Summary

  • Apple now sells Mac computers with a minimum of 16GB RAM, finally acknowledging the need for better performance.
  • The upgrade includes existing models and new M4-powered Macs, ensuring a better experience without a price increase.
  • Apple had previously introduced features exclusive to Macs with 16GB of memory.

It's finally happened — after years of charging premium prices for computers with 8GB of RAM, Apple has decided that enough is enough, and as of today, every Mac computer being sold on the company's website has at least 16GB of RAM.

The revolution comes in light of a busy week for the Mac lineup, with the introduction of a new iMac, Mac mini, and MacBook Pro, all powered by the M4 family of chips. All the new models come with at least 16GB of unified memory, but as it turns out, existing models are also getting the upgrade.

👁 A Mac Mini on a desk with cables connected.
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16GB of RAM was long overdue

While computers with 8GB of RAM are usable, it's been clear for years that a premium laptop should not come with less than 16GB of RAM. That's the minimum now for a decent experience with a modern workload. Apple, however, seemed to disagree, with many models, such as the Mac Mini, MacBook Air, and iMac, still starting at 8GB of unified memory. Even when Apple redesigned the MacBook Air and increased its price by $100, it still kept 8GB at the base level. This was all the more egregious considering upgrading to 16GB would cost you an extra $200, well above what you'd pay any other manufacturer.

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By  Ben Sin

Thankfully, that time is finally over, and Apple is actually upgrading all of its lineup to 16GB of unified memory without an accompanying increase in price. That includes all the new M4-based Mac models introduced during this week, but it also extends to the MacBook Air, which hasn't been upgraded to the new chip yet. In fact, both the M3 and M2 MacBook Air models are now available with 16GB of memory by default, and neither model has had its price increased. That means the M2 MacBook Air with 16GB of memory now costs just $999, while the M3 model costs $1,099.

With that, the entire Mac lineup now features at least 16GB of unified memory, though you may still see the 8GB models at some retailers. You'll want to wait for those to be phased out or get a price ciut, since it makes no sense to pay more for a worse experience.

The Mac Studio and Mac Pro already started with 32GB as the minimum, so those remain unchanged. In fact, those PCs are still stuck on M2-series chips, though they still cost the same as they did at launch. If you're interested, you can buy any of the newly-upgraded Macs below.

  • Apple Mac Mini (M4, 2024)

    The 2024 Mac Mini is smaller and more powerful than ever thanks to the M4 chip inside. It still has plenty of ports, including the debut of Thunderbolt 5 support on a Mac.

  • MacBook Pro 14-inch (M4, 2024)
    Operating System
    macOS
    GPU
    Apple Silicon M4
    RAM
    16 GB
    Storage
    512GB
    Display (Size, Resolution)
    14.2 Inches
    Colors
    Space Black

    The new MacBook Pro has upgraded performance courtesy of the M4 family of processors, along with an improved display.

  • Apple iMac M4

    The new M4-based iMacc is more powerful than ever before and retains the convenient all-in-one form factor of its predecessors, with a sleek design and fun colors.