Is 8GB Enough RAM in New Macs? Upgrade Costs and Performance Tradeoffs Explained
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The adequacy of 8GB RAM for Macs is controversial, with Apple still offering it as the base configuration while upgrades are expensive.
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Apple silicon uses system-on-a-chip architecture for better efficiency, but the unified memory cannot be upgraded later.
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8GB RAM works for light tasks like web browsing, but professional workloads may require more RAM to avoid bottlenecks.
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Factoring full costs, a 14-inch M3 MacBook Pro with 16GB RAM is only $200 more than the base 8GB model.
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Less expensive MacBook Air models offer 16GB RAM upgrades for $200 more, but lack some Pro features like HDMI port and mini-LED screen.