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parfait

macrumors newbie
Apr 26, 2024
4
15
A great leader is defined by how much base RAM in their all-in-ones? Noted.

The 8 GB base RAM is only the tip of the Appleberg.
Look at Apple Vision Pro, Apple Car, Apple VS Spotify, Apple VS Apple devs, etc.

16 GB RAM is in 2024 the bare minimum, for less e-waste and future proofing

Lol Apple is becoming more and more like a corporate greed parody at this point.
 

ChrisA

macrumors G5
Jan 5, 2006
12,610
1,746
Redondo Beach, California
You have to remember that 90% of all Mac users, well 90% of computer users, are only using the computer as web browser. I know people who have never once used any other app on their Mac. This is normal.

Safri has no problem showing YouTube and Amazon web pages with only 8GB RAM. So when the majority of your customers are fine with 8GB, why make them pay more?

Yes, some people need more RAM. They complain that Apple's on-chip unified RAM costs more than commodity RAM on DIMM sticks. These people don't understand what Apple is selling them. They SHOULD be comparing the price of Apple's built-in RAM to the price Nviidia charges for VRAM (which also is not upgradable for the same reasons)
 

ctjrock

macrumors newbie
Sep 5, 2023
10
10
Not to mention that the performance capability of RAM has also dramatically improved over time. 8GB in 2010 is not the same as 8GB in 2024.
 

cylack

macrumors 6502
Feb 21, 2006
292
275
Orlando, FL
8 GB base memory isn’t enough unless you literally run only a few programs at a time. The marginal cost of going to 16GB of base memory wouldn’t even be a drop in the bucket to Apple, but Tim Cook the bean counter has to squeeze every last drop of blood from his customers. If you don’t want to make 16 GB the base at least sell the 16 GB upgrade at close to cost, not at an exorbitant markup.
 

HVDynamo

macrumors 6502a
Feb 21, 2011
713
1,091
Minnesota
I don't need an argument against it because I don't disagree there is 1 pc game that has a problem with 8gb of RAM.

You however don't understand what you replied to and have chosen to remain that way.
I gave one example...

Hogwarts Legacy - 16GB miniumum
The Last of Us - 16GB minimum
Alan Wake 2 - 16GB Minimum
Elden Ring - 12GB Minimum
Starfield - 16GB Minimum
Armored Core 6 - 12 GB Minimum

Do I need to go on?

Even the games that give 8GB minimum, that's for bottom of the barrel running of the game. You better not be running more than 1080P resolution and with all settings turned down for that. Sure the game will run in those cases, but it won't be a good experience. Maybe Indie games can still function on 8GB, but to think games nowadays don't need more is simply absurd.
 

ProbablyDylan

macrumors 6502
Mar 26, 2024
293
453
Los Angeles
My cousin runs her nail business off the 2020 Intel MacBook Air. Handles Notes, Numbers, Chrome, Calendar, etc more than fine.

Should it come with more memory for $1,099? Yeah, probably. But 8GB is clearly enough for casual and even some business users.
 
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Howard2k

macrumors 603
Mar 10, 2016
5,315
5,148
I gave one example...

Hogwarts Legacy - 16GB miniumum
The Last of Us - 16GB minimum
Alan Wake 2 - 16GB Minimum
Elden Ring - 12GB Minimum
Starfield - 16GB Minimum
Armored Core 6 - 12 GB Minimum

Do I need to go on?

Even the games that give 8GB minimum, that's for bottom of the barrel running of the game. You better not be running more than 1080P resolution and with all settings turned down for that. Sure the game will run in those cases, but it won't be a good experience. Maybe Indie games can still function on 8GB, but to think games nowadays don't need more is simply absurd.

What you're demonstrating is that buying the base unit for gaming is silly, which I agree with. Buy the right device.
 

victorvictoria

macrumors 6502
Oct 15, 2023
494
568
8GB is fine for light usage. But it's not very future-proof. AI/LLMs will need a lot of RAM, and I don't think Apple engineers will be able to solve this problem with software tricks.
Possibly. From what I hear, Apple's AI model will run entirely on-device, without necessitating internet connectivity. That would mean either a LOT of RAM, or super-fast processor/bus and storage, or long wait times for results. My guess, Apple will increase the base RAM and the base storage. And will also continue to accelerate processing speeds.

It won't affect me, as I'm a casual user, and don't need to know how quantum mechanics work in layman's terms, or the etymology of "legerdemain." Nor do I wish to enhance photos. I prefer to keep them as shot. Let others do the deep or shallow fake photography and videos.
 
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Starfia

macrumors 6502a
Apr 11, 2011
950
664
If memory serves, 2012 or 2013 was also the year macOS began using compressed memory and dynamically-allocated graphics memory. Presumably the point of that long-in-coming advance was for Macs not to have to need as much memory to perform equally well.
 

trip1ex

macrumors 68030
Jan 10, 2008
2,970
1,521
I gave one example...

Hogwarts Legacy - 16GB miniumum
The Last of Us - 16GB minimum
Alan Wake 2 - 16GB Minimum
Elden Ring - 12GB Minimum
Starfield - 16GB Minimum
Armored Core 6 - 12 GB Minimum

Do I need to go on?

Even the games that give 8GB minimum, that's for bottom of the barrel running of the game. You better not be running more than 1080P resolution and with all settings turned down for that. Sure the game will run in those cases, but it won't be a good experience. Maybe Indie games can still function on 8GB, but to think games nowadays don't need more is simply absurd.
YOu can go as long as you are able. I welcome you naming all the pc games that require more than 8gb of RAM.

I know the list is pretty small and I know most of it consists of lazy console ports. I mean Hogwarts Legacy is on the 4gb Switch even. ;). Sure graphics downgrade etc but beside the point.


The problem is you still don't understand what you replied to. The argument wasn't no pcgames require more than 8gb ram. The point being made wasn't dependent on no pcgames requiring >8gbRAM either. So you're still don't understand that you're making a strawman argument.

The point was RAM need is plateauing. And the evidence absolutely bears this out. IT's not an opinion. IT's a fact. Even in pcgaming which is one of those areas that makes more use of RAM that most tasks and isn't a task the masses engage in as a rule of thumb is barely starting to crack the 8gb limit.

Look at the RAM share of STeam users from March 2024. 45% still have 8gb.
 
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Icelus

macrumors 6502
Nov 3, 2018
382
504
If memory serves, 2012 or 2013 was also the year macOS began using compressed memory and dynamically-allocated graphics memory. Presumably the point of that long-in-coming advance was for Macs not to have to need as much memory to perform equally well.
Yes, with OS X 10.9 Mavericks.
And look: ;)
Apple has historically had a bad reputation among tech-savvy Mac users for including too little RAM in its default hardware configurations. Constantly being on the ragged edge of available RAM can severely affect the experience of using a Mac. For years, I’ve practically begged everyone I know who’s getting a Mac to opt for more than the standard amount of RAM. Sure, people say they’ll just be using it for “light Web browsing and e-mail,” but even casual usage of Safari, Mail, iPhoto, and iMovie can translate into some serious RAM usage.

 

Emmanuel.th

macrumors member
Mar 23, 2023
35
13
Timmy should decrease RAM to 4GB base because some Apple fanboy also said 8GB is enough
Personally 4GB still enough too.
My MacBook Air M2 after boot RAM is Full and use SWAP memory.

Apple Cupertino you should listen your customer please decrease RAM to 4GB
or separate new line for fanboy only. Only lightning for charger Two USB-C port with bumblebee keyboard, 4GB of RAM, Dual core CPU without heatsink and fan
 
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Zest28

macrumors 68020
Jul 11, 2022
2,242
3,102
or...you know... a more sensible reason: plenty of consumers became fine with the base ram

and the fact that unified memory costs more than standard memory to implement

and you know...combatting sky rocketing prices...

and flash storage became fast enough for swap....

and so on..

but go ahead, write confirmation bias so that we can feel good about hating on Tim Cook, mr David Schaub

Even $350 Xiaomi smartphone comes with more RAM and Storage than a $1200 base Mac from Apple. There is no excuse really.
 
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HVDynamo

macrumors 6502a
Feb 21, 2011
713
1,091
Minnesota
YOu can go as long as you are able. I welcome you naming all the pc games that require more than 8gb of RAM.

I know the list is pretty small and I know most of it consists of lazy console ports. I mean Hogwarts Legacy is on the 4gb Switch even. ;). Sure graphics downgrade etc but beside the point.


The problem is you still don't understand what you replied to. The argument wasn't no pcgames require more than 8gb ram. The point being made wasn't dependent on no pcgames requiring >8gbRAM either. So you're still don't understand that you're making a strawman argument.

The point was RAM need is plateauing. And the evidence absolutely bears this out. IT's not an opinion. IT's a fact. Even in pcgaming which is one of those areas that makes more use of RAM that most tasks and isn't a task the masses engage in as a rule of thumb is barely starting to crack the 8gb limit.

Look at the RAM share of STeam users from March 2024. 45% still have 8gb.
You said, and I quote "I don't know of a pc game that requires a pc with more than 8gb of RAM." I proceeded to list a game I had a personal experience with, then you replied with "I don't need an argument against it because I don't disagree there is 1 pc game that has a problem with 8gb of RAM."

Seems to me like YOU are the one who isn't understanding here...

It's a fact that there are multiple games requiring more than 8GB now despite your direct quotes indicating that there isn't even one, then that there was one after I gave an example (classic moving the goal posts behavior), and that number will grow larger. So I list a few more and still that's not enough for you despite a couple comments earlier claiming you didn't know of even one game needing more than 8GB, more goal post moving. That is advancement in RAM requirements for games, it's slower change, but that is not a plateau.

To your Steam users comment, there will always be older games to play on steam that require 8GB or less so that proves nothing, but new games are starting to require more and more than half of the people have more than 8GB. Those people with 8GB will be playing old games because they quite literally can't play the new titles I listed. The need for more ram is slowing down, yes. But it hasn't plateaued and it's incorrect to say it has at this point. We are just at that tipping point where 8GB is still OK for some people, but that 16GB will need to be the norm very soon. This is why I've been saying it's a bad idea to buy a new computer with 8GB, because that new computer needs to last a number of years STARTING now. If you had a friend wanting to build a new gaming computer today would you recommend they only get 8GB of RAM? Hell no, they probably want to play those new games...
 
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Zest28

macrumors 68020
Jul 11, 2022
2,242
3,102
You said, and I quote "I don't know of a pc game that requires a pc with more than 8gb of RAM." I proceeded to list a game I had a personal experience with, then you replied with "I don't need an argument against it because I don't disagree there is 1 pc game that has a problem with 8gb of RAM."

Seems to me like YOU are the one who isn't understanding here...

It's a fact that there are multiple games requiring more than 8GB now despite your direct quotes indicating that there isn't even one, then that there was one after I gave an example (classic moving the goal posts behavior), and that number will grow larger. So I list a few more and still that's not enough for you despite a couple comments earlier claiming you didn't know of even one game needing more than 8GB. That is advancement in RAM requirements for games, that is not in any way a plateau.

To your Steam users comment, there will always be older games to play on steam that require 8GB or less so that proves nothing, but new games are starting to require more and more than half of the people have more than 8GB. Those people with 8GB are be playing old games because they quite literally can't play the new titles I listed. The need for more ram is slowing down, yes. But it hasn't plateaued and it's incorrect to say it has at this point. We are just at that tipping point where 8GB is still OK for some people, but that 16GB will need to be the norm very soon. This is why I've been saying it's a bad idea to buy a new computer with 8GB, because that new computer needs to last a number of years STARTING now. If you had a friend wanting to build a new gaming computer today would you recommend they only get 8GB of RAM? Hell no, they probably want to play those new games...

The $500 Xbox Series X has 16GB GDDR6 RAM and games are optimized for consoles. So pretty much all games need atleast 16GB RAM to run as intended.
 

HVDynamo

macrumors 6502a
Feb 21, 2011
713
1,091
Minnesota
What you're demonstrating is that buying the base unit for gaming is silly, which I agree with. Buy the right device.
That is exactly what I am trying to demonstrate to the other person who seems adamant that 8GB is still fine for gaming too. They don't seem to be getting it but at least someone is!
 
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Timo_Existencia

Contributor
Jan 2, 2002
1,241
2,624
In my family, I'm the only one, including Aunts, Uncles and Cousins, who even knows what RAM does. None of them care or have thought about it for more than 10 seconds in their lives.

Anyone want to argue that an M3 Macbook Air with 8 gb is not "future proof!" for my mom?

Apple, far and away, sells the most of the base model configurations. They largely only stock the base model configurations in their stores. Do they do this knowing that these machines are going to provide crappy experiences to those who buy them? Of course not. And you'd be hard pressed by looking at Customer Satisfaction Surveys to make the claims that the overwhelming number of computers sold by Apple are crappy machines.

AND, if as some of you say over and over Apple is just trying to fleece their customers, they'd stock 2-3 of the base model configurations in their stores and then upsell everyone to more ram and storage. But they don't do that. They actually make people have to work to buy the higher configurations.

This is why this conversation is always silly. Always. People tend to be happy with and keep their Mac Computers longer than competing brands. It's that simple.
 

Algr

macrumors 6502
Jul 27, 2022
354
417
Earth (mostly)
What dishonest graphs. Why is the X-Axis logarithmic? 🤦🏻‍♂️
Because if it was linear it would look like this:

Linear.jpg
 
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