Right now, everyone is operating on the assumption that Apple will provide more ram while keeping the base starting price the same. You all do realise that Apple could simply debut the base laptop with 16gb ram / 512gb storage at the same price as the current upgraded model (or maybe give a token discount), users won't really end up saving any money, and all you have accomplished is deprive consumers of a cheaper option?
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Is 8GB of RAM Enough for a Mac in 2024?
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"Look what you made Tim do"
Nah, get outta here with that bs.
Anyway, it won't happen. They'll eke out another year or two with 8/256 then bump it to 12 for same price when it can no longer be countenanced
IF Apple is serious about AI, and I assume they are, then base 8GB RAM won't cut it. Even the new CoPilot PC's will start with 16GB RAM.
That's a good question. Maybe Apple'll want people to see their 8GB machines noticeably bog down, so they are encouraged to buy new machines? Apple certainly have a history of bogging down iOS updates to effectively ruin devices- I had the misfortune of owning an iPad 3, for example, that went from running like lightning to being unusably slow, even for simple games, overnight, with an OS update.
Depends what you're doing with the thing. yeah, it's stingy and really the BOM should include more but where do you draw the line. You're getting a way more efficient CPU than anything from PC land, an included OS, nice screen, keyboard, speakers, trackpad, etc.
For most people using a MacBook Air for "general home user stuff" 8 GB is fine. You can edit 4k video with it, you can play casual games with it and you can run FaceTime/banking/web browsing stuff on it just fine.
Fact is most casual Mac users (even those buying the entry Macbook pro) will get by with 8 GB just fine for the expected life of the machine.
I'm assuming you missed the announcements about AI last week, and/or are unaware of the RAM implications associated with that.
When Apple finally abandons 8gb, I have a feeling they are going to start with 12gb instead of 16gb.
Currently, I have a base M2 MBA. Over the last 15 years, I have routinely purchase the base configuration models. Here are my reasons:
- The best discounts are on these models. For example, right now, you can get the base model M3 MBA for $200 off.
- I would guess that my usage mirrors 80% of consumers; i.e. college students, office workers, and home computer users. And, I have never experienced slow down or problems of any sort with my base configuration computers.
- For me, the most important part of "future proofing" is eligibility for MacOS updates, and that has nothing to do with the RAM that you purchase with the computer and is solely determined by Apple based upon the year and model of the computer.
Future-proofing is also defined by how long you want to use your computer, though. I totally agree that 8gb is plenty for most people, but Apple tends to do upgrades for eight years, do you really think 8gb is going to be "plenty" in 2031?
I'm helping a friend replace a ten-year-old Air, they expect a similar life out of their next laptop. I'm insisting that they go for 16gb.
If they have 8 GB now, and don't stress it, I suspect 12 GB will be fine for them for the long term.
Not sure where you got the 8 years. MacOS Sequoia is good for 2020 MBAs and later. So, I figure closer to five years. And, yes it will be fine.
Personally, I think it is a long shot to bet on keeping tech for 8-10 years. Especially, a laptop that can be damaged in transport or just carrying it around the house. Also, new models often have features that entice upgrading: Touch ID, larger screens, better battery life, etc.. For me, five years is fine.
I'm very confused by all these statements about "but wait, Apple will just raise their prices to match the BTO option for more RAM".
The price Apple pays for RAM, generally, goes down over time.
This is about margins more than straight BoM.
Apple's consumer market is remarkably elastic, but not infinitely elastic. At some point Apple can choose to look remotely competitive.
The price Apple pays for RAM, generally, goes down over time.
This is about margins more than straight BoM.
Apple's consumer market is remarkably elastic, but not infinitely elastic. At some point Apple can choose to look remotely competitive.
It's typically 6-7 yrs. My 2018 Mini is getting it's 6th OS update and if it gets another in 2025 that will make it 7 yrs.
Fair. Let's see… here's an incomplete chart: https://eshop.macsales.com/guides/Mac_OS_X_Compatibility
gonna do a "random" sample from models I've owned…
- 2007 Macbook Pro: "Tiger" (10.3) — "El Capitan" (10.11), 8 versions
- 2010 Macbook Air: "Snow Leopard" (10.6) — "High Sierra" (10.13), 7 versions
- 2013 MBP: "Yosemite" (10.10) — "Big Sur" (11), 7 versions
- 2016 MBP: “Sierra” 10.12 — Monterey (12), 6 versions (that explains why I was so surprised when dad said he couldn't upgrade it)
alright, seven to eight years, Intel lifespans cut short because of the transition to Apple Silicon.
> long shot
tell that to… most people.
It looks like you are replacing your laptops every 3 years. I guess OS updates alone aren't the only reason people replace their laptops. This is the reason I tend to think in terms of 5 years when buying.
You can get a new base model M3 MBA for $900 and probably trade-in for $200 when replacing. That's $700 for 5 years of use, or $140 per year, or less than $12 per month....kinda of like a couple of mocha frapaccinos each month. I don't see the big economic benefit in trying to stretch it out. And, you might get done in anyway by damage, theft, etc.. before RAM becomes an issue.
Just be sure to A/B the cost difference with the MBP. Those ram upgrades on the Air get pricey and a more base model M3 Pro might have the ram at the same price.
That's a good strategy, but it also reminds me of an incident about twenty years ago… a friend (actually the best friend of the person I'm getting the new Air for) mentioned that she was mostly living on basics like canned tomatoes and beans while paying off her student loans. I offered to drive her out to CostCo, "you can buy like two or three months worth of supplies for maybe a hundred books, that would cut your food budget by like 75%!"
She patiently explained that she lived on canned tomatoes and beans because she did not have $100.
Everyone I know falls into one of two buckets: professionals like Yours Truly (and I presume you) who buy when new models are compelling, and people who buy when their existing laptop starts emitting smoke.
I really don't think most consumers that are on a tight budget would choose to spend $200 more now on upgraded RAM that they don't need based on a bet that they will get a couple of more years useful life from the computer 5 years hence. If they are that strapped for cash, they would pick the least expensive base model that goes on sale deeply discounted most often. Or, they would probably pick the M2 or M1 base MBA to get a least expensive option.
Just a nit: Tiger was 10.4. 10.3 was Panther. I still have Tiger running on my 12” G4 PowerBook.
Slightly tangential to the point you were making, but the 2013 and 2016 MBPs will run Sonoma just fine via OCLP, if interested.
I'm actually going to try to update a ten-year-old Air with it next month, looking forward to trying it out 👍
No heat intended but is it fanboyish to point out that saving hundreds of dollars was the correct thing to do in my situation and millions of other situations because it’s enough for my needs? I’m happy you use windows because it works for you, but not every user is identical in using their machine. What matters is the end result, which is still good because of RAM optimization. It’s more than enough for most users because of that and functionally is equivalent to 20 gigs on Windows.
It doesn’t make sense to pay hundreds of dollars more for 8GB of RAM, no, unless you have a clear need for it. It’s just a shame that Apple charges such a premium. If the upgrade were $50, it would be a no-brainer for everyone, just in case.
An 8GB PC can be perfectly functional too, assuming it’s using an SSD. You can surf the web, use Office etc. just fine. It’s like driving a car - a 1L engine is fine for general driving, it just doesn’t have much in reserve when you want to overtake.
AI seems to be one of those situations where it’s useful to have something extra in the tank. The low RAM ceiling of iOS devices hasn’t been an issue in the past, but suddenly even the latest models are struggling to fit an LLM into on-board memory, and will have to rely on servers for many tasks.