It seems overkill for such a small machine. I mean, I bet most people wouldn't even use half of this but just want "the one with the bigger geebees".
A faster CPU will always make a faster machine. As for RAM, at some point, it doesn't really change anything if you don't use it.
Before complaining about how the next MBA doesn't have an 8GB RAM option when it will come out (because I doubt it will), I suggest you monitor your RAM usage with an application like iStats Menus. If you're like me, you'll be surprised by how much you don't use a lot.
I have a 15" MBP with 4GB RAM and Snow Leopard.
The OS itself without anything running will use about 700MB.
Having a couple of Chrome tabs and simple applications like iTunes and Finder windows opened, like most of the time i use my computer, will use around 1-1.5GB.
90% of the time, I use under 2GB.
To get over 2GB without using professional applications, I have to open 10+ tabs of completely different websites in Chrome. Or open a lot of different applications like iPhoto+iMovie+iTunes+GarageBand at the same time. I rarely do either.
I do happen to multitask and use over 2GB sometimes though. Over 3GB? Pretty much never. I recall only a handful of times seing a number over 3GB. Like when I had Chrome+Dreamweaver+Photoshop+Illustrator+Windows in Parallels all running at the same time. Then again, I used like 3.1GB, not anywhere near 4.
Seeing as I never experienced any limitation due to my amount of RAM, even by using professional applications that I wouldn't use in an Air, I don't see why the hell people would want 8GB.
I understand that people want to "future proof" their purchase, especially considering the MBA has soldered RAM. But it's not like future applications are going to use twice as much memory, it will be around the same, if not better. Applications tend to be optimized rather than complexified lately.
So, are people actually going to use more than 4GB of RAM, by, I don't know, editing large poster-sized 300dpi images in Photoshop, and make 1080p movies in Final Cut Pro on the MBA? Is their some type of RAM usage I'm not aware of, or are people just not aware of their RAM usage?
I suggest to give iStat Menus a try if you have no idea of your RAM usage, and don't compare OS X and Windows-based laptops computers like they manage their RAM the same way.
A faster CPU will always make a faster machine. As for RAM, at some point, it doesn't really change anything if you don't use it.
Before complaining about how the next MBA doesn't have an 8GB RAM option when it will come out (because I doubt it will), I suggest you monitor your RAM usage with an application like iStats Menus. If you're like me, you'll be surprised by how much you don't use a lot.
I have a 15" MBP with 4GB RAM and Snow Leopard.
The OS itself without anything running will use about 700MB.
Having a couple of Chrome tabs and simple applications like iTunes and Finder windows opened, like most of the time i use my computer, will use around 1-1.5GB.
90% of the time, I use under 2GB.
To get over 2GB without using professional applications, I have to open 10+ tabs of completely different websites in Chrome. Or open a lot of different applications like iPhoto+iMovie+iTunes+GarageBand at the same time. I rarely do either.
I do happen to multitask and use over 2GB sometimes though. Over 3GB? Pretty much never. I recall only a handful of times seing a number over 3GB. Like when I had Chrome+Dreamweaver+Photoshop+Illustrator+Windows in Parallels all running at the same time. Then again, I used like 3.1GB, not anywhere near 4.
Seeing as I never experienced any limitation due to my amount of RAM, even by using professional applications that I wouldn't use in an Air, I don't see why the hell people would want 8GB.
I understand that people want to "future proof" their purchase, especially considering the MBA has soldered RAM. But it's not like future applications are going to use twice as much memory, it will be around the same, if not better. Applications tend to be optimized rather than complexified lately.
So, are people actually going to use more than 4GB of RAM, by, I don't know, editing large poster-sized 300dpi images in Photoshop, and make 1080p movies in Final Cut Pro on the MBA? Is their some type of RAM usage I'm not aware of, or are people just not aware of their RAM usage?
I suggest to give iStat Menus a try if you have no idea of your RAM usage, and don't compare OS X and Windows-based laptops computers like they manage their RAM the same way.
