Zayed Rehman on October 30, 2024, 4:45 pm

M2/M3 MacBook Air Now Comes With 16GB RAM As Standard

Apple has announced that the baseline MacBook Air now features 16GB of RAM giving the machine a serious performance boost.

This bump up to 16GB from 8GB is true for both the 13-inch M2 and M3 models, as well as the 15-inch M3 model, matching the specs of other new Apple computers. And the best part? The price remains the same, starting at $999.

Across the board, Apple has upped the RAM game for all MacBook Air configurations, including the top-of-the-line 15-inch M3 model, which now maxes out at 24GB. That’s a significant upgrade from the previous 16GB.

This move brings Apple’s entry-level laptop more in line with the competition and marks a shift away from the 8GB tier. It’s worth noting that Apple made a similar move back in 2016, phasing out the 4GB option.

The new iMacs, Mac Mini, and MacBook Pros all start at 16GB now, and with the existing Mac Studio and Mac Pro models already boasting high RAM, it seems the 8GB tier is a thing of the past.

So, what’s driving this RAM boost? It’s likely due to the increasing importance of Apple Intelligence, which relies heavily on RAM to function smoothly. While 8GB might be sufficient for iPhones, 16GB is the new minimum for macOS devices.