Apple’s first M1 Macs were game-changers in 2020. With impressive battery life and powerful performance, these computers are still a great option in 2024. However, there’s a main issue that affects mainly the MacBook, which is the little RAM offered at entry-level price points.
At least since 2012, the 8GB RAM option has been the standard for MacBook models. With the release of the M3 MacBook Air, Apple even reiterated that it thinks 8GB of RAM is enough, compared to 16GB of RAM in comparable Windows devices.
Here’s what Apple marketing executive Bob Borchers said not too long again during a YouTube interview with Lin Yi:
Comparing our memory to other system’s memory actually isn’t equivalent. Because of the fact that we have such an efficient use of memory, and we use memory compression. We also have a unified memory architecture. Actually 8GB on an M3 MacBook Pro is probably analogous to 16GB on other systems. We just happen to use it much more efficiently.
And so what I would say is, I would have people come in and try what they want to do on their systems. I think they will see incredible performance. If you look at the raw data and if you look at the raw capabilities of these systems, it really is phenomenal. And this is a place where I think people need to see beyond the specs and actually go and look at the capabilities.
And listen to trusted people like you who actually use the systems and can say that it’s not about if it should be 8 or some other number. And really look at the capabilities. And how efficiently we take advantage of that memory and I think you’ll find that an M3 system is especially capable. And for aspiring pros and many other people, it’s a great system for them to use.
Fortunately, this seems about to change, as Bloomberg‘s Mark Gurman reports that Apple is testing four M4 models equipped with 16GB or 32GB of unified memory.
Since the company is expected to introduce a few new Macs later this year, this could mean Cupertino is about to ditch the 8GB RAM versions to 16. For now, this would mean that the Mac mini, the iMac, and the MacBook Pro could soon start with at least 16GB of RAM. Ultimately, that would expand to the MacBook Air, which is expected to be released early next year.
One reason Apple might decide to make this change is the upcoming Apple Intelligence platform. More RAM means the computer can perform more tasks at the same time, and AI features are very demanding.
It’s unclear if Apple will increase prices at this moment. If not, this would be a huge win for customers, as they currently have to pay an extra $200 to get improved memory specs. In addition, if Apple keeps prices unchanged, it could even help users choose their new Macs more easily. After all, if you plan to buy a MacBook Air, it can easily cost the same as a MacBook Pro if you spec up just a bit of the RAM and storage. However, for the same money, getting a MacBook Pro would be smarter.
Below, you can learn more about when to expect new M4 Macs.
