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speculating on upcoming MBA ram size

P

psik

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Aug 21, 2007
422
33
Hey,

Since the technological breakthrough to fit the 16 gb memory in the mbp has become a reality as a result of smaller chip sizes, does anyone believe that 16 gb of memory has any chance of making it to the upcoming Macbook Air?
I know many of you will say that 8 GB is more than enough, and that is true. But I think for long-term usage ram is more crucial than anything. Currently I have a 2006 32bit mac that I am typing from, and the CPU is good enough to run apps such as word and firefox and watch movies from the hardrive or via streaming, say on netflix, but it is the 2 GB ram limitation that is the problem. So I want to get the max amount of ram possible with MBA as i keep my stuff for a long time.
 
I currently have a maxed out 13" MBA and have no problems running safari, with 10 tabs, video's, and a VM for a course I'm taking, the VM is Fedora with some added features.

Had a 2008 MBP C2D 2.4 w/ 4 gig of ram and never ever ran out of memory.

There's not really any leaks on what apple may bring in for the next update of the MBA. Mines fully charged running what I mentioned above and wireless is on, and its saying I have 10 hours of battery life left.

Hope that helps you out
 
I really would want 8GB as stock and 16GB as an upgradable option, but there's the concern about cannibalisation (yes I know Apple doesn't mind, but still).

I suppose the most logical answer would be 8GB stock with no confirmation option for RAM.
 
michaelsviews said:
I currently have a maxed out 13" MBA and have no problems running safari, with 10 tabs, video's, and a VM for a course I'm taking, the VM is Fedora with some added features.

Had a 2008 MBP C2D 2.4 w/ 4 gig of ram and never ever ran out of memory.

There's not really any leaks on what apple may bring in for the next update of the MBA. Mines fully charged running what I mentioned above and wireless is on, and its saying I have 10 hours of battery life left.

Hope that helps you out
Click to expand...

While I agree with you 100%, the question is how will that 8 GB be in 3-4 years. I like to keep my piece of technology for 5+ years, and I wouldn't mind paying an extra 100ish dollars to have that ability. Of course what you buy today with the most maxed out setting will run well, but I am asking for the sake of long-term usability of it.

----------
old-wiz said:
I have an MBA with 8gb and it runs fine.

I'd be more concerned with the size of the SSD than amount of RAM.
Click to expand...

Why is your concern greater with respect to SSD? After all, you can always buy USBs or SD Cards if you need to increase your storage. I think RAM is always more important (compared to SSD at least) for the time-durability of the machine, but storage can always be amended in oen way or another. Am I missing something with respect what you have said though?
 
old-wiz said:
I have an MBA with 8gb and it runs fine.

I'd be more concerned with the size of the SSD than amount of RAM.
Click to expand...

The storage in the MacBook Air is still user replaceable though, and I think it's also replaceable on the Retina MacBook Pros. Cost wise, I would like for 256 GB to be the standard size on all MacBook Air models and 512 to be the standard for the best model, with 1 TB being optional.
 
I have the 2013 i7/8gb/512gb 11" MBA. I run software like Final Cut Pro and Logic Pro and so far haven't felt the need for more RAM. Actually, they ran fine on my 2011 MBA in 4gb RAM. I like to buy the max spec machine, so I might go with 16gb if it were available, but not sure if I would find it cost effective.

I would definitely buy the biggest SSD available though, 1TB would be great. I like having EVERYTHING on this little machine wherever I go. Have been ripping my DVD collection and have 70 full length movies on the MBA now (with 250gb free space). I could easily fill that up with other stuff that I currently have archived on external drives.

In the past, user upgrades to the SSD never seemed cost effective to me, the OWC 500GB SSD has been very pricey. That's one reason I replaced my 2011 256gb MBA with a 2013 512gb MBA.
 
psik said:
While I agree with you 100%, the question is how will that 8 GB be in 3-4 years. I like to keep my piece of technology for 5+ years, and I wouldn't mind paying an extra 100ish dollars to have that ability. Of course what you buy today with the most maxed out setting will run well, but I am asking for the sake of long-term usability of it.

----------
Click to expand...

Same point I'm looking at with Air and have read comment after comment that 8 gig should be fine for now a down the road. I do not want to get in the habit of buying a new MBP or what ever model every year or two years down the road, I'd like to keep it for as long as it's running or is not cost effective to fix something in it. I've been using the 13" MBA Maxed out for over a week, running a VM, watching a college course online and writing code at the same time, also wireless connection, according to the activity monitor last night I was at 7.53GB being used, I doubt I'm reading that incorrectly but it raised an eyebrow for sure. How often am I going to be running a VM I don't know at all. I'm not programming full time, but down the road I maybe. Have to weigh out the pro's and con's

Why is your concern greater with respect to SSD? After all, you can always buy USBs or SD Cards if you need to increase your storage. I think RAM is always more important (compared to SSD at least) for the time-durability of the machine, but storage can always be amended in oen way or another. Am I missing something with respect what you have said though?
Click to expand...
 
Boyd01 said:
I have the 2013 i7/8gb/512gb 11" MBA. I run software like Final Cut Pro and Logic Pro and so far haven't felt the need for more RAM. Actually, they ran fine on my 2011 MBA in 4gb RAM. I like to buy the max spec machine, so I might go with 16gb if it were available, but not sure if I would find it cost effective.

I would definitely buy the biggest SSD available though, 1TB would be great. I like having EVERYTHING on this little machine wherever I go. Have been ripping my DVD collection and have 70 full length movies on the MBA now (with 250gb free space). I could easily fill that up with other stuff that I currently have archived on external drives.

In the past, user upgrades to the SSD never seemed cost effective to me, the OWC 500GB SSD has been very pricey. That's one reason I replaced my 2011 256gb MBA with a 2013 512gb MBA.
Click to expand...

Again I think hard disk space does not necessarily add to performance, it makes things just slightly convenient because u dont have to carry a mini-usb drive with u...

But ram on the other hand, if it's not ever enough will slow thigns down, hard disk problem can always be solved by buying external mini drives or buying a cheaper SSD to replace the stock drive in the laptop.

And I know that your laptop runs fine now, but as I said it obviously does since you have the latest model, I want mine to last 5 years + comfortably...and in my opinion, it is not so much CPU speed these days that is the problem as your laptop gets old, but the memory which if there is not enough of it and u can't replace..you are screwed

This is why I am hoping we get that choice, I guess we'll in a couple of months...
 
psik said:
Again I think hard disk space does not necessarily add to performance, it makes things just slightly convenient because u dont have to carry a mini-usb drive
Click to expand...

Ironically, this is not really true with the MBA. The 512gb SSD is substantially faster. I get 700MB/s write and more than 700MB/s read vs something like 250 or 300 MB/s on the 128gb SSD. For applications that do a lot of disk writing (audio/video editing) this could be significant. And if you do get in a situation where the computer is paging, it should be less noticeable.

I'm sure there was some swapping occuring on my old 4GB MBA, but I was never aware of it due to the SSD. It was a huge performance bump from my 4GB 2008 MBP core2 duo and spinning hard disk. :)

Like I said, I tend to buy the maximum spec anyway. But if 16gb had been available last summer when I got the MBA, not sure I would have gone for it. My configuration was already pretty expensive ($1700 IIRC). But I did not buy a 2013 based on specs I might need in 2017. If I have justification for a bigger/better/faster machine in a few years, I'll get one. I'm typically on about a 3 year upgrade cycle.
 
Boyd01 said:
Ironically, this is not really true with the MBA. The 512gb SSD is substantially faster. I get 700MB/s write and more than 700MB/s read vs something like 250 or 300 MB/s on the 128gb SSD. For applications that do a lot of disk writing (audio/video editing) this could be significant. And if you do get in a situation where the computer is paging, it should be less noticeable.

I'm sure there was some swapping occuring on my old 4GB MBA, but I was never aware of it due to the SSD. It was a huge performance bump from my 4GB 2008 MBP core2 duo and spinning hard disk. :)

Like I said, I tend to buy the maximum spec anyway. But if 16gb had been available last summer when I got the MBA, not sure I would have gone for it. My configuration was already pretty expensive ($1700 IIRC). But I did not buy a 2013 based on specs I might need in 2017. If I have justification for a bigger/better/faster machine in a few years, I'll get one. I'm typically on about a 3 year upgrade cycle.
Click to expand...

Thanks, didn't know a larger SSD could make such a difference!
 
psik said:
Thanks, didn't know a larger SSD could make such a difference!
Click to expand...

If Apple reduces the weight of the next generation MBA or makes it thinner, I doubt there will be anything but 4G or 8G RAM options.

(It sure would be awesome, though, if 16G was an option. I'd pay $500 for it).
 
psik said:
I want mine to last 5 years + comfortably
Click to expand...


Maybe Apple doesn't have the incentive for you to keep the hardware that long. ;)


I have no speculation whatsoever. We will buy what Apple sells us, else go Wintel. :eek:
 
psik said:
Hey,

Since the technological breakthrough to fit the 16 gb memory in the mbp has become a reality as a result of smaller chip sizes, does anyone believe that 16 gb of memory has any chance of making it to the upcoming Macbook Air?
I know many of you will say that 8 GB is more than enough, and that is true. But I think for long-term usage ram is more crucial than anything. Currently I have a 2006 32bit mac that I am typing from, and the CPU is good enough to run apps such as word and firefox and watch movies from the hardrive or via streaming, say on netflix, but it is the 2 GB ram limitation that is the problem. So I want to get the max amount of ram possible with MBA as i keep my stuff for a long time.
Click to expand...


I don't think we really need much past 8GB at the moment. I have a late 2012 4GB model and it's running photoshop, illustrator, keynote, garageband, iMovie plus 15+ tabs in Safari very smoothly.
 
szw-mapple fan said:
I don't think we really need much past 8GB at the moment. I have a late 2012 4GB model and it's running photoshop, illustrator, keynote, garageband, iMovie plus 15+ tabs in Safari very smoothly.
Click to expand...

I agree. 4gb is plenty.
I am pretty sure that apple will keep at least the lowest mba 2014 at 4gb.
After all thats what they did with the rmbp haswell.
They will give the option to upgrade to 8gb and they just might give the option for 16gb.
They will sacrifice ram for other features like a retina screen.

----------
Boyd01 said:
I have the 2013 i7/8gb/512gb 11" MBA. I run software like Final Cut Pro and Logic Pro and so far haven't felt the need for more RAM. Actually, they ran fine on my 2011 MBA in 4gb RAM. I like to buy the max spec machine, so I might go with 16gb if it were available, but not sure if I would find it cost effective.
Click to expand...

I can second that experience. The macs in my home are well used and they all run 4gigs.
Only my rmbp has 8gb and i dont even need that.
No problems with any of them.
 
Meister said:
I agree. 4gb is plenty.
I am pretty sure that apple will keep at least the lowest mba 2014 at 4gb.
After all thats what they did with the rmbp haswell.
They will give the option to upgrade to 8gb and they just might give the option for 16gb.
They will sacrifice ram for other features like a retina screen.

----------



I can second that experience. The macs in my home are well used and they all run 4gigs.
Only my rmbp has 8gb and i dont even need that.
No problems with any of them.
Click to expand...



From the comments here I sense that 16 GB will only actually become necessarily and VERY useful more in 4-5 years down the line...
 
psik said:
From the comments here I sense that 16 GB will only actually become necessarily and VERY useful more in 4-5 years down the line...
Click to expand...

I wanted to reply something more or less witty but i cant completely figure out the meaning of this sentence.
 
Meister said:
I wanted to reply something more or less witty but i cant completely figure out the meaning of this sentence.
Click to expand...

Lol, me neither :p
I guess each time has a standard though right, more or less? Like now people may recommend at least 4 and then 8 gb for optimal performance for an average user, maybe 5 to 6 years down the road it will become 8 and 16, if that makes any more sense!
 
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