Why do so few deals include higher RAM configurations?

[AppleTO]

As others have said, the stock configurations of MacBook (Air) have historically only been 8GB. This has actually changed now, as the M3 Air does have a stock configuration with 16GB. Other configurations have always been BTO, which is something only Apple does (in most places). There are some exceptions, but most retailers only sell the stock configurations.

 

[AlixSPQR]

stock configurations of MacBook (Air) have historically only been 8GB

Before 2017, it was 4GB, though.

 

[Populus]

Before 2017, it was 4GB, though.

I had to check it, because I couldn’t believe it… and yeah, you’re right. Wow, just 4GB of RAM in 2017! Although on those days, I only considered MacBook Pros. Maybe the low RAM was one of the reasons…

There’s also the fact that 2017 seems like 2 or 3 years away… but in reality, we’re talking about 7 ****ing years. Oh my God. Tempus Fugit. Carpe Diem.

 

[Fishrrman]

Buying an m-series Mac with 8gb of RAM these days, makes as much sense as did buying a 2014 Mini with only 4gb of RAM.

That is to say, those who did so [mostly] came to regret it sooner rather than later.

The Mac would run, yes... but to the user, it might seem more like it was just "walking"...

 

[jay508]

Can be upgraded by yourself 16G RAM 1T NVME SSD model sn550

 

[Bigwaff]

Can be upgraded by yourself 16G RAM 1T NVME SSD model sn550

You missed the point of the thread. Topic is M1/M2/M3 base with 16GB don’t go on sale or are discounted frequently.

 

[theorist9]

I think it's because Apple and their authorized retailers distinguish two different classes of customers: Those that are price-sensitive, and those that are less so.

The price-sensitive ones are mostly going to buy the base models, and sales there are significantly helped by discounts. That's an important demographic for Apple, since it includes students, and Apple wants to get them into the Mac ecosystem

The ones who aren't very price-sensitive, or who are sensitive but have no choice in the matter because of what their work demands, are going to buy the higher-tiered models. Since they're going to be buying these machines regardless, there's not a financial benefit to Apple to discount these, indeed, it's quite the opposite. These are the configurations that have the highest %profit, and Apple doesn't want to give that tup.

 

[za9ra22]

That is to say, those who did so [mostly] came to regret it sooner rather than later.

I wonder if you can give us your sources for this because it hasn't been my experience at all. In fact, I've been using a 13-inch M1 MBA with 8GB RAM for over 3 years, and liked it so much I bought a 15-inch M3 MBA with 8GB RAM.

And that's allowing the fact that I also have an M1 iMac with 16GB RAM, which means by this kind of reckoning, I ought to be seeing a notable disparity in performance between the 8 and 16GB systems. In fact I'm not.

True, I don't tend to bother much with Activity Monitor because I don't have a problem I need it to help resolve, so on a routine basis I'm not looking at the memory pressure or cache or swap or any of those things some people seem a bit sensitive to and even hung up on. What I actually do is use my computers for the wide range of tasks I bought them to deal with. All three manage quite well.

That use includes video editing in FCP, preparing and editing large volume docx documents, photo editing in Affinity, GraphicsConverter and Pixelstyle, some web development, management for a book library, slide deck authoring for user training courses, server and network management, SIEM platforms, video playback via AirPlay, and the usual web and email type stuff - though I don't use Chrome at all, and since I was around prior to browser tabs even existing, I tend to use bookmarks rather than have lots of tabs open - typically about half a dozen in Safari, sometimes Firefox at the same time too.

I also manage a fairly diverse network (systems and users) which include other 8GB Mac owners, and none have an issue, despite routinely relying on my help and support. These are professionals with jobs to do, deadlines to meet, and close to zero tolerance of inadequate resources.

I wonder, what is it that we're all missing when 'those who did so [buy 8GB systems] came to regret it sooner rather than later'?

Not for a minute would I fail to recommend users buy the most RAM they can afford, and I think Apple's $200 premium for 16GB is unjust, but it looks to me that in the context of the thread and the question it raises, the reason why so few deals involve higher RAM configurations is pretty much as @theorist9 suggests above.