Macs with 8GB of RAM are finally dead: Apple makes 16GB the new standard
In recent years, whenever Apple launched base configurations of Mac devices with 8GB of RAM, the Cupertino-based tech giant faced backlash from consumers arguing that 8GB of memory is simply insufficient for today’s demands.
For example, when Apple outfitted last year's MacBook Pro models with the M3 chip, critics expressed disappointment that the entry-level configuration only offered 8GB of RAM.
"Apple has lost its mind," one Reddit user said.
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When Apple dropped the M3 MacBook Air earlier this year with the same base configuration, it also sparked a spirited discussion on social media about whether 8GB of RAM is enough.
Whether Apple is concerned about support for Apple Intelligence (the new AI suite requires more memory bandwidth) or has actually been listening to critical feedback, it looks like the new batch of M4 MacBook Pro models now start with 16GB of RAM. The same can be said for the new M4 iMac and M4 Mac mini models that dropped this week, too.
The death of Macs with 8GB of RAM
Apple released the new M4 MacBook Pro models on Wednesday, and they all start with a minimum of 16GB of RAM. As mentioned, the recently dropped iMac and Mac mini also start with 16GB of RAM.
Even the MacBook Air family now starts at 16GB of RAM, at no additional cost to consumers.
You know what that means? It's the end of an era.
Last year, Apple’s VP of Worldwide Product Marketing Bob Borchers claimed that “8GB [of RAM] on an M3 MacBook Pro is probably analogous to 16GB on other systems” because its machines make more efficient use of memory through advanced memory compression and a unified memory architecture.
This comment didn't sit well with consumers.
"There is no way that having 8GB RAM will enable you to have the same performance as a machine with 16," Jordan Jackson said in a Reddit thread on the subject.
"8 gigs is an absolute joke if you ever consider doing something harder that a few Chrome tabs," another Redditor added.
As hinted earlier, we're not sure whether Apple Intelligence or customer listening has something to do with Apple's new 16GB of RAM standard, but we're not complaining.
Kimberly Gedeon, at Mashable since 2023, is a tech explorer who enjoys doing deep dives into the most popular gadgets, from the latest iPhones to the most immersive VR headsets. She's drawn to strange, avant-garde, bizarre tech, whether it's a 3D laptop, a gaming rig that can transform into a briefcase, or smart glasses that can capture video. Her journalism career kicked off about a decade ago at MadameNoire where she covered tech and business before landing as a tech editor at Laptop Mag in 2020.
