Alongside the slate of new Macs that have been revamped with M4 chipsets this week, Apple has also changed the base specs for both the M2 and M3 MacBook Air computers so that both now start with 16GB of RAM instead of 8GB.
This is a huge move that makes both entry-level MacBooks way more appealing. While you could make do with 8GB, whenever you wanted to have a ton of apps open or a few files in a creative program like Photoshop, it would slow the computer down. My M2 MacBook review unit only featured 8GB, while my M3 had 16GB and felt a lot more seamless to use since you could have a lot of apps or tabs open at once, and the computer would still zip around with the expected speediness of an M-series chipset.
Apple hasn’t raised the base pricing of the laptops either, so they still start at $1,299 for the M2 version and $1,449 for the M3. This means that any extra budget you might have considered throwing against more RAM can now be used to upgrade the storage, which I think is a better call since you can fill up 256GB very quickly. Previously, it would have cost $250 to upgrade a MacBook Air to 16GB of RAM.
If you don’t think the Air is for you, make sure to read our news posts about the new Mac mini, the new iMac and the upgraded MacBook Pro. The new base model M4 version of the MacBook Pro includes more ports than the Air, better battery life and a nicer screen. However, it’s heavier, and outside of really heavy-duty apps, I think most people will be served just as well with the M3 or M2 Air, especially with this RAM upgrade.
I use my M3 Air with 16GB of RAM a lot, and the only thing I pull out my M1 Pro MacBook Pro for nowadays is video editing. The M3 chip has a ton of power, and when I’m just writing or editing photos, it holds up better than I ever would have expected. Plus, it’s so thin and light that it feels like nothing in my bag and is super maneuverable on my lap.
If you want to order a new Air, it’s up on the Apple website and will start shipping as soon as it’s available. I also always recommend upgrading the included charger to the dual port 35-watt plug since it’s super handy, and I use mine all the time. You can order the new M2 here and the M3 here.
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