2024-03-16 15:00:00
At the beginning of last week, the Apple finally released the 13-inch and 15-inch MacBook Air as chip M3 — processor which, in turn, was introduced with the 14″ MacBook Pro, in October 2023.
Just like Apple’s entry-level professional laptop, the new MacBooks Air resurrected a controversy that has been surrounding the company’s machines for some time: the fact that they only have 8GB of unified memory in its most basic configuration.
In fact, in a world where 16GB is already considered the amount of memory necessary to have a minimally decent experience on a computer, the choice for 8GB really seems questionable, given the high prices charged by the Cupertino giant on its products — and its customizations.
Those who don’t understand much regarding technology and end up bumping into it, may end up feeling (rightly) a little apprehensive regarding purchasing an Apple input machine. But would those 8GB really be impracticalhow many people have painted?
Is 8GB the new 16GB?
Last year, when the aforementioned 14″ MacBook Pro hit the market, Apple’s vice president of worldwide product marketing, Bob Borcherssaid in an interview that Macs’ 8GB of memory is comparable to 16GB on other systems, thanks to macOS optimizations.
Such an explanation, obviously, was not received very well by fans of the brand, who (rightly) were not very happy to learn that they would still have to pay more US$200 (or R$2.000in Brazil), in addition to the original price of the laptop, to purchase a model with a more comfortable amount of memory.
It turns out that Borchers didn’t lie, although the choice for 8GB remains at least… curious. In fact, macOS handles memory in a different way when compared to other operating systems, in addition to having at its disposal all the advantages of the Apple Silicon chip architecture in the unified memory department — which we have already explained tintin by tintin in this article, it is worth noting.
This means that the experience you will have on a Mac with 8GB of memory will probably be different from what you will have (or have had) with a PC with 8GB of RAM. 1Random access memoryor random access memory.. Naturally, 8GB is still 8GB, but you will still have some “fat” to work with more freedom.
Should I avoid the base model?
Unfortunately, upgrading your Mac’s memory is not easy. Since it is directly connected to the processor, you can’t just stick a RAM stick in your computer and go for it. The only way is to pay Apple extra at the time of purchase for more memory.
So, it’s understandable if you’re a bit hesitant regarding buying a Mac. But that in itself shouldn’t be treated as a dealbraker. In fact, the answer really lies in how you plan to use your Mac in your everyday life.
If you intend to use your Mac for more casual tasks, such as browsing the internet, sending emails, using messaging apps and consuming content, the 8GB shouldn’t be a hindrance. And I’ll say more: even if you venture into a heavier task from time to time — like a game or more complex editing software — they still won’t be a problem.
I say this because, whenever I watch a video or read an article regarding a Mac model with 8GB of unified memory, I notice the same story: “If you are only going to use a few tabs at a time in the browser and/or one or two applications in the background, a base model will be enough.” And this has always left me a little confused, as this is not even close to the experience I have with my computer.
A personal account
Allow me to explain better: I have a 13″ MacBook Air (M2) which, as you may already suspect, has 8GB of unified memory.
When I bought it, in the middle of last October, I confess that I was a little worried regarding the amount of memory on board, already imagining that I would have to return it and pay some more money to exchange it for a 16GB model. But I ended up surprising myself: I work daily with multiple apps open in the background and, sometimes, dozens of tabs open in the browser. Even so, I never noticed a single hitch from my Mac — something I definitely can’t say regarding my old Windows PC, which also had 8GB of RAM.
As Apple Silicon chips gave new life to Apple computers, nowadays, even an entry-level MacBook Air can do more complex things without much effort, such as editing a 4K video. A more expensive computer should only be considered, in the humble opinion of those speaking to you, if you perform these tasks quite frequently, as greater processing power (and a greater amount of memory) generally translates into slightly shorter sessions of work.
I know everyone can have different experiences with their Macs, but I think it’s safe to say that if you have one workflow Similar to mine (that is, from a person who is not exactly a casual user, but also not a Pro user), you don’t need to worry so much regarding the amount of memory on your computer. This way, you can end up not only avoiding some headaches, but also saving a lot of money. 🤑
Conclusion
Don’t get me wrong — none of what I said above was to defend the hardbread from Apple. Quite the opposite: it might certainly have already increased the minimum amount of unified memory available in its most basic Macs, especially in the case of the 14″ MacBook Pro with the M3 chip — following all, we are talking (theoretically) regarding a machine professionaltime.
The idea here is to calm the hearts of those who are in doubt whether or not to buy the base version of a Mac because they don’t want to spend a lot more money on a computer and those who have already made their choice, but are still a little afraid.
No matter which of these two situations applies to you, know that a modern Mac with 8GB of unified memory is far from being the completely unusable thing that many people say it is. In fact, we’re talking regarding very capable machines that can still meet the needs of the vast majority of people — which may (or may not) include you.
However, if you can invest in a 16GB model, in addition to getting a machine with enough memory for everyday use today, it will guarantee even greater longevity for it. Without a doubt, it is ideal.
Price in installments: from R$23,999.00 in up to 12 installments
Cores: space black, space gray or silver
Chips: M3 (8 core CPU; 10 core GPU), M3 Pro (11 or 12 core CPU; 14 or 18 core GPU) or M3 Max (14 or 16 core CPU; 30 or 40 core GPU)
Memory: 8GB, 18GB, 36GB, 48GB, 64GB, 96GB ou 128GB
Storage: 512GB, 1TB, 2TB, 4TB ou 8TB
Energy Adapter: 70W, 96W or 140W
Price in installments: from R$10,999.00 in up to 12 installments
Cores: midnight, stellar, space gray or silver
Chip: M2 (8 core CPU; 8 or 10 core GPU) or M3 (8 core CPU; 8 or 10 core GPU)
Memory: 8GB, 16GB ou 24GB
Storage: 256GB, 512GB, 1TB or 2TB
Energy Adapter: 30W, 35W (two ports) or 70W
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Footnotes
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#8GB #unified #memory #Mac
