MacBook Air M2 - 8/16GB RAM?

[tataboy]

Hi guys,

I'm purchasing the Macbook Air M2 for my personal usage (my company laptop is MBP).

My usage will include Affinity Designer and PyCharm IDE (but just for fun, I'm not a proffesional designer nor developer). Should I pay extra for the 16 GB RAM, or will I be fine with the 8 GB? I can afford it, but I don't want to pay for something I won't use.

There's still a small chance I'll become a freelancer, and the Air will be my primary work laptop (but still, 95% of my work is done in Safari).

Thanks for your help!

 

[blackberrycubed]

16gb, peace of mind.

 

[sjperformance]

Get the 16gb.

 

[WhoDatWayne]

If you can afford it, I agree with the others on here and say 16GB.

 

[TechRunner]

There's still a small chance I'll become a freelancer, and the Air will be my primary work laptop

If you plan on keeping the device for a few years, you should definitely go for 16GB given your possible future opportunities.

 

[Sleix]

If it's a choice between the three sizes, I'd have said 16GB every time, because 24 is overkill for the average user and 8GB doesn't give much for future opportunities.

 

[biffuz]

16.
I'm not even reading your use case.
I don't understand the "8 is enough" arguments, if you're going for "enough", just get a $300 notebook... it's enough, right?!

 

[James_C]

I would definitely get 16GB ram, and at least 512GB SSD.

 

[tim1000]

Once you pay for the extra ram why not get 14 inch pro?

 

[Geekett]

For Safari and 5 years to come, 8 go is plenty enough

 

[JW5566]

I would go for 16GB. My 8GB Air has been workable with Photoshop and Final Cut but I sense I'm pushing things a bit. I would still recommend 8GB for those on a very constrained budget and who are unlikely to do anything heavy.

However you will I am sure get quite a mix of opinions on this question, it's one of those that's very subjective.

 

[tim1000]

I would go for 16GB. My 8GB Air has been workable with Photoshop and Final Cut but I sense I'm pushing things a bit. I would still recommend 8GB for those on a very constrained budget and who are unlikely to do anything heavy.

However you will I am sure get quite a mix of opinions on this question, it's one of those that's very subjective.

at the price of an upgraded m2 air why not just get the 14 inch pro?

 

[Scott-n-Houston]

at the price of an upgraded m2 air why not just get the 14 inch pro?

I went through that... had both for a week or so. Chose the Air because for regular tasks it's actually snappier (faster single core speeds), better battery, and more portable. My iPad Pro + Air is about the same as just the MBP.
Unless you need the MBP for hardcore tasks, the only other real advantage for me was screen, but my IPP has the same screen...

 

[1BadManVan]

Always love these pointless comments “well might as well get the pro 14” even though it’s a different laptop for completely different usages. Heavier, bulkier, less battery life, slower for day to day simple tasks as well. It’s amazing how some famous YouTubers managed to just make that the default answer across the forums.

How does a guy benefit using a pro 14 for some light photo editing, especially if he’s saying on the go photo editing for freelance work. And he already has a MacBook Pro. Do you guys even read the thread before commenting?

Sorry, just over all these threads getting cluttered with recommendations that are actually counter productive for use cases like the OP. AND it’s more expensive! Lol

 

[JW5566]

at the price of an upgraded m2 air why not just get the 14 inch pro?

For me personally I prefer the form factor of the Air.