My new MacBook Air m2 - 8gb is great

[Agincourt]

The 8 GB model isn't the most popular as to suggest that's what most customers want, it's because upgrades are so outrageously expensive that few are willing to pay $400 more for a meager 8 GB RAM extra. If Apple increased the base specs without increasing the price the turnover rate of 16 GB models would be much higher than it presently is. As it is the MBP 15 equipped with 16 GB RAM costs far too much at $1500 USD and the specs of the 8 GB model are so underwhelming that it's routinely on sale for $200+ discount.

If this model is so popular why must retailers consistently put them on sale?

 

[raythompsontn]

It’s very rare retailers having BTO options for sale on their shelf.

I would wager that retailers never have BTO options on their website. They stock what they think is going to sell, what they think is popular. When those decisions prove to not be as optimum as the retailer thought, the retailer has a sale.

The point is that systems beyond the base configuration can be found, at a sale price. Yes, a specific color may be non-existent in the configuration desired, but that, in my opinion, is trivial. Color has never affected performance or usefulness, both top metrics for choosing a particular system.

which means you're paying $400 more than anyone else for a simple addition of 8 GB RAM

Almost all product sales work that way. Have you not purchased a NEW vehicle lately? The games played in that venue make Apple sales pale in comparison. It is not just Apple, it is the retail game, played by all vendors.

And it still stands if people don't like what Apple is doing they are free to take their business elsewhere. There is nothing magical about Apple's products that force people to use their products to get a task accomplished. Photoshop, Lightroom, MS Office, all run the same on Macs and Windows. With very few exceptions any app on a Mac or Windows will be available on the opposing platform.

 

[raythompsontn]

few are willing to pay $400 more for a meager 8 GB RAM extra

I wouldn't be willing either since the upgrade from 8 GB to 16 GB is $200.00, not $400. Yeh, I know, you factor in sales. But truth be told when the devices are on sale, I can easily find 16 GB models that are, well, let's see, only $200.00 more for the additional memory as those devices are also on sale.

Your argument about the cost of and additional 8 GB being twice what it actually is, well, factually incorrect.

 

[Agincourt]

It's already been stated that sales often don't apply to the 16 GB models, or that the sales are reduced. I personally encountered a Best Buy sale which resulted in a $250 markup due to sales, but a few here have noted that sales most often applied only to the 8 GB RAM models. It's not universally true for everything everywhere but I'd be hard pressed to find a sale on 16 GB models which don't apply to the 8 GB models... or Apple promoting free RAM upgrade sales which don't involve also marking down the 8 GB models. Hence you can't get 16 GB without paying Apple's absurd $200 USD fee or going with a higher end model, which is already several hundred $ more to begin with.

Say that a store has a sale on RAM upgrades for only $50 USD instead of $200, and where the base model isn't discounted accordingly... I wouldn't be surprised if more customers would pay a more reasonable price for a desperately needed upgrade. Remember that 8 GB was the standard a decade ago and since built-in RAM Apple has been lagging way behind their competitors. Whether it's needed or not isn't the question, it's simply a matter that RAM is so cheap that Apple might as well just set the base model to 16 and 512 GB to justify being more expensive than the competition.

 

[AJB1971]

It’s very difficult, if not impossible, to find retailers who offer non-standard configurations in a lot of countries. The only option is to buy directly from Apple, which makes the real-world cost of upgrading greater because you are comparing discounted prices against full retail prices.

Apple, or more specifically, the Apple Store, never discounts new products, from what I have seen. We know that some manufacturers offer retailers discounts or incentives to move inventory. Given the level of discounting we're seeing on some products, it wouldn't surprise me if Apple were doing the same.

In the UK, we've already seen enterprise customers being offered free upgrades to 16GB of RAM on the new M3 MacBook Pros. This deal was being offered by all of the authorised Apple resellers that I checked, which indicates that the promotion is being backed by Apple. It could suggest that buyers think the new model is underspecced, overpriced, or both.

 

[ric22]

just because I think it takes resources. I prefer to have apps that are natively programmed

What resources are you worried it'll consume? (Don't say RAM 😉 )

 

[ric22]

You're completely full of ****. Windows is terrible and doesn't integrate with the other Apple products I own. I've been buying Macs since the early 1990s, my man.


Yeah, at the same time the entry level MacBook has been about $1000 for well over a decade. Mac prices have basically plummeted when you factor in inflation. The $200 you're all whinging endlessly about is really not very much money for RAM that's integrated right onto the SOC, but that's not going to stop your whining, I'm sure The entry-level 8GB configuration is very very usable for a lot of people. The rest of this is just noise.

Dumping Intel and using chips based off the designs for iPhones and iPads saves a ton of money, remember...

 

[Mainsail]

12 pages of comments just because the OP posted that are happy with their base M2 MBA. My gosh, why is this so controversial or surprising? Apple sells millions of these computers to satisfied customers.

 

[6749974]

Retailers order what sells, the most popular models. I doubt Apple is forcing those models on retailers. Retailers having sales are to move excess inventory and in the process take reduced profit. As for me I get a veteran discount from Apple which always exceeds sales from retailers.

B&H Photo has the 16 GB Air for $200.00 off. A person can find sales on configurations beyond the base configuration if they know where to look. No need to visit Apple.com.

Why do you keep missing the point, to argue the exception?

If you apply and become an Apple Retail Partner, you know there are strict rules to being a partner, and selling the default models is part of that.

Yes, there are some places you can find a 16 GB model, but its far and few between. You and I are Mac enthusiasts and nerds, but 99% of Mac buys have never heard of B&H photo and are buying their Macs from Apple.com or a popular retail stores that don't carry any 16 GB model. (By the way, B&H does not allow returns on computers; they might be a terrible place to buy laptops from but thats a separate topic)

 

[6749974]

Almost all product sales work that way. Have you not purchased a NEW vehicle lately? The games played in that venue make Apple sales pale in comparison. It is not just Apple, it is the retail game, played by all vendors.

And it still stands if people don't like what Apple is doing they are free to take their business elsewhere. There is nothing magical about Apple's products that force people to use their products to get a task accomplished. Photoshop, Lightroom, MS Office, all run the same on Macs and Windows. With very few exceptions any app on a Mac or Windows will be available on the opposing platform.

I'm simply explaining a core reason why some people are strongly annoyed with this 8 GB RAM issue. Ignore reason if you wish. Whataboutisms don't win debates or change minds.

The "if you don't like it, buy Windows" argument needs to be banned here. Its so tired and false. People are allowed to love Macs while criticizing an unfavorable aspect of the buying process; just as people are allowed to love their country while advocating for improvements.

 

[iHorseHead]

It’s very difficult, if not impossible, to find retailers who offer non-standard configurations in a lot of countries. The only option is to buy directly from Apple, which makes the real-world cost of upgrading greater because you are comparing discounted prices against full retail prices.

Apple, or more specifically, the Apple Store, never discounts new products, from what I have seen. We know that some manufacturers offer retailers discounts or incentives to move inventory. Given the level of discounting we're seeing on some products, it wouldn't surprise me if Apple were doing the same.

In the UK, we've already seen enterprise customers being offered free upgrades to 16GB of RAM on the new M3 MacBook Pros. This deal was being offered by all of the authorised Apple resellers that I checked, which indicates that the promotion is being backed by Apple. It could suggest that buyers think the new model is underspecced, overpriced, or both.

THANK YOU!
I really needed a new laptop, so I went with M1 MacBook Air. They didn't have 16GB anywhere and I even struggled to find the 8GB one back when it was new. I think more people here should understand that and you can only buy from a reseller in my country, not directly from Apple.

 

[ric22]

Yes, Apple does. I got my 16 GB Air at the Apple Store two hours after I ordered. It was in stock. Amazing!

I think you missed his point- base spec models are always available discounted, while higher spec models are discounted much less frequently.

 

[ric22]

I wouldn't be willing either since the upgrade from 8 GB to 16 GB is $200.00, not $400. Yeh, I know, you factor in sales. But truth be told when the devices are on sale, I can easily find 16 GB models that are, well, let's see, only $200.00 more for the additional memory as those devices are also on sale.

Your argument about the cost of and additional 8 GB being twice what it actually is, well, factually incorrect.

Uh, it is for all intents and purposes $400, because the base models are always available at a $200 discount...

 

[ric22]

12 pages of comments just because the OP posted that are happy with their base M2 MBA. My gosh, why is this so controversial or surprising? Apple sells millions of these computers to satisfied customers.

It caught the attention of a bunch of us because the title. 8GB RAM base with stupidly pricey upgrades is known by anyone that posts on Mac forums or follows tech industry news to be an increasingly controversial topic. OP was undoubtedly aware of the hornets nest he was poking. If he had said "8GB is great for my needs" in the title, it wouldn't have drawn an ounce of attention...

As it is, it reads like an embarrassing advert for Apple, when as a premium company that sell premium products a lot of us feel they shouldn't be nickel and diming us over components that have little monetary value in 2024. It's exactly the same as someone creating another thread titled "256GB storage is more than enough."

 

[geta]

12 pages of comments just because the OP posted that are happy with their base M2 MBA. My gosh, why is this so controversial or surprising? Apple sells millions of these computers to satisfied customers.

Because happy people are overrated around here.

 

[JiggyJaggy]

got to admit I love my M2 MBA. 8gb defo does the job when it comes to daily tasks and multiple Safari tabs etc.

 

[raythompsontn]

You and I are Mac enthusiasts and nerds

Actually I am not and your assertion that I am should never had been stated. You are again are stating something of which you have no knowledge.

 

[raythompsontn]

while higher spec models are discounted much less frequently.

B&H along with Best Buy currently have sales on higher spec models.

 

[raythompsontn]

because the base models are always available at a $200 discount.

And there are higher spec models available at a discount. Your analysis is still flawed. If you don’t think so I give you this:

President's Day deals drop the M2 MacBook Air with 16GB RAM to $1,099

Numerous Apple MacBook Air configurations with an upgrade to 16GB or 24GB of memory are $200 off at B&H Photo.

appleinsider.com

 

[6749974]

You and I are Mac enthusiasts and nerds, but 99% of Mac buys have never heard of B&H photo and are buying their Macs from Apple.com or a popular retail stores that don't carry any 16 GB model.

Actually I am not and your assertion that I am should never had been stated. You are again are stating something of which you have no knowledge.

You and I are arguing about Macs and RAM… in a forum specifically reserved for discussing Macs with fellow Mac enthusiasts… a forum named MacRumors.

No need to be offended. I’m not claiming you’re a Mac-only enthusiast. Im simply saying you and I know more than the average person looking to buy a Mac.

Why is that so offensive? I’ll take it back If what im saying is truly foul, I just don’t get why it would be.

 

[ignatius345]

12 pages of comments just because the OP posted that are happy with their base M2 MBA. My gosh, why is this so controversial or surprising? Apple sells millions of these computers to satisfied customers.

Shhhh. Don't introduce logic. People are busy whining.

 

[ric22]

B&H along with Best Buy currently have sales on higher spec models.

Well, thanks for that... conclusive worldwide proof regarding the frequency of discounts. 👌🏼😉

 

[6749974]

B&H along with Best Buy currently have sales on higher spec models.

And there are higher spec models available at a discount. Your analysis is still flawed. If you don’t think so I give you this:

President's Day deals drop the M2 MacBook Air with 16GB RAM to $1,099

Numerous Apple MacBook Air configurations with an upgrade to 16GB or 24GB of memory are $200 off at B&H Photo.

appleinsider.com

Today, Susan Jones walks into a Best Buy to secretly buy her son a MacBook Air.

• Can she walk out with an 8/256 or 8/512 model? YES
• Can she walk out with a 16 GB model? NO

Best Buy only has one config, it's online-only, and it's not as commonly on sale as the 8/256 and 8/512—and they are out of stock quite often— so it doesn't resolve the issue.

B&HPhoto are a better exception but they don't accept returns, they are online-only (except for NYC location), and most buyers don't know about it (they are niche to mostly photo, video people).

Not to mention Macs are used worldwide; so what about Canada, Mexico, Qatar, India, Australia, Hong Kong, Italy, Columbia, Brazil, Chile and so on?

The point stands: if Apple doesn't make the 16 GB model a default in their Apple Retail Partner program, common buyers AROUND THE WORLD won't have access to 16 GB models in normal retail settings, nor knowledge of any 16 GB models on sale—and so will instead be paying up to $400 more than 8 GB model buyers.

If you go on reddit.com, most people posting about their 16 GB Air paid full price.

 

[eltoslightfoot]

Today, Susan Jones walks into a Best Buy to secretly buy her son a MacBook Air.

• Can she walk out with an 8/256 or 8/512 model? YES
• Can she walk out with a 16 GB model? NO

Best Buy only has one config, it's online-only, and it's not as commonly on sale as the 8/256 and 8/512—and they are out of stock quite often— so it doesn't resolve the issue.

B&HPhoto are a better exception but they don't accept returns, they are online-only (except for NYC location), and most buyers don't know about it (they are niche to mostly photo, video people).

Not to mention Macs are used worldwide; so what about Canada, Mexico, Qatar, India, Australia, Hong Kong, Italy, Columbia, Brazil, Chile and so on?

The point stands: if Apple doesn't make the 16 GB model a default in their Apple Retail Partner program, common buyers AROUND THE WORLD won't have access to 16 GB models in normal retail settings, nor knowledge of any 16 GB models on sale—and so will instead be paying up to $400 more than 8 GB model buyers.

If you go on reddit.com, most people posting about their 16 GB Air paid full price.

Which is why I would go to swappa.com and get their 16GB at less than full price. But you are correct in all of this. Just because I can get by with 8 GB of ram, those who can't have this problem. And 16 GB of ram would also work just fine for those of us that get by with 8. So making 16GB the new baseline would benefit everyone.

 

[raythompsontn]

if Apple doesn't make the 16 GB model a default in their Apple Retail Partner program, common buyers AROUND THE WORLD won't have access to 16 GB models in normal retail settings, nor knowledge of any 16 GB models on sale—and so will instead be paying up to $400 more than 8 GB model buyers.

I would assert that "common buyers" don't need and don't care about the upgrades. They want a system that will do web browsing, email, the occasional Pages document or Numbers spreadsheet. Maybe edit a few photographs. Common buyers are not heavy users. The existence, or need, for more than 8 GB or extended storage is just not relevant for "common buyers".

I still see Windows systems selling with 4 GB of ram and they work just fine for the intended use. The fantasies about increased memory are not relevant. Real world is what matters.

I ran Photoshop and Lightroom on a minimum spec M1 Air for about a year. It worked just fine. Only reason I upgraded to the M2 Air was for the additional USB-C ports when charging as the M1 used a USB-C port to charge. I opted for increased storage and memory as my 20% discount, plus the trade that was offered, made it a no-brainer.