Apple lovers were ignorant of their initial buying decision. Why resell it if it was great when they originally bought it? Who care. It's their money so let them waste it.

Similarly, lots of 'sales' of those lowly models, which is another indication that they are not selling as well as Apple hoped but have to produce, just to keep it as part of their 'low' price point, to entice people to buy 'up' on better equipped models which cost more.
It's been Apple's strategy for decades and it works as Apple is an multi-billion $ company.

I halfway wonder if Apple ends up cannibalizing the motherboards on those and uses them in M-series iPads.

 

[boss.king]

And you are thankful for Apple providing/forcing you overpriced upgrades (paying ~4 times the market value if you would buy the component yourself)?

Mate, no one is forcing you to buy a Mac. If you want a fully upgradeable laptop, get a Framework. The world of user-serviceable laptops is better now than it's been in years, but Apple clearly has no interest in that market. It's not even clear that user-expandable RAM would be compatible with the SOC-style chips Apple is using these days.

 

[JouniS]

I did also provide the definition of a professional though in case people didn't understand my questions were rhetorical: "someone who gets paid to do something that’s not just a hobby". That's essentially the same definition provided in the Wikipedia link you provided: "A professional is a member of a profession or any person who works in a specified professional activity." I appreciate you backing up my comment.

That's an employee, not a professional.

Professionals tend to have higher status, more autonomy, and more responsibility than ordinary employees. The fundamental idea behind a profession is that you have "taken the vows" to uphold the standards of your profession. From a more practical point of view, that often means that the norms of your profession override your loyalty to your employer. That your work is your personal responsibility, and your employer cannot assume the responsibility.

 

[Unregistered 4U]

assuming this is still true - an iPhone Pro user has to use "professional" apps? and same for iPad? what about AirPods?

Apple muddles the water by calling everything "Pro" ... and then some "Pros" like MB Air ...
Apple using the term "pro" means nothing anymore ...

Pro never really meant much. Especially these days when an Air on a laptop cooler can keep up with a Pro and run “professional” apps a few times a month just as well.

Most “pro’s” according to Apple use devices not named “Pro” to get their work done. MacBooks, then Airs and Pros is 80% of that group (that group which is 15% of ALL users). The next largest group is iMacs. Not Pro, just iMac. Pro is about as useful as Tactical as far as product naming goes. Once all the spec sheets have been pored over, a prospective buyer may see one or the other and go “Yeah, but Tactical Pro mouse sounds SO much better!”

 

[boss.king]

1000X THIS.

Either make a MacBook upgradable OR quit making the up-front RAM/SSD prices 10X of what comparable off-the-shelf chips are - then we wouldn't complain near as much.

What's the comparable, off-the-shelf version of the RAM used in a MacBook Pro?

 

[Tuck_]

It's a bummer. It's embarassing on their part but they'll get away with it and some on this forum will defend the cash grab to their dying breath.

I was going to buy the M3 14" until I saw the RAM. It's an extra 250$ in Canada. I can afford it, but it's the principle of the matter. Really rubs me the wrong way that a 2000$+ laptop only comes with 8 gigs on ram.

Their answer: Because that services a significant segment of users.

Many people still use a computer for Safari, Pages, Numbers, and Keynote. And that's about it. They run no professional software. They use the cloud for documents and corporate software. They never run into any issues with these specs.

So, to make the entry price as low as possible and to ultimately make more profit (they are in the business of making money at the end of the day), they will stick with this until 8GB becomes like 4GB (not enough) 256GB become like 128GB.

M3 + a fan + a killer display and form factor + decent array of ports will more than service a decent group of people who need more than an Air.

Like it or not, this is what they would tell you.

It's not enough for me, but it's enough for a segment of users to justify keeping it.

Funny how this argument is always made about RAM and SSD but never about the CPU/GPU.