16GB of RAM Could Be the New Minimum in Apple's Upcoming M4 Macs

[MacRumors]

All of Apple's upcoming new Macs this year are likely to have at least 16GB of RAM pre-installed as standard, breaking a years-long tradition of Apple offering just 8GB of RAM in most of its base Macs and forcing customers to pay out an extra $200+ for additional memory.

The adequacy of 8GB of RAM in Macs has been a contentious issue for over a decade. The debate traces back to 2012 when Apple introduced the first Retina MacBook Pro with 8GB RAM as standard. Remarkably, Apple still continues to offer 8GB as the base memory configuration for several models, including the M3 14-inch MacBook Pro, M3 iMac, and M3 MacBook Airs.

However, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman reports that Apple is testing four new Mac models equipped with an M4 chip, and all of them have either 16GB or 32GB of unified memory. Gurman previously reported that Apple is planning to refresh the MacBook Pro, Mac mini, and iMac with M4 chips this year. One possibility is that Apple has deemed that 16GB of RAM should be the new workable minimum for future AI features introduced under the Apple Intelligence banner, but that is merely speculation at this point.

Last year, Apple introduced a base 14-inch MacBook Pro with M3 chip, which replaced the discontinued M2 13-inch MacBook Pro in Apple's Mac lineup. Starting at $1,599, the 14-inch M3 MacBook Pro comes with 8GB of unified memory. Users can opt for 16GB or 24GB at checkout, but these configuration options cost an extra $200 and $400 at purchase, respectively, and cannot be upgraded at a later date because of Apple's unified memory architecture.

• Is 8GB of RAM Enough for a Mac in 2024?

This has left Apple open to criticism from users who believe that 8GB is not a sufficient amount of RAM for most creative professional workflows, and that 16GB should be the bare minimum for a machine that is marketed as "Pro," rather than an additional several hundred dollar outlay. Apple previously argued that 8GB on an M3 MacBook Pro is probably analogous to 16GB on other computers because of the efficiency gains of using unified architecture. Needless to say, that argument failed to resonate with many creative professionals, and so the news that 16GB is likely to be the new minimum will surely be a welcome development.

Article Link: 16GB of RAM Could Be the New Minimum in Apple's Upcoming M4 Macs

 

[breenmask]

2023 $1599 base 8GB MacBook Pro - "OMG Apple, just get rid of it you greedy bastards! Make 16GB minimum"
...
2024 $1799 base 16GB MacBook Pro - "Finally! We pressured Apple to upgrade 16GB for free!"

Apple complainer logic.

 

[infinitejest]

About time, isn't it?

 

[JippaLippa]

Absolutely about time!

By the way, I really hope the mac mini redesign won't look like that; it'd be more elegant to make a flatter design.

 

[Sixteengigabytes]

Tim, thank you for your generosity x

 

[JippaLippa]

2023 $1599 base 8GB MacBook Pro - "OMG Apple, just get rid of it you greedy bastards! Make 16GB minimum"
...
2024 $1799 base 16GB MacBook Pro - "Finally! All is good again"

Apple complainer logic.

While I understand what you're saying, I still appreciate apple dropping a spec that'd cause only issues in the future.
This way customers won't be able to castrate their machines.
I remember back in uni, my friends sold their souls to barely afford the base spec macbook pros (speaking of 2011-2012), only to complain about the lack of ram and performance.

Apple makes expensive stuff, and they charge way too much for simple upgrades...granted...
But it's good that customers won't have the chance to go with 8GB of unified memory.

 

[lofin]

It is beyond embarrassing to call a machine "Pro" and put 8GB of RAM in it.

 

[Ivander]

It’s been 8 years since Apple last raised the minimum RAM to 8 GB. It is time.

 

[brgjoe]

I'm guessing it will be a minimum of 12GB RAM. But either way, it's definitely an improvement over the base 8GB of RAM.

 

[Seanm87]

A lot of people will be very happy about this.

 

[cjsuk]

I'm planning to buy an M4 Pro Mini with 16Gb RAM and 1TB disk so this is great news. One less kidney to sacrifice hopefully.

 

[cocoua]

This means 16gb are going to be barely enough in next macOS to handle basic tasks.

The news is 16gb is the new minimum requirement, not that Apple has change his business policy or that 16GB are going to be just perfect for video editing

 

[Zest28]

2023 $1599 base 8GB MacBook Pro - "OMG Apple, just get rid of it you greedy bastards! Make 16GB minimum"
...
2024 $1799 base 16GB MacBook Pro - "Finally! We pressured Apple to upgrade 16GB for free!"

Apple complainer logic.

Apple is charging absurd amounts of money for RAM, they can easily keep the price the same while having 16GB RAM.

MacBook Air competitors have 32GB RAM and 1TB SSD and also have 120hz OLED displays too, just as an indication how much Apple is overcharging for their laptops.

 

[sc00ba]

Quick everyone throw a party!🙄

Anybody who knows even one iota about having a ”good“ machine that can handle any task you can throw at it knows 32gb of ram is benchmark these days. The example being the people I know with windows gaming PC’s have had 32gb of RAM “standard” for a while now.

One day when you grow up Timmy Cook, you’ll realise it would’ve been better to offer your customers more base RAM at a affordable price, instead of “nickel and diming” them as the Americans say and creating anger & hated of you amongst your customers/users.

 

[cjsuk]

Apple is charging absurd amounts of money for RAM, they can easily keep the price the same while having 16GB RAM.

MacBook Air competitors have 32GB RAM and 1TB SSD and also have 120hz OLED displays too, just as an indication how much Apple is overcharging for their laptops.

To be fair they aren't really macbook air competitors. Even the higher end P-series thinkpads aren't. The batteries last about 3 hours if you're lucky, they run hotter than the surface of the sun and you'll be lucky if they last 18 months. Oh and Windows 11. Urgh.

 

[EmanuelF]

2023 $1599 base 8GB MacBook Pro - "OMG Apple, just get rid of it you greedy bastards! Make 16GB minimum"
...
2024 $1799 base 16GB MacBook Pro - "Finally! We pressured Apple to upgrade 16GB for free!"

Apple complainer logic.

Why switching to a M4 CPU if I would only need 8gb?
8gb bottlenecks real multitasking so M1-3 is more than sufficient.

The gain for the rest will be huge when sales kicks in.
ATM I had to order a custom 16/512 15 MBA config that cost almost the same as a 16 MBP on sale.

 

[Chuckeee]

It is beyond embarrassing to call a machine "Pro" and put 8GB of RAM in it.

“Pro” is just a label that has no actual meaning. Except for some business executives, who act like babies unless they’re hardware with a “pro” label. If 8GB is inadequate, then it is inadequate for everyone. So many commodities are sold with “pro” attached to their names, that a “pro” label is just a sales gimmick for gullible consumers.

 

[Adora]

With M3Pro 16GB went up to 18GB and 32GB to 36GB.

I fear something similar will happen to base M4 and they will start with maybe 10 or 12GB and maximum could be 28 or 30GB.

My M3 iMac was only upgradable to 24GB. I will only buy a new one if it supports at least up to 48GB.

 

[neuropsychguy]

It is beyond embarrassing to call a machine "Pro" and put 8GB of RAM in it.

Not all professionals have the same requirements. My spouse runs a small business and 8 GB is plenty. I have many colleagues in academia who are professionals (scientists, professors, and researchers) who also have no issues with 8 GB of RAM.

I’m not saying Apple should stick with 8 GB or that Apple should have included it as the default for all this time, I’m simply pointing out that not all professionals have the same RAM requirements.

 

[Chuckeee]

Anybody who knows even one iota about having a ”good“ machine that can handle any task you can throw at it knows 32gb of ram is benchmark these days. The example being the people I know with windows gaming PC’s have had 32gb of RAM “standard” for a while now.

Wow not even 1 hour and already “16GB is not enough”. Heck if you really need more RAM just buy a computer with more RAM.

If you cannot afford it, buy refurbished, used, save up or buy something else. Apple is in business to make money, selling computers for the biggest profit they can. The cost of RAM chips is not a factor unless those chips are really expensive, hard to get or extremely fragile (and none of that is true)

 

[contacos]

It is beyond embarrassing to call a machine "Pro" and put 8GB of RAM in it.

My MacBook Pro 2012 already had 8 GB of Ram!

 

[vgmrm]

Finally 16GB... but not for Pro.
16GB is fine for a 'normal' computer, but for a 'Pro', the minimum should be 32GB, and more for computers that do not allow you to expand or replace the memory (or hard drive) like any ordinary games console.

 

[Zest28]

To be fair they aren't really macbook air competitors. Even the higher end P-series thinkpads aren't. The batteries last about 3 hours if you're lucky, they run hotter than the surface of the sun and you'll be lucky if they last 18 months. Oh and Windows 11. Urgh.

Not really. Take a look at the ASUS Zenbook S16 with the latest the AMD HX370. And they don't run hot too.

 

[geta]

But, but everyone says 8GB RAM is enough...

 

[EmperorVexx]

This means 16gb are going to be barely enough in next macOS to handle basic tasks.

The news is 16gb is the new minimum requirement, not that Apple has change his business policy or that 16GB are going to be just perfect for video editing

Do you think the iPhone 15 Pro is gonna be obsolete next year since major companies are selling phones with 12GB and 16 GB RAM?

No, also if the OS can't properly use 8GB RAM to open discord without crashing then it's **** (looking at you Windows).