Got a tip for us?
Let us know
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.
MacBook Air 13" 4GB vs 8GB
- Thread starter g33k
- Start date
- Sort by reaction score
if its not upgradable (like mac book air), then always max out the RAM when you configure/purchase it (or if getting one used, find one that has it maximized).
always.
OS systems get more complicated as they are improved.
future-proof your purchase as much as you can.
always.
OS systems get more complicated as they are improved.
future-proof your purchase as much as you can.
Last edited:
Hey there,
I own a MacBook Air 2012 with 4 gb. So, do I regret that I have only 4 gb? YES and no!
- Yes, because at the time I bought the machine I was not into photo editing, now, I use Lightroom and my 4 gb are very, very limiting....
- Yes, because I will not upgrade the OS beyond El Capitan, with Mavs,my Air was blazing fast, with El Cap however, things are getting slow
- No,because besides photo editing I don't do anything ram demaning with my machine, so for web browsing and iTunes 4 gb are OK
-> let me tell you that I would never ever get a machine with 4gb of ram. You will Change, maybe in a year from now you will edit Videos, then you're stuck.
My next machine will certainly be a MacBook pro with at least 8 gb and more likely maxed out 16 gb of ram...
I own a MacBook Air 2012 with 4 gb. So, do I regret that I have only 4 gb? YES and no!
- Yes, because at the time I bought the machine I was not into photo editing, now, I use Lightroom and my 4 gb are very, very limiting....
- Yes, because I will not upgrade the OS beyond El Capitan, with Mavs,my Air was blazing fast, with El Cap however, things are getting slow
- No,because besides photo editing I don't do anything ram demaning with my machine, so for web browsing and iTunes 4 gb are OK
-> let me tell you that I would never ever get a machine with 4gb of ram. You will Change, maybe in a year from now you will edit Videos, then you're stuck.
My next machine will certainly be a MacBook pro with at least 8 gb and more likely maxed out 16 gb of ram...
OP, In no way does your usage warrant 8GB of ram. However, if the difference in cost is only 90 dollars, go with the 8GB. If nothing else, it will help your resale value down the line. Generally speaking, you can pick up a base model Air at places like Best Buy for 300-400 dollars cheaper than you pay for a base model through Apple. I would seriously consider looking into that. A refurb is also a good option.
Being that you do not need 8GB of ram, you mine as well look for a deal on a base model and spend much less on it than you will for a model you won't ever use to it's full potential.
When I had a 4GB 2013 Air, I never had a single issue, even when multitasking fairly heavily. I now use a base model retina MacBook and I can't for the life of me figure out why I need 8GB of ram in this machine. Had they offered a 4GB model at a cheaper price, I definitely would have gone that route.
Being that you do not need 8GB of ram, you mine as well look for a deal on a base model and spend much less on it than you will for a model you won't ever use to it's full potential.
When I had a 4GB 2013 Air, I never had a single issue, even when multitasking fairly heavily. I now use a base model retina MacBook and I can't for the life of me figure out why I need 8GB of ram in this machine. Had they offered a 4GB model at a cheaper price, I definitely would have gone that route.
Bought and returned a 13" MBA with 4GB. Loved almost everything about it. Fast, light, but the 4GB was too limiting. I could have decided to be much more careful about how many tabs I keep open and how many applications I have open concurrently but I think I'll just wait and see what happens Monday and pick up something with 8GB. Great laptop, but 4GB just was too much of a compromise for me.
i have an early 2015 Macbook Air 13" 128GB w/ 4GB memory. bought it from best buy on clearance as a geek squad certified open box for $681 - $50 .edu coupon code = $631. runs great and you wouldn't even know it was used except for the fact that it wasn't sealed. all original packaging, heck the person who bought it didn't even take the power cord out. the geek squad guy said he was there when it was returned and took it back for the diagnostic, the customer said he didn't like the screen. screen is just fine for me lol. it's not my only computer but it's my first mac. i have a couple of windows laptops and a custom built Win7 desktop for "heavy lifting" and running my CAD programs. i don't need an ultra-book nor would i want an ultra-book, to do things where 8GB would actually be fully utilized
i used the savings to buy apple care, which was also on sale at best buy. minus the rewards i got from the Macbook Air purchase and other rewards i already had, i got apple care for just $166.
so $631 + $166 = $797
to get the 8GB model would have been an additional $319 on top of the $631. to me, completely not worth it. hell i could sell my Macbook Air right now on Craiglist and turn a profit. heck, maybe i should just do that and then use the profit to subsidize a Macbook Pro so the Macbook Pro would be roughly the same price as a new-in-box version MBA13" 128GB 4GB of what i got ($749)
decisions decisions. just kidding. i'm keeping the MBA
i used the savings to buy apple care, which was also on sale at best buy. minus the rewards i got from the Macbook Air purchase and other rewards i already had, i got apple care for just $166.
so $631 + $166 = $797
to get the 8GB model would have been an additional $319 on top of the $631. to me, completely not worth it. hell i could sell my Macbook Air right now on Craiglist and turn a profit. heck, maybe i should just do that and then use the profit to subsidize a Macbook Pro so the Macbook Pro would be roughly the same price as a new-in-box version MBA13" 128GB 4GB of what i got ($749)
decisions decisions. just kidding. i'm keeping the MBA