Apple’s alleged copy here says nothing of “teenagers who want to chop down their iPhone clips on a larger display.” And if it’s “highly generalized”, why should we assume that doesn’t include “close to professional” amateur photography and video editing? Where does it say “you can’t use Adobe Lightroom because that’s too ‘pro-level’ for the 8GB RAM option”? You’re reading a lot in there that simply isn’t said or even implied…
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Is 8GB of RAM Enough for MacBook Pro?
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As it relates ONLY to memory. People don't typically buy a computer based on just one aspect or feature. What you're arguing here would be sort of like someone saying, a 256GB iPhone SE is $579 and therefore why would anyone pay more than twice as much ($1,199) for a 15 Pro Max that also has 256GB storage?
Again, you’re focusing too much on one thing and ignoring other reasons people may buy devices.
Ya, people in these debates are laser-focused on one spec, but that one spec isn’t even probably the highest on the list of considerations that go into picking a computer. It’s silly, and the iPhone vs iPhone Pro comparison is a good one. Most normal people (pros included) don’t make their buying decision based only on RAM and nothing else… And the value of the computer is also not based on the RAM spec either. People saying “a $1600 laptop shouldn’t have 8GB of RAM are ignoring the other specs that add value (and cost) to the system. A laptop with that quality of display will probably have a high pricetag no matter the RAM amount…
No but it does say 'Personal Videos' which equates to family moments and mucking around with your mates and not YouTube.
And nobody uses Adobe Premier, or Final Cut Pro for editing personal videos? You seem to be going to great lengths to miss the point and ignore the fact that some people want a MacBook instead of an iPad Air…
The ram situation would be the equivalent of buying a 128gb phone Vs 256gb storage.
What I am saying is that based on Apple's own description of the needs of a typical 8gb user (not my words, theirs) an iPad Air at half the price would be just as good as the Mac: 8GB: Great for browsing online, streaming movies, messaging with friends and family, editing photos and personal video, casual gaming, and running everyday productivity apps.
This is not a user who wants a MacBook Pro or more than 8gb in an MBA. But it is a user who *might* find an iPad Air to be just as good and can save themselves a few hundred quid in the process.
And whilst I know there is a subset of users on these forums for whom anything bad said about Apple is heresy it doesn't matter how good the memory is, in no universe is £200 for an upgrade of eight measily gigabytes good value for money; it's daylight robbery.
Sadly that subset of users will continue to downvote and laugh at comments that are seen to question their beloved Apple. Blocking is a recommended and necessary tool on these forums.
And how do you know “this is not a user who wants a MacBook Pro or more than 8GB in an MBA.” You’re making a ton of broad-brush assumptions about what people want or don’t want, what people need or don’t need, etc. What if someone wants that beautiful display on the 14” MacBook Pro for editing their “personal photos and videos”, gaming, and streaming their content? What if they want the longer battery runtime? What if they want the additional ports and don’t want to have to use dongles or adapters? You’re just making tons of assumptions, and I think the customers know what they want better than you, and they can think for themselves and pick the system (and RAM configuration) that works best for them.
Since you didn’t provide me with a link to this alleged copy from Apple, I searched Apple’s website, and I couldn’t find this anywhere. Not saying it’s not real (it doesn’t really matter if it is or not), but I couldn’t find it. The problem with the argument you’re making is that in the sentence they’re providing a few examples of the way it can be used, not saying those are the only ways it can be used. It would be like me saying “the 14” M3 MacBook Pro is perfect for photo editing, video editing, and graphic design”, does that mean it isn’t a good choice for coders? You’re making an argument based on exclusion, but it isn’t a very good one, because any sentence you put together can’t possibly cover all of the good use-cases for it.
Just because we disagree about whether offering a lower RAM configuration for the MacBook Pro is bad or not doesn’t equal “we don’t think Apple does anything wrong, and don’t question Apple.” 🙄😂. That’s an obvious strawman argument.
Once again, that is only as it relates to memory. If someone's only criterion is 8GB memory and they don't care about larger or higher quality display sizes or better processors or better power adapters or greater than 256GB storage, etc. etc. then maybe an iPad Air would be sufficient. However, most people have requirements beyond (or instead of) memory and are smart enough to do research beyond just memory.
8GB memory may be perfectly fine for someone but that doesn't necessarily mean they should buy an iPad Air. What if they also want 14" XDR display? 512GB storage? A better (M3) chip?
Few, if any, people base their computer buying decision on just one aspect/feature yet you seem to continue to be stuck wanting to focus on just one aspect/feature. That's simply not how most people shop for computers.
Exactly, if RAM is the only consideration in which computer you want to own, then do I have a bargain basement deal for you!!! 😂🤣
I'm going to get a MacBook Air M2, and then I'm going to piss people off by doing professional work on it. But I am going to get 16GB of RAM.
It would upset the “pro computer/pro workflow” gatekeepers who feel entitled to tell others they can’t do professional work on a system with specs they deem too low for “true” pro work…
It's interesting to see that a UK retailer is already offering a free double RAM promotion on the base M3 Pro. In my experience, these types of promotions normally occur at the end of a model's life cycle, not at the beginning.
For reference, the base model M3 Pro retails for £1,699 in the UK, and this retailer is currently offering it for £1,581.59. That price drop represents a discount of nearly 7%, which is reasonable for a new Apple product.
This, and the plentiful availability of models at launch in the UK and US, makes me wonder if Apple has misjudged the market.
The above site gets very poor reviews on TrustPilot, but I've found further evidence of Apple offering a free RAM upgrade from 8GB to 16GB for business and education users.
This one is aimed at the education market.
www.wearesync.co.uk
And another.
www.krcs.co.uk
Ditto.
www.trams.co.uk
www.totalcomputers.co.uk
www.jigsaw24.com
Jigsaw, KRCS, and Sync can be verified here:
For reference, the base model M3 Pro retails for £1,699 in the UK, and this retailer is currently offering it for £1,581.59. That price drop represents a discount of nearly 7%, which is reasonable for a new Apple product.
This, and the plentiful availability of models at launch in the UK and US, makes me wonder if Apple has misjudged the market.
The above site gets very poor reviews on TrustPilot, but I've found further evidence of Apple offering a free RAM upgrade from 8GB to 16GB for business and education users.
This one is aimed at the education market.
Updgrade Store
Open the gateway to knowledge and success through our all-encompassing Updgrade Store portal at Sync. Access phenomenal savings and exclusive offers on our dedicated portal page. Experience the delight of premium tech products at unmatched prices. Shop cleverly, save generously!
www.wearesync.co.uk
And another.
Black Friday 2025
If you want to get yourself a Black Friday 2025 bargain with an Apple deal, keep checking our online store or visit any of our high-street stores nearer to the end of November. With amazing discounts and options to spread your payments, including with Klarna retail finance, you can save with our...
www.krcs.co.uk
Ditto.
MacBook Pro M3 - 14"
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Get the power of the M3 MacBook Pro 14" with a limited time upgrade | Jigsaw24 - Leading UK Systems Integrator
Discover this limited time offer and double the RAM of your new MacBook Pro M3 for free. Whether you're a business or an educational institution, now is the time to buy.
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Jigsaw, KRCS, and Sync can be verified here:
Education - How to Buy - Apple Authorised Education Specialists
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www.apple.com
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Well, Apple has an excuse to jack up prices with "Pro" branding. Why can't they also jack up RAM amounts?
Apple isn’t going to give away the more memory for free. If the memory baseline for “Pro” models were higher, then the price premium for “Pro” models would be even higher (although probably not the full BTO $200). So you basically want the people who only desire the base system to pay an additional premium just so you can save some money on what would have been a BTO model for yourself?
Exactly! 👍🏻. Just buy the configuration that you want, I don’t understand why some people think they’re entitled to the higher-end specs at base-spec prices.
It's not that, it's because they charge so much for RAM. It doesn't have to be base spec, but 8 extra gigs for 200 bucks is WAY too much.
No, it really isn’t. It’s Unified Memory on an absolute powerhouse of a chip. If you don’t want to pay to upgrade, then you can always either buy base spec, or buy something else… But it’s actually cheaper in most cases than what Microsoft charges for RAM upgrades on their Surface computers…
"For basic tasks like web browsing, document editing, and media consumption" you don't need a PRO computer, just get a MacBook Air. For base model MacBook PRO, 16GB should come as default.
The debate over whether 8GB of RAM is sufficient for a MacBook Pro has long been a topic of contention. The controversy goes back to at least 2012, when Apple launched the first MacBook Pro with Retina display, which started with 8GB of RAM. In 2023, Apple still offers 8GB as the base configuration for its latest 14-inch MacBook Pro. Coupled with the significant cost of upgrading to higher memory options, Apple's decision has once again sparked discussions about the adequacy and value of this configuration.
Of course, Macs have changed a lot over the last decade. For one, Apple no longer relies on Intel processors to power its machines, having developed its own Apple silicon, which is faster and more power efficient. This is because Apple's custom chips use "system-on-a-chip" (SoC) architecture, which integrates several processing cores (CPUs), graphics cores (GPUs), cache memory, and several other components within a single physical package.
Apple's M-series of chips also use something called "unified memory," which sits alongside the SoC. Apple's adoption of this high-bandwidth, low-latency memory means the main chip avoids having to communicate data between different memory locations, and it makes the memory pool available for both the CPU and GPU, allowing it to be allocated dynamically depending on the task at hand.
- Apple Silicon Buyer's Guide: Which Chip Should You Choose?
- Late 2023 MacBook Pro Buyer's Guide: 14-Inch vs 16-Inch Models
While the overall result of this integrated SoC architecture is better performance and efficiency, the downside is that Apple's unified memory is fixed at the point of purchase and cannot be upgraded at a later date.
Opting for more unified memory is not cheap either. For instance, going from the base 8GB of unified memory to 16GB or 24GB costs an extra $200 and $400, respectively. Therefore, it's important when buying a new Mac that you choose the right amount for your individual needs. User opinions on this topic are diverse, with some finding 8GB adequate and others feeling constrained. Ultimately, it comes down to what you want to do on your Mac. Here are the main factors to keep in mind.
8GB or More RAM?
- Daily Tasks and Light Usage: For basic tasks like web browsing, document editing, and media consumption, 8GB of RAM generally suffices. Modern Macs use features like memory compression and intelligent allocation, which help macOS run smoothly even during multitasking.
Professional and Creative Workloads: For more intensive tasks such as video editing, 3D modeling, or software development, 8GB may be limiting, and can cause slower performance and reduced efficiency, as independent tests have shown. This is especially true if you work on advanced projects that require enormous files and content libraries.
Wrapping Up
Ultimately, when buying a MacBook Pro, opting for 8GB of unified memory is a cost-effective option if you have light usage requirements, and it offers adequate performance for everyday tasks. However, if you intend to use more demanding applications, it may be worth paying the extra for more memory. This will reduce the risk of the memory acting as a system bottleneck, and allow the Apple silicon in your Mac to perform at its maximum potential.
Starting at $1,599, Apple's 14-inch M3 MacBook Pro comes with 8GB of unified memory, and choosing 16GB or 24GB costs an extra $200 and $400, respectively. However, bear in mind that after factoring in the extra $200 for 16GB, an M3 Pro model with 18GB and several other extra features is only $200 more at $1,999.
Of course, if your main concern is affordability, it may be worth considering a MacBook Air instead. Starting at $1,099, the 13-inch MacBook Air with M2 chip has a 16GB configuration option for $200 extra, totaling $1,299. Bear in mind that the MacBook Air features just two Thunderbolt 3 ports, while the M3 version of the MacBook Pro has three Thunderbolt 4 ports as well as a HDMI 2.1 port and SDXC card slot. The MacBook Air also has an LCD display, whereas the MacBook Pro uses a superior mini-LED display.
Article Link: Is 8GB of RAM Enough for MacBook Pro?
You can do a lot more than web browsing, document editing, and media consumption on a Mac with an M-chip and 8GB RAM. 🙄 You can edit video, do 3D modeling and sculpting with Blender, do professional graphic design work, etc. I’ve done all of these things on 8GBs of RAM, and it performs beautifully…. Besides, some people may prefer the higher quality display, better sound system, longer battery runtime, additional ports, etc. of the MacBook Pro over the MacBook Air. Now people who don’t need a ton of RAM they don’t need can get all of those things cheaper. I’m tired of people trying to gate-keep the pro models. Some people want a MacBook Pro with 8GBs of RAM rather than a MacBook Air with 8GB of RAM, or even with 16GB of RAM. And now they can even choose to configure a 16GB MacBook Pro and still save money compared to the base spec MacBook Pros from the last two years…
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If RAM upgrades were $100 instead of 200, I could forgive the low amount of RAM. But having to pay that much for 8 extra gigs of RAM is absurd.
^-----AAAAAnnnnnnd: You cannot do it later, if after a few years you want to extend the life of all that other wonderful hardware.
It makes me want to go buy the cheapest 8/512 I can find and then "chuck it" when it gets slow. Such a shame.
It makes me want to go buy the cheapest 8/512 I can find and then "chuck it" when it gets slow. Such a shame.