8GB vs 16GB MacBook – Does It Actually Matter?

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Need-to-knows

• An 8GB MacBook Pro is perfectly suitable for most people’s needs
• If you have the extra money, going for 16GB is optimal for future-proofing
• As a rule of thumb, the more unified memory you can afford the better!

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It’s hard to believe that two numbers kickstarted my career as a tech content creator.

The 8GB vs 16GB Mac buying decision became harder than it ever had been with the introduction of Apple silicon in 2020. Suddenly, everything we knew about RAM (it’s not even called that anymore, according to Apple) had changed. What was once a measly 8GB of memory was suddenly capable of far greater feats.

Despite this, the arrogance surrounding base model memory configurations remained. In some ways, it intensified.

How dare Apple sell such expensive laptops with only 8GB of memory? You’re a fool if you don’t get at least 16GB. Don’t you realise that all of that swapping is going to destroy the SSD?

I’ve been using an 8GB MacBook Air (in various forms) to run this business since 2020, and it has been a flawless decision. And, no, I’ve never run out of memory, and my SSDs are absolutely fine, thank you very much.

But now it has all changed again. The new M4 MacBook Pro was released in November 2024 with 16GB of unified memory as a minimum. There is no more 8GB MacBook Pro if you’re buying new.

So let’s dive in and ask that all-important question: should you buy an 8GB or 16GB M3 MacBook? Or is it just worth going for the latest 16GB M4 MacBook Pro/waiting for the 16GB M4 MacBook Air?

8GB vs 16GB: why does it matter?

We do live in a different era when it comes to Mac memory, despite what some people might tell you. This is both a good and a bad thing.

People hold onto their Macs for a long time. This has always been the case, but it means that the buying process is dominated by the thought that one could make the wrong decision and end up with something that won’t last very long at all.

Mac buyers also think about resale value – possibly more so than those who opt for Windows machines. Macs have, by and large, always retained a lot of their value, which makes trading them in or selling them privately a key consideration for a lot of owners. The amount of memory in your Mac can have a considerable impact on that resale value – it is, after all, one of the main elements that dictates future-proofing.

However, there’s also such a thing as too much headroom. Why opt for 16GB or 24GB in your M3 MacBook Air if you have absolutely no need for it? That’s wasted money, right? Although, on the flip side of the coin is the fact that choosing insufficient unified memory can result in a frustrating user experience, depending on your use case.

Oh, and let’s not beat around the bush – $200/£200 (the price Apple charges for a memory upgrade) is a lot of money.

See? It’s tricky, isn’t it?

Until today. Hopefully.

My experience switching to the 16GB M3 MacBook Air

A few weeks ago, Apple sent me a 16GB 15-inch M3 MacBook Air for review. I decided to switch to it for a few days from my 8GB M2 version to see if there was any noticeable improvement in performance, based on my use case.

I’ve never used the 16GB MacBook Air in anger, beyond some rudimentary testing for my reviews, so this is about as close to a Mark Ellis Reviews benchmark as you’re ever going to get.

As stated in my 15-inch M2 MacBook Air review, my use case is really straightforward. I use it to write (these days, while connected to Vision Pro for complete immersion and focus), send emails, undertake Zoom calls, keep in touch with the team on Slack, and for web browsing.

That’s it, and I haven’t modified or added to those tasks since switching to this 16GB version. I performed a like-for-like swap, too, by using the macOS Migration Assistant.

Is there a difference? Not really. It possibly feels a little bit snappier, but that might just be a placebo effect. The only area in which I have noticed an upgrade is when viewing ad-heavy web pages – this 16GB M3 MacBook Air doesn’t crawl to a halt if I fire up one of those sites in Safari. That’s rather nice for someone who references a lot of websites like that, and, well, who has one of his own.

I’m acutely aware that the version of the M3 MacBook Air on which I’m currently bashing out this post is also probably far more capable of video editing than my base model M2 version. That’s a nice thought, should my MacBook Pro suffer a catastrophic failure.

Neither of those things is tempting me to upgrade, though.

Who is the 8GB MacBook for?

Remember my use case for the MacBook Air – I consider this to be ’normal’ use. It’s about as regular as it comes, and doesn’t call on the considerable reserves of Apple silicon power. I have a sneaking suspicion that most MacBook Air users fall into that camp.

If your use case is similar to mine and your budget cannot stretch any further than the base model 8GB MacBook Air (or if you just don’t want to spend any more money on a laptop), then you’re making the right buying decision.

Similarly, if you’re not too fussed about resale value (that’s fine, by the way) and accept that if you keep your MacBook Air for a long time it’ll eventually slow down a bit, once again, you’re making the right buying decision. Don’t let anyone tell you otherwise.

I think the 8GB M3 MacBook Air is also a great shout for bulk buyers. If you’ve got a team of people whose laptop duties match the normal use case I’ve illustrated today, and you want to invest your budget wisely – go for the base model.

Who is the 16GB MacBook for?

While I stand firm by my belief that the 8GB M3 MacBook Air is right for a significant portion of the user base, I think the majority of people who are buying a MacBook Air can stretch their budget a little.

As noted, £200 is a lot of money, but it isn’t a lot of money when you consider what it delivers in return: peace of mind.

The fact you’re reading this blog post suggests that you’re batting back and forth between 8GB vs 16GB. And if you’re doing that, I strongly suggest you go for the latter, whether you’re a ‘normal’ user or not.

Adding more unified memory remains the most sensible upgrade option if you can add some more money into your MacBook pot. Beyond the peace of mind it delivers, you’ll also have more headroom if you one day decide to get really creative with your laptop, and it ensures you’ll gain even more life out of it as the capabilities of macOS and the app universe expands.

For me, the sweet spot spec for the M3 MacBook Air (and any base-level MacBook for that matter) is the 16GB version with 1TB of storage. New, that comes in at $1,699/£1,699 for the 13-inch version, and $1,899/£1,899 for the 15-inch version. No, these aren’t cheap laptops, but they’re not supposed to be – and the value they deliver proves that’s the case.

M2 or M3 MacBook Air?

A quick note on the other buying decision I suspect a lot of you are currently navigating: should you go for the M2 or M3 MacBook Air?

The 13-inch M2 MacBook Air is now the entry-level option. You can upgrade the memory and storage, but once you start doing that, you begin creeping into M3 territory, which makes that a highly questionable buying decision.

More importantly, the base model M3 MacBook Air has been confirmed to have two NAND storage chips. If you weren’t aware, the base model M2 MacBook Air only has one, which was a departure from the setup in the M1 version and consequently resulted in a performance deficit.

Apple has, thankfully, seen the light, and listened to the market. We’re back in dual-NAND chip territory, and that means the base model M2 MacBook Air (despite the savings) isn’t a good buy. Equally, the M3 version also includes better Wi-Fi and the ability to drive two external monitors in clamshell mode.

Trust me, folks – M3 is the way to go.

What about the 16GB M4 MacBooks?

We now have a new set of Apple Silicon devices using the M4 chip. So far, the MacBook Air hasn’t been upgraded to the M4, but we can assume this update will be coming around February 2025 to complete the M4 Mac lineup.

If Apple replicates the move to remove 8GB of unified memory as the entry-level option in MacBook Pros in the new MacBook Airs (and there’s no reason why they won’t), then that makes this debate a lot simpler.

If you are buying a new M4 MacBook Pro from Apple then you will be getting 16GB of memory for the same price as the M3 MacBook Pro that was released with 8GB. Not only is that a great deal for you, but it also makes buying an old model harder to justify.

Unless you are getting a really huge saving on an 8GB M3 MacBook Pro from a third-party retailer, then it makes total sense to just pay the extra for the 16GB M4 MacBook Pro.

I said above that most users will be ok with 8GB of unified memory. Well, it follows that they will certainly be fine with 16GB. Therefore the entry-level 16GB model now covers an even broader range of the market. I’d still give the same advice as above though, only now that means if you can afford to go up to 24GB on an M4 MacBook from 16GB, then go for it!

What about the MacBook Air? Well, if you’re wondering whether to buy now or wait until the M4 update, then the answer is simple. If you desperately need a new laptop then buy an M3 MacBook Air, preferably with 16GB memory, and you’ll be fine.

But if you can wait, then definitely wait. You will be getting 16GB of memory for the same price as buying an 8GB M3 MacBook Air today.

Wrapping up

When you break this down, the decision between 8GB or 16GB of unified memory if you’re buying an M3 MacBook is actually pretty straightforward.

In summary:

• Go for an 8GB M3 MacBook Air (or Pro) if your budget won’t stretch any further and you have no interest in resale value (there’s nothing wrong with that and it will still last you a long time).
• Go for a 16GB M3 MacBook Air (or Pro) if your budget can stretch a bit and you want as much longevity and resale value as possible.
• And if you can wait a few more months before buying a new Macbook Air then do it. Wait for the 16GB M4 model.
  

Oh, and if you think you need 24GB of unified memory, well, you’re probably not even reading this.