Entire Mac Lineup Now Starts With at Least 16GB RAM, Ending 8GB Era

[JPack]

So true. Can’t tell you how many times I’ve read the “it’s future proofing!” Excuse but the base model is more than enough for 99% of people and the device is long gone before they use any software that actually touches on the need of higher amounts of RAM. Especially with more and more services being done through the cloud, a strong Internet connection is more important than 4629 GB RAM.

Imagine if manufacturers applied your principle to the CPU. We'd be stuck with 4-cores.

Regular apps like Zoom and Word can consume 500MB to 1GB each. Cloud stuff means more demand on the browser, which uses more RAM. Drawing to an external monitor consumes memory.

 

[Fluffyk]

Interesting that Apple told us some months ago that 8GB = 16GB and it's fine. It's a good move for all customers no doubt about it but it maybe speaks more about the quality of Apple software or their lack of confidence in their actions. I've been using Apple computers with 16GB of RAM for many years and it's more than enough. I have also gaming PC with 16GB of RAM and it's enough to run every game on max. I'm not sure why MacBook Air and Mac mini need to have this much RAM as default when ordinary casual users would be more than satisfied with 8 gigs. I'd rather see these entry level products to be a little bit cheaper so more people could afford it and lock them in the ecosystem. Because it's high probability that next time they would buy the new device they would spend more on it if they're happy with the experience.

 

[Xack]

Great, now lazy app developers can bloat out their apps more.

 

[spaxxedout]

Ram’s about to go through the roof. 8gb was a plateau for many users would never need to page disk with that. Now with AI, expect big advances.

 

[mlayer]

Well, if 8->16 GB was hastened by Apple Intelligence, and 4->8 was concurrent with the switch from 32-bit to 64-bit apps/Mac OS, it stands to reason that something new and groundbreaking has to drive the shift to 32 GB along with falling RAM prices. I'm not sure if bigger on-device LLMs will be the reason as they may benefit from a more distributed model. So we may be here for a while.

 

[HeThatShallNotBeNamed]

Can I have my money back for paying a premium for upgrading the ram on my m1mbp?

 

[jakey rolling]

I'm not sure why MacBook Air and Mac mini need to have this much RAM as default when ordinary casual users would be more than satisfied with 8 gigs.

Because when your RAM is not upgradeable and you want people to continue to believe that your product has a longer lifespan than your competitors, you need to make sure that what you include currently will continue to be sufficient for years down the road.

I'd rather see these entry level products to be a little bit cheaper so more people could afford it and lock them in the ecosystem. Because it's high probability that next time they would buy the new device they would spend more on it if they're happy with the experience.

The difference in price that Apple sees between 8GB and 16GB is almost nothing and it certainly wouldn't translate into any savings for customers.

 

[ThailandToo]

I wonder how long will the 16gb era last

Not nearly as long. AI will require more - Apple is behind in AI, and they’re always short changing customers with RAM in every device they have offered; sometimes they cite Microsoft and others it’s battery life, but it’s always to ruin goodwill with customers who have to upgrade way sooner. Sad how many Macs will end up in landfills instead of operating for ten-plus years - all from Tim who touts the environment over all other causes.

If they want to tout privacy, AI and longevity for the sake of the environment, they have to quit selling obsolete computers from the start and will need more RAM to do it. This is a big admission by Apple that they’re behind in offering privacy and AI at the same time. And everyone with 8GB of RAM will suffer as they will not be able to do something they should have had for years. Shame on AAPL. Anyone who bought the 8GB of RAM Macs just got wrecked, again.

 

[brofkand]

Long overdue change, for the premium prices that Apple charges for most of their machines.

 

[ThailandToo]

16GB on Mac = 32GB on PC

Is this a direct quote from Apple marketing?

 

[spcopsmac21]

Apple this week announced new iMac, Mac mini, and MacBook Pro models, and they are all available with a minimum of 16GB of RAM. Apple also announced that the MacBook Air lineup now starts with 16GB of RAM too, at no additional cost, and this means that the entire Mac lineup now starts with at least 16GB of RAM.

Until now, the iMac, Mac mini, 14-inch MacBook Pro, and MacBook Air all started with 8GB of RAM, leading to criticism from some Apple customers in recent years.

Last year, an Apple marketing employee attempted to argue that 8GB of RAM in a Mac was probably analogous to 16GB of RAM in Windows PCs, given how efficient the unified memory is in M-series chips. Whether you believed that or not, you can rest assured that any new Mac sold by Apple today actually comes with a minimum of 16GB of RAM.

The latest Mac Studio and Mac Pro already started with 32GB and 64GB of RAM, respectively.

Article Link: Entire Mac Lineup Now Starts With at Least 16GB RAM, Ending 8GB Era

Already murmurs of class action lawsuit incoming because so many people who spend the highest prices in the industry just mean months ago are now all but locked out for current and soon incoming BASIC features.

 

[gideon2cold]

The M3 Pro sits in such weird position now. 18 gigs of ram, first gen 3nm with questionable core allocation. It won’t be missed, but it will be remembered.

M4 line up is a really good year to upgrade.

Last year I had to get the pro chip, this years overall value really has improved and I would’ve been fine with the standard Chip. Step in the right direction from apple.

 

[ThailandToo]

I'm sure Tim lies awake at night wondering what could have been if they could have held out another year with 8 GB.

Another year behind in Apple non-intelligence.

 

[thadoggfather]

What an incredibly unprecedented but great move - except for people just outside of return policy who got the 8gb models, or people who recently spent more for 16gb.

Always going to be some tech victims with these sorts of things..

My next Mac will for sure have 16gb, that's nice.

 

[CalMin]

The 8GB defenders will still live on, somewhere under the bridge.

"Yellow memory pressure is just normal." 😂

"MacOS uses all the memory available, so seeing red on the graph is ok." 🤣

I use my Mac with yellow and red memory pressure all the time. To me, it's responsiveness that counts, and I only care about RAM when things start to slow down or get choppy. Memory pressure seems to induce so much anxiety when it goes yellow or red, but if the machine is doing its job, why worry?

For those with 8GB machines, just keep using your machine. When you find that it's getting too slow for you, then it's time to upgrade. Don't just do it because you see yellow memory pressure or sometimes red.

I'm not making the argument that 16GB isn't better. It is. And I'm pleased that Apple has finally seen fit to install it as standard because the cost of bumping 8GB to 16GB has been offensive. Apple charged way too much for that and STILL charges way too much for SSD storage.

 

[Velli]

Can I have my money back for paying a premium for upgrading the ram on my m1mbp?

Sure, and also for that bigger hard drive in your Apple IIc.

 

[Mrkevinfinnerty]

Enjoy it everyone. It’s 16gb until 2039

 

[spcopsmac21]

I would prefer reasonable upgrade prices. 512gb is more than a lot of people need, and 512gb isn't enough for a lot of other people. Let us make our own choices Apple. I preordered a base model M4 Mac Mini... upgrading it was just not worth it, and 512gb isn't enough for me... so external storage it is.

Yep, usb c thumb drive or dock with an M.2 slot built in.
My wife uses one with her Mac Studio.

 

[Tago]

So, in effect, Mac's now start with 32 GB of Windows-equivalent RAM!

Comparison of measures is a bit like comparing donkey meat in a batch of sausages with a Grand National race horse, pound by pound.

 

[iSayuSay]

Thank goodness! Now for 32gb 🤣

I'd rather have 512GB baseline storage though. Maybe in 2 or 3 years 😁

 

[mansplains]

Is this a direct quote from Apple marketing?

I hope not

 

[mlayer]

The M3/16/512 (8/10) is a bargain. Not quite the very base model M4 Mac mini, but still good.

 

[Velli]

I use my Mac with yellow and red memory pressure all the time. To me, it's responsiveness that counts, and I only care about RAM when things start to slow down or get choppy. Memory pressure seems to induce so much anxiety when it goes yellow or red, but if the machine is doing its job, why worry?

For those with 8GB machines, just keep using your machine. When you find that it's getting too slow for you, then it's time to upgrade. Don't just do it because you see yellow memory pressure or sometimes red.

I'm not making the argument that 16GB isn't better. It is. And I'm pleased that Apple has finally seen fit to install it as standard because the cost of bumping 8GB to 16GB has been offensive. Apple charged way too much for that and STILL charges way too much for SSD storage.

Very few of those complaining about 8GB Macs have tried using them for casual use. The few that have tried one, started some power user app and found out it didn’t work, and is blaming Apple. It’s perfectly fine for normal people computery stuff, but geeks don’t want normal people to own nice hardware, they should buy crappy plastic low-end Windows computers with crappy screens and unusable touchpads, because they are not a “real” computer user.

Honestly, the weird situation with the M4 MBP RAM configs is a LOT more offensible than 8GB base configs.

 

[Zdigital2015]

I wouldn't invest in a 16GB Windows machine for anything but the simplest of uses (if you want a little future proofing).

I’ve had 16GB in my MacBook Pros since 2012 which a couple were also BootCamp Windows machines and I’ve never had issues with 16GB of DRAM way past the “simplest of uses”.

16GB is a very capable machine for 80% of the computing public.

I’ve also got an 8GB/512GB 13” MBP and it is surprisingly capable for me day in and day out. Some apps load slower as a result while running multiple apps, but I am rarely left waiting.

16GB is definitely better than 8GB, but plenty of users will be just fine with their 8GB Macs until they’re declared vintage and then some.

 

[thadoggfather]

Honestly, the weird situation with the M4 MBP RAM configs is a LOT more offensible than 8GB base configs.

Wow +$200 for 24gb and +$400 (from base) for 32gb.

that is quite a bit bonkers! should be at least +100 / +200

realistically shouldn't be a 24gb option at all should just jump up to 32gb.