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Is 8GB of RAM Enough for a Mac in 2024?
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Posting from the base M2 everyone wanted against and couldn't be more happy I didn't listen to people saying to spec it up or get something else. Apple's RAM management so optimized to the point where its end result is at least double compared to other laptops I've used. RAM is less important than people make it out to be, but rather RAM utilization. The computer that landed humans on the moon only had 4 KB (2 million times less).
I bought my 2015 Macbook Pro for about $1800 back in 2016 with 16GB of RAM. Now in 2024, 6 years later, I can buy a 2024 Macbook Pro for $1800 with 8GB of RAM.
I'm amazed Apple have gotten away with it for this long.
I'm amazed Apple have gotten away with it for this long.
8 GB is fine if all you do is browse the web, check email and work on documents and spreadsheets. But if that’s all you’re gonna do Macs are waaaaay too expensive and you’d be better off buying a cheap Windows mini PC or a Chromebook for 1/2 the price
If you're my grandmother that only has Safari open, it could be enough. But for any meaningful computing, use, and longetivity, then no.
Apple targets the Air for the most average consumer.
Apple targets the Air for the most average consumer.
Yeah, totally agree. If you're buying that Acer special for $499, sure. But not on an $1100 Mac. Just buy a frickin' iPad and keyboard case at that point, if all you need is 8GB.
Maybe. You should open up your processes and watch as you use your programs to see if you need more. I would say 8 is a little thin, but 16 may be plenty.
Mac model | MSRP | Chip | RAM (GB) | SSD (TB) | CPU (Core) | GPU (Core) |
iMac 24" | $1,299 | M3 | 16 | 0.5 | 8 | 8 |
iMac 24" | $1,499 | M3 | 16 | 0.5 | 8 | 10 |
iMac 24" | $1,699 | M3 | 16 | 1 | 8 | 10 |
| | | | | | |
MBA 13" | $1,099 | M3 | 16 | 0.5 | 8 | 8 |
MBA 13" | $1,299 | M3 | 16 | 1 | 8 | 10 |
MBA 13" | $1,499 | M3 | 32 | 1 | 8 | 10 |
| | | | | | |
MBA 15" | $1,299 | M3 | 16 | 0.5 | 8 | 10 |
MBA 15" | $1,499 | M3 | 16 | 1 | 8 | 10 |
MBA 15" | $1,699 | M3 | 32 | 1 | 8 | 10 |
| | | | | | |
MBP 14" | $1,599 | M3 | 16 | 1 | 8 | 10 |
MBP 14" | $1,799 | M3 | 16 | 2 | 8 | 10 |
MBP 14" | $1,999 | M3 Pro | 36 | 1 | 11 | 14 |
MBP 14" | $2,399 | M3 Pro | 36 | 2 | 12 | 18 |
MBP 14" | $3,199 | M3 Max | 72 | 2 | 14 | 30 |
| | | | | | |
MBP 16" | $2,499 | M3 Pro | 36 | 1 | 12 | 18 |
MBP 16" | $2,899 | M3 Pro | 72 | 1 | 12 | 18 |
MBP 16" | $3,499 | M3 Max | 72 | 2 | 14 | 30 |
MBP 16" | $3,999 | M3 Max | 96 | 2 | 16 | 40 |
Above is how 2x RAM & 2x SSD would play out at the same MSRP, CPU core count & GPU core count.
These days I'm finding that 16 GB of Memory is not enough on my M1 13" MBP. I couldn't imagine 8 GB.
If I'm just checking email, or writing word documents it's enough. I would say browsing the web, but that is not true in all cases. I despite the sites that just keep adding content infinitely as you scroll down. More often than not, they end up making my Mac very sluggish, Chrome can become unresponsive for periods of time and crash my browser tab if I continue to just keep scrolling down.
My day to day work of web development running node servers and docker containers lately really slow down my Mac / pressure the memory.
If I'm just checking email, or writing word documents it's enough. I would say browsing the web, but that is not true in all cases. I despite the sites that just keep adding content infinitely as you scroll down. More often than not, they end up making my Mac very sluggish, Chrome can become unresponsive for periods of time and crash my browser tab if I continue to just keep scrolling down.
My day to day work of web development running node servers and docker containers lately really slow down my Mac / pressure the memory.
Yes and anyone who says otherwise hasn’t actually tested it. I’ve tested it. I can easily code and edit 4k video in Final Cut on the m2 air with 8 gigs if ram.
That isn't exactly 6 years later.
There are phones that start at $799 that come with at least 12 GB of RAM, so Apple selling desktops that start at $1299 with only 8 GB is pretty greedy of them.
Then again, they didn't get a market cap of $2.6 trillion dollars by being pro-consumer. And if I were in Tim Cook's place, and someone told me I could get paid $63 million by giving people the bare minimum in RAM, would I do it? Absolutely.
(though if I were in Tim Cook's place, would I also expect people on the Internet to defend my giving them the bare minimum? Nah, that's just a pleasant side benefit.)
Then again, they didn't get a market cap of $2.6 trillion dollars by being pro-consumer. And if I were in Tim Cook's place, and someone told me I could get paid $63 million by giving people the bare minimum in RAM, would I do it? Absolutely.
(though if I were in Tim Cook's place, would I also expect people on the Internet to defend my giving them the bare minimum? Nah, that's just a pleasant side benefit.)
for students and everyday users usage...of course it is..for mac mini, macbook air it defiantly is and there is nothing wrong keeping the price as low as they can do AS LONG as Apple have the BTO to have more RAM
Macbook Pro and Mac studio on the other hands has to have at least 16gb Ram
Macbook Pro and Mac studio on the other hands has to have at least 16gb Ram
And these users should just a tablet as there is no reason whatsoever to spend 1000 dollars or more to browse and watch videos or playing music.
The answer is no... and a bit of a rant, but with all the bean counting instead of real innovation that apple does lately, it doesn't surprise.
We are all apple fans. We like the hardware, we like the software, but RAM is cheap, so cheap that having 8G of RAM on a MacBook can only be a *cough* Tim Apple move.
We are all apple fans. We like the hardware, we like the software, but RAM is cheap, so cheap that having 8G of RAM on a MacBook can only be a *cough* Tim Apple move.
If the MacBook Air with 8 gigs was selling for under $600, than yes 8 is enough. Beyond that needs to have more, it is getting hard to find PC laptops at Apples price points that have less than 16
Absolutely not and never was enough.
This is infamous strategy Apples uses to get people into the ecosystem.
Anyone who actually uses their device will need more and will absurdly overpay for more memory or storage on their next device.
This is infamous strategy Apples uses to get people into the ecosystem.
Anyone who actually uses their device will need more and will absurdly overpay for more memory or storage on their next device.
My iMac that I use for music production has 16 GB, my MacBook that I use for work as only 8 GB RAM. I don't use the MacBook for music production, but I use it to edit and export videos without any issue. Works perfectly well for me. I got a 512 GB SSD though, I wouldn't be able to work with 256 GB.
Provide to us with your own laptop 13" Tom71 laptop with 16 gb ram at that price . Lets not judge Apple, because we should judge them with our own money
Students to have an entry M2 Mba as low as $799 is a steal no matter how cheap the ram is...that M2 mba is very cheap but beyond powerful compared to the alternatives
You cannot find an overall brand new product at that price
I’ve been surprised by how much my 8GB M1 Air can handle. I regularly have a few browser tabs open, Photoshop, and a few Electron apps, sometimes adding a Parallels VM to that. I don’t really know what the “no one can use 8GB!” people are doing with their computers. If macOS had actual PC games maybe I’d be pushing it more.
Now, is 8GB memory acceptable on new $1,000+ computers in 2024? No. At a certain point this is a future proofing issue, especially with Apple hoping to run local AI models on these machines.
Now, is 8GB memory acceptable on new $1,000+ computers in 2024? No. At a certain point this is a future proofing issue, especially with Apple hoping to run local AI models on these machines.
I was quietly optimistic 8GB would be sufficient when I persuaded work to buy me an 8GB M2 MBA, it would mainly be email, web browsing and some light productivity work.
Unfortunately with Outlook, Chrome (~5 tabs), Slack, Teams and maybe a small excel spreadsheet open, we're in trouble.
I would consider this light usage but I could no longer endorse an 8GB machine for even light work use.
I mean, just look at that swap 😰
Unfortunately with Outlook, Chrome (~5 tabs), Slack, Teams and maybe a small excel spreadsheet open, we're in trouble.
I would consider this light usage but I could no longer endorse an 8GB machine for even light work use.
I mean, just look at that swap 😰
I have a M2 with 8GB - yes, I do mostly web browsing, online meetings, Office apps and media consumption - but I also do some photo and video editing with multiple apps open. While not necessarily lightning fast (though significantly faster than Intel), there's no beach balls, either. Checking out both 8 and 16 prior to buying, I saw no real advantage (app-wise, price or - eventually - trade-in) to make the leap to 16. More RAM is always better, but the Macolytes insistence it's essential in a base Mac seems to reflect the fan base than real world necessity. Buy what you need, not what others tell you they want.
And already the newest base MacBook Airs are well beyond the original price point that made them attractive to students and road warriors.
And already the newest base MacBook Airs are well beyond the original price point that made them attractive to students and road warriors.
do the same with the M1 Pro Mbp and post here but be fair and use also Outlook Chrome 5 tabs slack teams and some spreadsheet