Sidebar Sidebar
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.

MacBook Pro m1 8gb vs MacBook Air M1 16gb

R

rafal886

macrumors regular
Original poster
Feb 7, 2018
116
58
Hi, I using my computer for chrome (10-15 tabs), Spotify, zoom, office, sometimes Lightroom.
I'm going to use my MacBook for 5-6 years. Do you recommend for me MacBook Pro M1 with 8gb or MacBook Air M1 16gb?
I don't have enough money for 16gb MacBook Pro, so I must choosing one of them.
 
  • Like
Reactions: MadGazelle
I'm in a similar quandary myself :)
I know that ram is a bit different on M1's and I currently have no problems at all with just 8GB of ram.
I intend to mess around with virtualisation with a prospective new M1 so am wondering whether 16GB might be the more prudent option.
That together with "future proofing".
I'm also wondering whether it will be the Air or the Pro too.
That's assuming I can live with the 13" form factor!
There's likely to be an Mx 16" too - though that's likely to be too pricey for me, sadly.
 
  • Like
Reactions: MadGazelle and rafal886
Two days I searched answer for my question on other websites and I doesn't find.. Maybe someone help us :) I don't know what I should do..
 
  • Like
Reactions: Quackers
rafal886 said:
Two days I searched answer for my question on other websites and I doesn't find.. Maybe someone help us :) I don't know what I should do..
Click to expand...
Search for longer :)
There has been the odd report about Lightroom and they've not been too bad. I think there's a "semi" M1 compatible version out now.
Just keep your eye on new reviews and upcoming versions of apps and give a little more time. It's all still very new.
The answers will come 👍
 
But my MacBook Air have 5 years and I don't want waiting for a long time..
+ for MacBook Pro- Touch Bar, better battery, has cooling, more brightness screen, better speakers, better gpu
+ for Macbbok Air- Ram (16gb), lighter, cheaper than base MacBook Pro model

I trying seeing for next 5 years and I'm worried about 8 gb ram, I don't want that my computer will be slow
 
  • Like
Reactions: Quackers
rafal886 said:
But my MacBook Air have 5 years and I don't want waiting for a long time..
+ for MacBook Pro- Touch Bar, better battery, has cooling, more brightness screen, better speakers, better gpu
+ for Macbbok Air- Ram (16gb), lighter, cheaper than base MacBook Pro model

I trying seeing for next 5 years and I'm worried about 8 gb ram, I don't want that my computer will be slow
Click to expand...
Agreed. All very understandable :)
The price difference is of concern but the MBP does give you more, as you say.
I'm not sure about the weight difference being a concern to be honest. Isn't it only 0.11 kg? That's not much at all.
Maybe in a few weeks more the answers will become clearer and to be fair you probably can't get one right away
anyway :)
 
  • Like
Reactions: rafal886
If I will be confident that 8gb ram will be enough for next 5 years I prefer order MacBook Pro, but I don't know..
8gb ram sound funny for 2020.. and I don't know how it will be for 4 years eg.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Quackers
I live in Poland. In Usa 8gb ram more cost 200$, but in Poland 1000 zl (over 270$)

I must choose one of them. Air 16 or Pro 8 :)
 
  • Like
Reactions: Quackers
8GB is fine, even with some mmo games or hardcore cpu usage with other desktop apps. This maxed out thing is no longer reliable. Fast ssd and soc handle swap/files-ram very well and a fanless MBA (supercomputer) is a real dream and so nice.
 
Last edited:
Thanks for reply! :) So you recommend 8gb pro or 16 air? :)
The price is similar
 
This depends on you and your workflow. I prefer silent machines. Thats why i sold my 2016 Macbook 13 pro to buy my fan-less Macbook Air. The description of your main apps and your usage, i think the Air would be better because no fans and 16GB ram.
You don't need max cpu usage for your apps, thats why you dont need a pro. But this is only my opinion.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Paul1980 and rafal886
Thanks for your help! :) Is your MacBook Air is overheating under load?
 
For my normal usage no overheating, if i use all 8 cores in my stress tests i can feel its warm/hot but without having lags. now i have a clean install of macos and i don't do anymore stress tests and i can not feel any temperature outside from my air.
 
For peace of mind, get the 16GB MacBook Air. All of your proposed applications will run just fine on the MacBook Air, and you'll rest easy knowing that you've future-proofed your purchase as best you can with 16GB RAM. The slightly brighter display, the extra 2 hours of battery life, the active cooling fan in the MBP, none of these is a deal breaker, I would say.
 
Go for the 16GB MacBook Air. For several reasons:
- You're willing to keep you Mac for a long time. (Future proof it + put less swap on your SSD)
- Opening 10-15 browser tabs and sure there will be one or two apps running in the background can be discribed as a memory-hungry usage pattern.
- You are not doing any extended stress on you Mac (eg: rendering) thus won't need a fan (less moving parts)
- Get rid of the Touch Bar. 🙄
 
  • Like
Reactions: ejecthawk, rafal886 and Runs For Fun
I have the 6GB RAM MacBook Pro and it fits perfectly for my usage. However....I'm am STILL considering returning for the 16GB RAM. I wish Apple would explain their reasoning for the "low" RAM. I think I'm still undecided as these are new machines with the new M1 Chips. If I could be confident that 8GB would be sufficient I stick with it...
 
Another vote for the 16GB version. If you plan on keeping it for 5 years the extra cost ends up being about $40 per year. I don’t think that is much for the peace of mind knowing that RAM isn’t holding me back.
 
I've just sold my 16" MBP and it works out for me to get the 13" MBP with 16gb RAM and 1TB storage would cost me an extra £125 so to me, it's a no-brainer. May as well ge the 16gb for the extra. Whether I need it or not, for an extra £125 it will provide a bit of piece of mind and a little future proofing.
 
It appears to me that Apple's pricing with these new MacBooks means that they are hoping people upgrade yearly, like they do with iPhones/iPads?

I bought a 2019 16" MacBook Pro in April with the intention of keeping for 4-5 years but now with the base MacBook with M1 at around £1200, which is comparable to iPhones and iPads I'm thinking buy the base Pro/Air and sell and upgrade next year when the new M1x or M2 or whatever it'll be called?
 
I don't think future proofing is just In the RAM. I would much rather have an 8gb M1 Pro. I had an Air, and although night, returned it, the keyboard was not good - it was mushy, yet, I don't hear a lot of talk of that on here. Also, the pro is much brighter and something about the screen just seems Better. The resale value of a Pro will be better. A Pro will be less laggy over time, fats...
 
I think it depends! If you always go for many tabs open, audio work or video work then go with the 16g. We all know memory is different now with the M1 an
Nd if you use it all day too!
 
I truly get why the OP is pondering this, I'm in the same boat. On my 2015 Macbook Air I do run into yellow memory pressure and slowdowns quite often, this is with 8 GB of RAM. Culprit is browser tabs, I research a lot and stuff keeps piling up, plus webpages get to tend bigger and bigger over the years, what with overall bandwith and picture filesizes increasing. On the other hand, I do feel that Apple keeps improving memory management in general and specifically for Safari.

The M1 being generally snappier and possibly (in combination with Big Sur) more efficient with memory I tend to think that I'd be fine with a M1 with 8 gigs of RAM even for the next 4, 5 years .... but I am not SURE :)
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.
Top Bottom
Back