Apple Increases Base RAM to 16GB Across Entire Mac Lineup, Signaling End of the 8GB RAM Era of Macs

In the recent Apple upgrade announcement to its iMac, Mac mini, and MacBook Pro models, there was a clear upgrade that is common with all the new devices—each now includes a minimum of 16GB of RAM.

This upgrade means that the entire Mac lineup, including the MacBook Air, now starts at 16GB of RAM.

The upgrade comes at no additional cost to customers as the prices of Apple’s new slate of devices are largely the same.

Many entry-level models, including the iMac, Mac mini, and MacBook Air, previously came with just 8GB of RAM, leading to some criticism from users.

Over recent years, some Apple has received backlash over their decision to retain the 8GB baseline for their Mac devices, especially as high-performance tasks became more common.

In an attempt to counter the criticism last year, an Apple marketing team member argued that 8GB of RAM in Apple’s Mac lineup was comparable to 16GB in Windows PCs, the reasoning being the efficiency of Apple’s unified memory system in M-series chips, which is engineered to work differently than traditional memory setups.

However, Apple’s latest move is likely to address customer concerns and eliminate any hesitation related to performance limitations with lower RAM configurations.

But hey, for consumers, this is a win.

The latest upgrades add to Apple’s already premium offerings, as the high-powered Mac Studio and Mac Pro already include larger RAM options at the baseline, starting at 32GB and 64GB respectively. (GFB)