M3 MacBook Air 8GB vs 16GB RAM - Apple FIXED the base model?

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  • Опубликовано: 12 май 2024
  • Just how BAD is the base 8GB RAM M3 MacBook Air? Let's see how much the $200 upgrade helps!
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    Timestamps ⬇️
    8GB vs 16GB RAM - 00:00
    Ram Usage While Idle - 00:17
    Dual NAND SSD - 00:29
    Geekbench 6 CPU & GPU - 01:13
    Web Browser 3.0 Speed Test - 01:19
    5 Safari Tabs Speed Test - 01:31
    Blender 3D Rendering - 02:01
    Lightroom Classic Photo Editing - 03:24
    Google Chrome 15 Tabs - 05:12
    20 Tabs Lightroom Export Results - 06:08
    Using Chrome While Exporting - 07:38
    Speedometer 3.0 Multitasking - 09:02
    Lightroom Export While Multitasking - 09:40
    Final Cut Pro Video Editing - 10:20
    Which MacBook should you buy? - 10:51
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Комментарии • 869

  • @MaxTechOfficial
    @MaxTechOfficial  2 месяца назад +6

    THIS is the MacBook you should buy right now ($200 OFF) ➡ geni.us/qk6qhg
    iFixit Pro Toolkit ➡ geni.us/8qkP

    • @MattDeezly
      @MattDeezly Месяц назад +2

      I’m not clicking your referral links mate

    • @amanthakur2376
      @amanthakur2376 Месяц назад

      can u please tell the storage ssd of both the mac's ????

    • @tibo2090
      @tibo2090 17 дней назад

      witch one is better and why ?
      macbook air 16GB Ram (512GB) VS the macbook pro 8GB Ram (512GB)

  • @dragonballjiujitsu
    @dragonballjiujitsu 2 месяца назад +531

    No modern computer should come with less than 16GB of RAM. Pushing out machines with 8GB in 2024 is like dropping a 5400RPM rotating rust drive in a desktop machine for the boot drive.

    • @bowlingdoughnutsmd3703
      @bowlingdoughnutsmd3703 2 месяца назад +3

      You can get 16gb of ram on the MacBooks.

    • @techinrl9869
      @techinrl9869 2 месяца назад +15

      Tell that to every PC manufacturer, all of whom sell 8GB machines, whether it be Windows or Mac. If people didn’t buy them, none of them would sell them. If you need 16GB, buy 16GB, but don’t force your needs onto others who don’t need 16GB.

    • @dragonballjiujitsu
      @dragonballjiujitsu 2 месяца назад +33

      @@bowlingdoughnutsmd3703 I'm well aware of that. Its also a custom order item that will set you back and extra $200.
      Again, 8GB should not even be an option. Especially considering the RAM is not user up-gradable.

    • @dragonballjiujitsu
      @dragonballjiujitsu 2 месяца назад +21

      @@techinrl9869 I am saying that to EVERY pc maker. Not just apple. The reason people buy those machines is because they are ignorant and the PCs are dirt cheap. Not because they don't "need" more RAM.

    • @craigjohnchronicles2504
      @craigjohnchronicles2504 2 месяца назад

      @@techinrl9869 - yes. Forcing people to buying a computer with a default 16GB of ram instead of 8GB is horrible. I've seen some places selling a single 8GB ram module for $28 (also seen them as low as $12), and a single 16GB ram module for $30. 100% certain a company like Apple won't be taking a bath if they sell a base level MacBook Air with 16GB of RAM at the same price as their 8GB version.

  • @JonWatkins
    @JonWatkins 2 месяца назад +178

    There is no reason in 2024 for apple to be doing 8gb as standard, 16gb should be the new base at NO EXTRA FEE

    • @bengoey
      @bengoey Месяц назад

      Apple is not a 'gentleman' company it does not care about its customers. It only cares to make money as much as possible for its shareholders.

    • @justrandom3949
      @justrandom3949 Месяц назад +4

      Reason: let you spend more money

    • @ewitte12
      @ewitte12 Месяц назад

      Even if you can manage 8GB you'll be in line to upgrade faster. Same thing Nvidia does with VRAM.

    • @dragonballjiujitsu
      @dragonballjiujitsu Месяц назад

      Exactly!

    • @paulsaha2242
      @paulsaha2242 Месяц назад

      Is 16gb unified memory and 256 gb storage fine?

  • @favour9189
    @favour9189 2 месяца назад +470

    12 should be minimum

    • @MedicoDeb
      @MedicoDeb 2 месяца назад +1

      Yo bro... Love your dp... 🎉😂

    • @GoncaloCarvalhoVlogs
      @GoncaloCarvalhoVlogs 2 месяца назад

      No dout

    • @RolandHawlett
      @RolandHawlett 2 месяца назад +42

      16

    • @geoffstrickler
      @geoffstrickler 2 месяца назад +2

      I’ve been saying this since the first M3 shipped.

    • @dasdos002
      @dasdos002 2 месяца назад +11

      @@geoffstrickleryou and a million other apple users

  • @77dris
    @77dris 2 месяца назад +61

    You have to remember that for the M1/2/3 chips, the ram shown is shared with GPU memory. So 8GB is only really around 4GB-6GB of memory for programs.

    • @OShackHennessy
      @OShackHennessy 2 месяца назад +8

      I’m waiting for all the fanboys to start yelling about it being magical unified memory which is Apple speak for “shared”

    • @dimakonstanta1868
      @dimakonstanta1868 2 месяца назад +1

      On older Intel MacBooks 13 inch GPU memory was also shared

    • @hacob2004
      @hacob2004 Месяц назад +1

      This is true of every thin and light laptop that doesn't have a dedicated GPU

    • @ChromeJob
      @ChromeJob Месяц назад +2

      @@OShackHennessy Unified isn't the same as shared, AFAIK. Unified means it's incorporated with the chip to create a much faster path from CPU to RAM and back again. "Shared" indicates that the video subsystem is utilizing main RAM rather than separate, video-only memory.
      Not a fan boy, though anyone who conflates the two (fan boy or otherwise) doesn't know so much about computer architecture and is perhaps only educated on what Apple dictates.

    • @OShackHennessy
      @OShackHennessy Месяц назад +1

      @@hacob2004 except you can add more or spec it up on the front end without getting robbed, and 8gb is offensive on a Mac

  • @jeffrey3498
    @jeffrey3498 2 месяца назад +337

    Moral of the story: more RAM is better 😃👍

    • @mw7967
      @mw7967 2 месяца назад +8

      And...If you must have a MacBook...avoid the Air and buy a Pro, because the cost to double your RAM puts you close to that SKU. Nice machine but a hard sell.

    • @HeavenSevenWorld
      @HeavenSevenWorld 2 месяца назад +6

      Moral of the story: Enough RAM is enough, but 8GB is never enough*

    • @jeffrey3498
      @jeffrey3498 2 месяца назад +1

      @@HeavenSevenWorld It was in 1999 🤣

    • @rohitfernandes8637
      @rohitfernandes8637 2 месяца назад

      8 core CPU and 8 core gpu is good ?

    • @jeffrey3498
      @jeffrey3498 2 месяца назад

      @@rohitfernandes8637 You’re digressing 🤣

  • @N.K.---
    @N.K.--- 2 месяца назад +128

    Apple just keeps making money

    • @solidsnakeXY810
      @solidsnakeXY810 2 месяца назад

      yes

    • @rohittkrr
      @rohittkrr 2 месяца назад +2

      we keep losing money

    • @chrispotterfan
      @chrispotterfan Месяц назад

      People should stop buying their laptops until they make base models with 16 gb ram and 500 gb storage. Sadly that probably won't happen.

  • @user-ld2yq5mf8u
    @user-ld2yq5mf8u 2 месяца назад +51

    That is exactly the type of review I needed! 16gb on my future M3 Air indeed 🙂
    Thank you

  • @mikey9836
    @mikey9836 2 месяца назад +26

    Been waiting for this video

  • @BarisPalabiyik
    @BarisPalabiyik 2 месяца назад +115

    External monitors eats from the RAM too, it should be discussed too, I use my M2 Air with a huuge monitor connected, I couldn't do many tasks properly with external monitor on 8 gigs.

    • @clintmiller88
      @clintmiller88 2 месяца назад +2

      8gb with 256ssd? Or 512?

    • @BarisPalabiyik
      @BarisPalabiyik 2 месяца назад

      @@clintmiller88 My m2 is 512 nd 16gb

    • @haselhofler
      @haselhofler 2 месяца назад +3

      I'm rocking a M1 Air connected to a LG 5k2k without any issues. But yeah I have a 16GB/256GB configuration

    • @69elchupacabra69
      @69elchupacabra69 2 месяца назад +1

      Obviously, because the M-chips have unified memory.

    • @iBoyLPs
      @iBoyLPs 2 месяца назад +8

      m2 with 8gb and two 4k monitors without any flaws. There may be something wrong with your Mac though.

  • @erickauffmann_official
    @erickauffmann_official 2 месяца назад +16

    Super complete test! 🎉

    • @mayankkaushik6868
      @mayankkaushik6868 2 месяца назад +2

      Hey erik ....they don't do a test for fl studio ....
      I'm planning to buy m3 MacBook air with 24 GB Ram ....
      I choose air rather than pro for portability reasons ...and the form factor...
      Will it work???? Fir heavy edm production?

    • @erickauffmann_official
      @erickauffmann_official 2 месяца назад +3

      @@mayankkaushik6868 yes it will! 24gb ram is enough for heavy FL production

    • @ranjitmandal1612
      @ranjitmandal1612 2 месяца назад

      👍

  • @hmhyfg
    @hmhyfg 2 месяца назад +9

    Wow thank you for the best video !

  • @jyotitva
    @jyotitva 2 месяца назад +8

    How Max Tech reads the viewers demand is amazing. Really makes me stick to one tech channel in the ocean of this niche.

  • @tipsyjack9440
    @tipsyjack9440 2 месяца назад +7

    Can you do the same RAM comparisons between the M1, M2 and M3 base configurations? If someone, like me, is wanting to upgrade from the M1 to M3 is it worth it since the SSD speeds are faster on the M1? Thanks and keep up the good work!

  • @quikesteve
    @quikesteve 2 месяца назад +4

    Could you do a video comparing battery drain between browsers like Chrome vs Safari or Opera? I notice in my 14" M1 Pro that any browser other than Safari drains the battery twice as fast. Keep up the good work.

  • @user-gj5wb3gp1b
    @user-gj5wb3gp1b Месяц назад

    Thanks man. Clear explanation. I needed this.

  • @ZeroDay_tv
    @ZeroDay_tv Месяц назад

    That was really an educating Video
    Thank you far the comparison ❤

  • @DarayaVahu
    @DarayaVahu 2 месяца назад +167

    It’s mind-blowing that some people still excuse 8GB ram while it's so ridiculously bad just doing two things at the same time 🤦

    • @leebeeskee
      @leebeeskee 2 месяца назад +35

      Bit of an exaggeration there lol. 8GB runs fine for general users.

    • @DarayaVahu
      @DarayaVahu 2 месяца назад +31

      @@leebeeskee no it doesn’t, I had it, just with enought safari tabs and switching becomes laggy which is unacceptable for $1000 laptop, or I guess yes fine for general users on $400 laptop...

    • @miketorre16
      @miketorre16 2 месяца назад +6

      @@leebeeskee yes, 8 gigs on the silicon valley chips is not the same as 8 gigs of RAM on PC

    • @bodigames
      @bodigames 2 месяца назад +16

      @@leebeeskeeno it doesn’t.
      My 8GB MacBook Pro can barely handle a lot of Safari tabs……
      That’s not okay.

    • @rocketmunkey1
      @rocketmunkey1 2 месяца назад +2

      @@leebeeskee Apple has entered the chat !

  • @kirkn
    @kirkn 15 дней назад

    great video - would be interesting to see how much heat they were producing during those tests

  • @kevinaraneda6236
    @kevinaraneda6236 2 месяца назад +4

    Muchas gracias por el video Max... es JUSTAMENTE LO QUE ESTABA BUSCANDO. Necesito renovar mi Macbook Pro mid 2012 y tenia la duda sobre configurar 16ram/256 o 8ram/512... creo que ya esta mas que claro, que 16 ejecutará mejor en un par de años

  • @simonpoulsen4044
    @simonpoulsen4044 2 месяца назад +6

    I don't know if this is a stupid question, but why will the mac use swap if it still has plenty of unused ram?

  • @danielguzman2029
    @danielguzman2029 2 месяца назад +7

    I really liked this comparison, thank you. I wonder How does the base M3 MacBook Pro (8GB - 512GB) perform against the 16GB - 256GB M3 MacBook Air... Maybe the best SSD surpasses the extra RAM in multitasking? or Base macbook air vs base macbook pro with this test.

  • @sidzhottake
    @sidzhottake 2 месяца назад +1

    Great video thank you!!!

  • @VideoStoryCreator
    @VideoStoryCreator Месяц назад +1

    This is an interesting result to see the significant difference. Just out of curiosity, how does the M1 Air compare to the M3 Air (at the base 8GB model for each)?

  • @cmoullasnet
    @cmoullasnet 2 месяца назад +94

    If Apple doubled the RAM in every single one of their machines across the board, on all configurations, their prices would make sense. Think about it.

    • @MrQuay03
      @MrQuay03 2 месяца назад +10

      Make sense for customers, no sense for Apple and investors

    • @XInfinity2024
      @XInfinity2024 2 месяца назад +2

      You are 100% correct for the customers but if Apple shipped all products with 16GB of RAM then chances are you would be paying $100 to $200 give or take more on a product so the price it is now probably wouldn't be the price if the RAM was doubled.

    • @rocketmunkey1
      @rocketmunkey1 2 месяца назад +2

      And doubled the SSD storage, and halved the price of upgrading the RAM and Storage, it costs Apple a tiny fraction of the cost they charge consumers !

    • @roch145
      @roch145 2 месяца назад +1

      A big issue is the SSDs are soldered on the motherboard. You have a chip failure and there is for all intents, no way to repair them. Which forces an expensive and unanticipated expense to replace the Mac.

    • @XInfinity2024
      @XInfinity2024 2 месяца назад +1

      @@roch145 People have upgraded the storage on an iPhone and possibly a Mac them self but its only due to them knowing how to do it and make it work but also have the equipment for such work

  • @HAL.2024
    @HAL.2024 2 месяца назад +1

    Hey man! Can you do a test with the M3 chip and Logic Pro or Pro Tools or Ableton Live?

  • @evandonoso5305
    @evandonoso5305 2 месяца назад +3

    Great video! Question where to get those wallpapers you have. Thanks!

  • @brachiator1
    @brachiator1 2 месяца назад +9

    In a typical work session, I might have 10 Chrome tabs open for research and news, while doing some word processing. I might write or respond to some emails and initiate a Zoom session. I don't do much photo or video editing. A test of this use case would be interesting. I think that 8GB RAM might be acceptable here, although 12 or 16GB RAM might be preferable.

    • @hugopineda4017
      @hugopineda4017 2 месяца назад

      My typical work day looks exactly like this. Both my 8gb on mb air and 16gb ram on Mac mini pro still swap memory and I even get low ram warning on Mac mini. I don't get it.

  • @PaulErwinGroeneveld
    @PaulErwinGroeneveld Месяц назад

    Thanks for these reviews! Still awaiting the final verdict on the best choice when going for the air. More internal memory or more SDD; more internal memory with standard ssd vs standard memory vs more ssd test?

  • @evgeniy_vl7273
    @evgeniy_vl7273 2 месяца назад

    great comparison, thanks! I would also like to see the temperature values for these modes. It would also be interesting to make a comparison with mbp14 m1 16 GB. Now I’m choosing between these two MacBooks. I will use it for Photoshop and Lightroom

  • @winnielai7455
    @winnielai7455 Месяц назад

    Thank you for helping me make up my mind for my next MacBook

  • @PatrickSteil
    @PatrickSteil Месяц назад +3

    Would love to see similar test between 16 and 24Gb models.
    How much do you have to push the 16gb for it to slow down compared to 24Gb.
    My 16Gb M1 is awesome :)

  • @gregash6340
    @gregash6340 2 месяца назад +2

    Fantastic video as always Max Tech! At 10:37 the 8Gb is faster on the Final Cut export. Is that correct? Were you still running background tasks on the 16Gb?

    • @AK-ro4gm
      @AK-ro4gm 2 месяца назад

      no, its just their video editor who manages to routinely mess up the names with the results in the charts... such a shame cuz theyre the best channel for tech

    • @jojolaser
      @jojolaser Месяц назад

      I have also noticed that 8Gb is faster in the results at 10:37. Strange. Probably a mistake.

    • @dhanushree-gz6mp
      @dhanushree-gz6mp Месяц назад +1

      😂😂😂

  • @truthjunkie3
    @truthjunkie3 Месяц назад +1

    Final cut 4k HEVC with effects test, apparently you didn't notice, but your chart says the 8GB Air actually beat the 16GB. That doesn't seem likely. Maybe its mislabeled?

  • @kevinclws
    @kevinclws 2 месяца назад +32

    I bought the max 24GB to future-proof it for apps getting more and more bloated. I would keep my M1 if now I could increase the RAM beyond the 8GB it came with

    • @m89hu
      @m89hu Месяц назад

      Have you received it yet? What are your thoughts on it?

    • @davidgrisez
      @davidgrisez 16 дней назад +1

      I also ordered the max 24gb on my MacBook Air order because I know that applications and the Apple Mac OS keeps growing in size.

  • @matthewleppan1020
    @matthewleppan1020 7 дней назад

    This was the most helpful video I’ve watched. Been looking at reviews for well over a week and this was the game change video

  • @johnskap2004
    @johnskap2004 Месяц назад

    great video thanks !!

  • @neocs193p
    @neocs193p 2 месяца назад +2

    Was expecting an SSD speed comparison between the 256GB and the 512GB. Also, Xcode tests.
    Cheers!

  • @airtightbox
    @airtightbox Месяц назад +2

    Okay, so what are the storage performance differences between 512GB and 1TB, on a system with 16GB RAM?

  • @HigherTech
    @HigherTech 2 месяца назад +1

    This video highlights exactly this issues I experience on my 8gb M1 Air. And why I placed an order yesterday for a 16gb M3 air. I dont do much more than photo editing and normally 20+ browser tabs. Thanks.

    • @dimakonstanta1868
      @dimakonstanta1868 2 месяца назад

      On my M1 i don’t seen this. Swap use - yes, but not laggy at all.

    • @ChromaSup
      @ChromaSup Месяц назад

      @@dimakonstanta1868never with 8gb?

    • @dimakonstanta1868
      @dimakonstanta1868 Месяц назад

      @@ChromaSup yes, but I’m not heavy user

  • @yannjouan9338
    @yannjouan9338 2 месяца назад +1

    Really Nice vidéo!! And for Logic Pro x ?

    • @m89hu
      @m89hu Месяц назад

      probably the 24gb

  • @LL-qm3sl
    @LL-qm3sl Месяц назад

    Are there any significant performance differences between the 13' and 15' models?

  • @EnglishinTx
    @EnglishinTx 2 месяца назад

    Just curious - What is the benefit of using Chrome over Safari? I thought that Safari was more efficient but I also know that Chrome is more of a "standard" and has support for more extensions. Would love to hear the Max take...

  • @ahaimes6320
    @ahaimes6320 2 месяца назад +59

    That 5GB used when opening up includes >3GB of pre-fetched cache. The system will release that when needed so that 3GB is effectively available.

    • @isbestlizard
      @isbestlizard 2 месяца назад +1

      Exactly. Do free -h from a terminal and you should get more details

    • @valdir7426
      @valdir7426 2 месяца назад +9

      yeah that number doesn't mean much; the memory pressure; compressed memory and swap size give you all the indication you need. it's a shame because some people assume "oh my mac has nothing running and I'm already out" but macos will use all the ram it can. You get a perf bonus with 16GB but it will take a lot for a 8GB model to grind to a halt.

    • @ranjitmandal1612
      @ranjitmandal1612 2 месяца назад

      😮

    • @shoelessone
      @shoelessone 24 дня назад +1

      Yeah so many of these reviews are really frustrating when they talk about this. I honestly can't believe how many popular tech reviewers / news outlets / etc use the amount of memory used at startup "at rest" as their first point to drive home how little memory is available. Why not use the memory if it's available to optimize, if the memory is just sitting empty / unused it's being "wasted."

  • @DieBaertigeUrsula
    @DieBaertigeUrsula Месяц назад

    Would be interesting to see the performance differences in using Xcode and compiling the same project or so, but great job anyways 👌☺️

  • @its_2Slick
    @its_2Slick Месяц назад

    Awesome video was wondering if you could do one with the 24 gb ram to see the difference for the air for all 3.

  • @ashiq_r
    @ashiq_r 2 месяца назад

    I have an old 2018 Air that had 8g 128g config. Just recently I bought a 16g 512g logic board from ebay, swapped the boards, sold the old 8g board for roughly $10 less than the 16g board. It’s running Sonoma with almost NO swap. Sonoma is very heavy and absolutely not optimized for intel macs, yet, the 16g ram is making a huge difference. I’ll buy a new Air when the base gets atleast 12g ram.

  • @Akshaydesai28
    @Akshaydesai28 Месяц назад

    Hi Max, could you please do a test between base m3 macbook pro vs 16gb m3 macbook Air?
    That would help me a lot in the decision. I'm looking for benchmark comparison like : Cinebench, 3d mark wildlife, geekbench and blackmagic.
    Thanks in advance 🖤

  •  2 месяца назад

    I recommend to make a shortcut the previous next tab //alt +1 alt +2

  • @Wonder_Wicks
    @Wonder_Wicks 2 месяца назад

    Didn't they fix the SSD speed issues as well? Could the new M3 be benefitting from speed, by not only the ram, but the ssd speeds?

  • @geolykos
    @geolykos Месяц назад +3

    just curious, do most people that buy a macbook air use these programs? Most people will run chrome tabs, which make no difference, and maybe play a game or a movie. Unless 8gb is not enough to do these tasks the ram deficiency won't be noticeable. I don't think there's many people that buy a macbook air to do video editing.

    • @ChromeJob
      @ChromeJob Месяц назад

      I've been able to run my 8GB MBA M2 into yellow and red memory pressure just running Chrome, and some Apple apps (Safari, Notes, Freeform). Though I have Google Drive, 1Password, Logitech Options+ running in the background on login. Yes, MaxTech's demo with CPU intensive apps is a quick shortcut to illustrating the deficiencies, but you might repeat this test with just "lite" Apple apps. I've done it.

  • @ChromeJob
    @ChromeJob Месяц назад +2

    Have to agree here, though for different reasons. I've been test driving M2 MBAs from Costco, both with 8GB/256GB. I much prefer the 15" for the huge trackpad, expansive screen and … on that second, using the 15” in Sidecar mode (extending a desktop display to use the 15” MBA’s screen) is great for flexibility. (And using Handoff, you can pick up the MBA and continue working elsewhere.)
    In these cases, having a pliable and dynamic level of available RAM pays off. 8GB just ain’t enough for macOS Sonoma. Even without doing CPU intensive stuff like photo, video, or rendering work like you illustrated, I’ve seen the 8GB RAM MBAs start to slow down and swap out with 5-6 apps open with work in progress (and not even using MS Office apps, just Safari, Chrome, Notes, Reminders, Messages, Freeform). This is unacceptable to me for a $1300 computer (bought for $1000 at Costco, a killer deal but a still cool grand).
    I’ve noticed that macOS is slow to release swapping and return to an ideal memory management situation after closing apps, even letting some time go by. It’s helped a little by logging out and back in (leveraging the “reopen windows” option), but not as effectively as restarting the laptop. When an OS gets to a point that I have to restart the machine to get the memory allocation sweet spot, no matter how speedily it does this, I’m not a happy user.
    This might be slightly more exacerbated by the 15” screen’s greater resolution, but I don’t sympathize. A laptop should be able to handle itself gracefully, not start limping along after an hour’s work in 6 apps. Apple should be ashamed that they sell entry level MacBooks in 2023, 2024 with only 8GB RAM when you can buy a much more agile Chromebook for half the price.

  • @dsmith5940
    @dsmith5940 Месяц назад

    Could we have a similar comparison with an M3 Air with 24Gb RAM, in gaming, where the shared RAM for the GPU could be rate-limiting, even at 16Gb?

  • @snitkjaer
    @snitkjaer 2 месяца назад

    Great video thanks! I guess it comes down to MacBook Pro M3 14" 16GB/512GB (discounted) vs MacBook Air 13" M3 16GB/512GB.

  • @LeChuck.x17
    @LeChuck.x17 Месяц назад +14

    8gb in 2024 is a joke.

  • @fidiak
    @fidiak Месяц назад

    Nice viedo, thank you

  • @user-pp3dl8id7r
    @user-pp3dl8id7r 2 месяца назад

    Excellent content

  • @joewest9470
    @joewest9470 2 месяца назад +1

    Glad to hear they fixed the SSD problem, which will help with swap speeds. I do my "heavy lifting" and most work with a 16GB Mac Mini, which never leaves the "green" memory pressure, so for occasional portable work, I'm leaning towards the 8GB MBA model with the following justification: the upgrade to 16 GB costs about 20% of the price. In other words, if I replace it after about 5-6 years (roughly), then if I save the 20%, I can replace it about a year earlier. But thank you for your video; I will be sure to test it well (within the 2-week return window) for my use case and make sure there's a margin to allow for 4-5 years of use.

    • @vlkhvan
      @vlkhvan Месяц назад

      Thank you, this is the most sensible take on this question. Others here just scream nonsense about unrealistic use cases and exaggerated "issues". Heavy users buy Pro 14-16 as their main machines (if they want a laptop) or Mac Mini/Studio, and use MBA as a portable complementary device, and don't complain.
      Poor "wannabe professionals" buy base MBA as their only machine and then whine about 8Gb RAM, this is just pathetic

  • @rhondacaulder1432
    @rhondacaulder1432 2 месяца назад

    How does the M3 MacBook Air with 16 GB compare to the M2 MacBook Air with 16 GB? I currently have the latter with 1T storage and everything I’ve seen says to not upgrade. Is the M3 that much better than the M2?

  • @fanz6410
    @fanz6410 9 дней назад

    How is it with M1 Macs now?
    The videos testing them are all three years ago, with apps unoptimised for Apple silicon.

  • @onuronan8674
    @onuronan8674 2 месяца назад

    thanks for video

  • @murtazachaudhary3339
    @murtazachaudhary3339 2 месяца назад

    Nice video comparison

  • @achim7234
    @achim7234 2 месяца назад +38

    I am a user who buys a Mac / Macbook to last for 7+ years so I usually always buy double and triple of what the base configuration might be at the time of purchase. With my MacBook Air mid 2012 seeing a replacement this spring/summer I will go for the 24GB option.

    • @nicolasb.henry294
      @nicolasb.henry294 2 месяца назад +11

      If you have enough to do it it´s fine but most people can´t afford it. 16gb Ram 512 SSD should be the base configuration.

    • @valdir7426
      @valdir7426 2 месяца назад +7

      with the same amount you could probably get 2 more basic machines every 4 years. plus your machine will not be worth much compared to what you paid it on the resale market.

    • @achim7234
      @achim7234 2 месяца назад

      I am most likely non representative of a user for this RUclips channel. You guys are hardcore techies and you know so much more about tech/Mac than I ever will. I, maybe like many others (????), don't want to think about buying the latest, best, best bang for the buck technology piece, but we buy when we have to (like in my case the 2012 MBA giving me grieve), so then I go and buy something that hopefully covers me for another 10 years. Given my age, I even don´t know if I will ever need to buy a new Macbook again after the new M3 MBA. @@valdir7426

    • @user-mn7hy1hd1w
      @user-mn7hy1hd1w 2 месяца назад +2

      I’m doing the same thing except 7 years of primary use and 3 years of auxiliary use (giving to my daughter to use for school). I broke down the cost to a monthly basis excluding depreciation and compared it to windows laptops. They usually only last me 2-4 years before breaking or becoming unusable and it turned out to be cheaper by around $8 a month to buy the Mac air compared to a comparable windows laptop (which is 1/3 cheaper)

    • @burtdanams4426
      @burtdanams4426 2 месяца назад +6

      No offense man, but your purchasing strategy is kinda foolish depending on whether I"m assessing your usage correctly. Look I'm also a MARATHON user of Macs. My last Macbook was a 2015 MacBook Pro that I begrudgingly replaced because my cats broke it a couple weeks ago. I replaced it with M1 Pro MBP in base config.
      Considering you have been using a 2012 Air for a decade, you seem like a pretty low scale user. Try to slow down and think about what you are actually saying here. You are trying to PREDICT THE FUTURE of computers with YOUR WALLET, and not in a way that would actually make you money, like the stock market or any other investment. You are just mindlessly future proofing your devices instead of actually asking yourself "how much ram and storage do I actually need and what I will need". You would save considerably more money buying a machine with reasonable specs or especially just buying a used machine like an M1 Pro that comes with 16gb and 512gb storage standard. And then even if you upgrade it in like 5-6 years, you'll still save much more money buying external drives or just buying a newer machine with more ram as standard in the future.

  • @AdamsjPriah
    @AdamsjPriah 13 дней назад

    Takiego porówna potrzebowałem. Dzięki. :)

  • @stevebooth
    @stevebooth 2 месяца назад +1

    Thanks Max for this video. It confirmed I need to buy the Mac Air M3 16Gb RAM.

  • @Musescore_Brasil
    @Musescore_Brasil 2 месяца назад

    I edit 4k videos and use a lot of chrome tabs, and I never felt like my M1 Macbook Air was slow. The system and apps are very well optmized.. I have a windows PC with 32gb, 13600k, 4060ti, and barely use it

  • @sebasguti7708
    @sebasguti7708 Месяц назад

    If the MBA M3 16GB supports full acceleration with Lightroom, then the MBP M3 16GB should support that too, correct?

  • @gc2141
    @gc2141 2 месяца назад +2

    I would first like to say I very much enjoy your channel! it's very detialed and made with a lot of heart. Honestly, your channel was the reason why I pulled the trigger on the 14in MBP M3 max. Upgrading from windows i7 11th gen, its fantastic. After owning it for a week, I'm thinking of upgrading further into the 16in MBP m3 MAX justify the extra cost to the larger screen and battery but primarily for the extra ram. (48 GB) and the 40 core vs the current 30 core. While I was on my 14inch MBP, I checked the used ram and just with 6-7 google chrome tab open, (no videos) 1 firefox tab open and Microsoft word document, I was already into 22GB out the 36GB ram. I'm nervous of performance with that plus 2-3 hours of Zoom (full-time online student). I was reading that mac IOS is ram hungry, and no matter how much ram is available, It would be the same situation. I'm curious to hear your thoughts on this.

  • @novellad8485
    @novellad8485 Месяц назад

    I am just confused between the Air M3 and the Pro M3 as after we spec out the air with good storage and memory, it’s almost same priced as the pro M3…. and I also need a laptop for years to come atleast 6 to 7 years minimum.

  • @kevinasaurus
    @kevinasaurus 2 месяца назад +4

    I just ordered a new Air and opted for the 24 GB of RAM. Hopefully it’s not overkill but I expect the machine to be quite speedy. 😊

    • @m89hu
      @m89hu Месяц назад

      Have you received it yet? What are your thoughts?

  • @subhamcoder
    @subhamcoder 2 месяца назад +1

    hey can you make a video about m3 air 16 gb vs macbook pro m3 base variant(8 gb)

  • @eticketride
    @eticketride Месяц назад +1

    So it looks like it can be okay for casual single-task use. For some, that’s enough. I never liked the base RAM config since it’s not upgradable and that’s a shame. When I bought my original M1 MB-Air, I bought it with the max 16Gb RAM because I knew I would also be occasionally running Parallels (which is does quite well). My M1 Max MBP with 64Gb runs Mac/Win/and Linux. Three finger swiping between them, like having three computers in one. Thing is a beast. Since Apple’s transition to their own silicon, I don’t feel as complelled to focus on only the latest and greatest anymore, as devices from a generation or even two back are still very capable at an appreciable discount over current gen machines.

  • @tri0xin
    @tri0xin 2 месяца назад

    Excellent video.. do you have a video of an m2 16gb vs a m3 16gb? I could save a few hundred dollars on the M2 buying used/renewed. If it's somewhat significant I wouldn't mind spending the extra money.. if it's 5 percent or so I would definitely go with the M2

  • @The1Weapon
    @The1Weapon 2 месяца назад +6

    I think a good idea would be to discuss how Dynamic Caching might be playing into this test, given that it’s a new feature of the M3 series.

  • @danielguzman2029
    @danielguzman2029 2 месяца назад +1

    amazing test

  • @1956mercy
    @1956mercy 2 месяца назад +7

    I can see the difference. However for folks that have the M2 and do regular task or for personal use, and not for pic editing or video editing. I don’t see why to upgrade. Maybe upgrade after 2 years if needed but I wouldn’t. This comparison is good for those heavy workloads that some do.

    • @Bakapooru
      @Bakapooru Месяц назад +2

      Based on your description, you probably wouldn’t need a new computer for eight or ten years. I had the first MBP with SSD drive (2012?) and I just replaced it when the SSD failed.😅

    • @brandonchism6960
      @brandonchism6960 Месяц назад

      @@Bakapooru you have a point there. I had a 2011 MBP that I didn't replace until 2020, just before the M1 chips dropped. I used it for research, school work, Netflix, shopping, and general browsing. When my current one goes out, I'll likely buy an Air to replace it. I don't think I'll get another Pro. I just don't run them nearly hard enough to warrant the expense.

  • @vivalasvegas297
    @vivalasvegas297 Месяц назад

    good job :) I wanna buy my 1st MacBook Air 13 M3 512GB. I think about ram 16 gb. I wanna actual model for 5-7 years. I don't like change a laptop often. I would like waching movies and tv series, learn English, play online poker (up 6 tables), youtube ... any recomendations about 16 gb or 8 gb.

  • @babylonghost
    @babylonghost Месяц назад

    Thanks nice video

  • @davidgrisez
    @davidgrisez 16 дней назад

    Another factor to consider is that with this system on a chip design, memory is no longer upgradeable. It is this and the fact that over time the Apple Mac OS keeps getting more features added and the operating system gets larger that when I ordered the M3 fifteen inch MacBook Air I ordered it with the 24gb of memory which is the maximum for this machine. I do not want limited memory that can never be upgraded slowing down the computer.

  • @epaulgr
    @epaulgr 2 месяца назад +1

    Tengo una mac mini m1 base model, yo tenia 2 monitores, un ultrawide y otro menor a FullHD, los cambié por dos 4K, desde que los cambié note demasiado que la mac se traba y se pone lenta :C

  • @AyaWetts
    @AyaWetts 2 месяца назад

    I assume the graph at 10:35 is a typo and the 8GB wasn't actually better than the 16GB ?

  • @microzal
    @microzal Месяц назад

    Which MBA should I pick between M2 16/256 $1,400 vs M3 8/256 $1,200 ?
    Mainly for illustration in Ps and light AE stuff

  • @saintkenny9296
    @saintkenny9296 2 месяца назад

    I bought the 2021 iMac 24" during the pandemic and unless during the time you wanted to wait up to 3 months to get a iMac with 16gigs you would either wait that long, or just take the 8gig option. I did get 512 and stayed away from the base model for sure!
    I guess in 5 or so years it will be time to upgrade my iMac with I hope a system that can actually play real games and either sell this one off, or use it for something else?
    I think Apple is getting better all the time and after all these years is finally getting into real games for the 1st time ever where the iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max can do. I hope the bluetooth to a larger screen doesn't kill the performance because playing anything close to real console game the iPhone even the Max is way too dang small.
    Thank you for the video, Max!

  • @rc2257
    @rc2257 2 месяца назад

    So, 16gb RAM is worth the upgrade cost, according to Max and many of your comments.
    Is there a benefit to upgrade further to 24gb RAM? For average users or just power users? What kinds of workflows would really benefit from having 24gb over 16gb RAM?

  • @Gaurang_Khatri
    @Gaurang_Khatri Месяц назад

    Hey i want to buy a laptop for video editing,
    Im planning to get MacBook air m3 (8-256) and 2tb external ssd
    Will this be enough for editing lengthy podcast videos and 4k videos..
    Please suggest

  • @terrencechu7479
    @terrencechu7479 Месяц назад +1

    What's the app you use to measure CPU and GPU usage at the top bar?

    • @smoovedave
      @smoovedave Месяц назад

      Same I would like to know this as well

  • @frivis69
    @frivis69 2 месяца назад +13

    Bro seriously I was searching this type of comparison seens "Macbook M3 air's" launcher❤ and i finally got it.
    You gain a subscriber.

    • @burtdanams4426
      @burtdanams4426 2 месяца назад +1

      well, I wouldn't recommend subscribing to this guy for very long. He's kind of a normal person with no real formal education about computers and who doesn't actually know basically anything at all about the fundamentals of computers, including chip design, memory management, operating systems, etc. He's just a normal dude that happens to have been able to afford reviewing products at one point and now all he does is make bland comparisons between mass market products without any insight

    • @frivis69
      @frivis69 Месяц назад

      @@burtdanams4426 ooh really, then suggest me some

  • @hondo_chen
    @hondo_chen 2 месяца назад +3

    So where does Apple get 8g ram in 2024? Do they have a time machine?

  • @Bakapooru
    @Bakapooru Месяц назад +1

    Good video. Now I know that I would never have a problem or slow down on my M3 because I would never do as many stressful tasks at the same time. All this hype of 8gb isn’t enough doesn’t concern me.

  • @shubhamchauhan4817
    @shubhamchauhan4817 Месяц назад

    Did it heat up during multitasking ?

  • @ramonmako4923
    @ramonmako4923 11 дней назад

    Doesn't answer my question. What if my only multitasking is switching between Video Player and 400 tabs opened in several groups in Safari? 8Gb is or not enough for that?

  • @GurmeetSingh-fr8uo
    @GurmeetSingh-fr8uo 2 месяца назад

    For M3 Air 13” is it worth going for 24gb ram or 16gb enough ?

  • @losermonkey666
    @losermonkey666 2 месяца назад

    6:49 you opened the minimized window vs you tapped on the window to make it the front layer.

  • @marianmalpica3419
    @marianmalpica3419 2 месяца назад

    Could you compare MacBook Pro 8 ram and MacBook Air 16 ram?

  • @whfowle
    @whfowle 2 месяца назад +10

    I would like to see the difference in performance with 24GB and a 1TB SSD.

    • @reconshaun
      @reconshaun 2 месяца назад +1

      I agree. This is the configuration that I am considering (mainly for future proofing), but none of the videos really mention it.

    • @davetravels9273
      @davetravels9273 2 месяца назад +3

      I just ordered this config but mostly be a use I keep my Mac’s for 5+ years. My wife’s m1 with 16 and 1 tb is already maxing out the ram.

    • @weekendintokyo
      @weekendintokyo 2 месяца назад

      The difference between 16gb and 24gb Ram is marginal if not inexistent. He made a video comparing a 16gb vs 32gb of ram on his channel go search for it, there's basically no difference for anything beyond 16gb unless you're a super hardcore user that needs to render 3d and have photoshop/lightroom/after efects open all at the same time@@reconshaun

    • @paulsaha2242
      @paulsaha2242 Месяц назад

      Does SSD really matters? I can have an external storage device.

    • @davetravels9273
      @davetravels9273 29 дней назад

      @@paulsaha2242 well you should ensure that you have plenty of space for memory swap in addition to everything else you store on the device. Generally you want to only use 60-80% of your SSD.

  • @ozgurutku
    @ozgurutku 2 месяца назад

    thanks but why final cut pro? Most of the pros don't uses Finalcut anymore:(

  • @Superbus753
    @Superbus753 2 месяца назад

    For my work (large data analysis) even my m3max with 64gb memory uses sometimes swap.

  • @platinoir
    @platinoir 2 месяца назад +2

    That’s why I ordered mine with 24GB
    Reason is my current 2014 MacBook Pro has 16, so just to feel that upgrade.

    • @m89hu
      @m89hu Месяц назад

      Have you received it yet? What are your thoughts on it?

    • @platinoir
      @platinoir Месяц назад +1

      @@m89hu it’s really good & buttery smooth.
      But I would say 24GB is overkill, just like my 16GB I never got close to running out of memory

  • @BP-xe7dw
    @BP-xe7dw 2 месяца назад

    I am in the process of purchasing a new laptop. I came quicly to realization to spend as much as the budget permits
    I think you want to future proof as much as you can depending on what type of work you are using it. For my photography, i simply can't be parsimonious. Great video.

    • @aspiring...
      @aspiring... Месяц назад

      What did you decide on? I am currently looking to buy a new laptop. I am a Windows user and I need a laptop for general use and light photo editing.

    • @BP-xe7dw
      @BP-xe7dw Месяц назад

      @@aspiring... I will go with Macbook pro 24ram . The refurbished section of Apple seems to be the best deal. Unless of course, there is another discount that comes along. I am heavy on photo editing, semi professional, both lightroom and photoshop. I have been windows user at work all my life, at home I have I mac, that is now 10 years old. It has been perfect and the apple support has been great up to this point. Photoshop and Lightroom are optimized for Apple products. I never had any issue with it. In your case, you might want to look at macbook air, they have great deals right now. It would be more than sufficient There is a learning curve in terms of OS. Once you get used to it. Hard to go back. Hope that helps.

  • @mendodsoregonbackroads6632
    @mendodsoregonbackroads6632 2 месяца назад +3

    I bought a M2 air last year with only 8GB as a test to see I it was going to be enough. The longer I have it the more comfortable I’m getting with the amount of Ram. I was going to get a separate machine to run a Linux distro on but then I said screw it, I’ll try it on the M2. You know what, it works. Im running Kali using the UTM VM with 4GB of the 8 allocated to the VM. Sure I’m using some swap, but there are no slowdowns or crashes. Everything is working fine. I’m probably not going to get another 8GB machine again, but I can say that it works with no issues if I don’t have everything in the world open on MacOS while the VM is running. So my conclusion is that 8GB will do the job. I would feel better with 12GB but so far no problem having a few things open on Mac while also getting PCACPs in wireshark or using the aircrack suite at the same time.

    • @La_Meth_Witch
      @La_Meth_Witch 2 месяца назад

      You stuffed up 😅😅

    • @justinavila1320
      @justinavila1320 24 дня назад

      Yeah, I have an air 8gb M1 that my work provides for office tasks (maybe 10-15 Google tabs, slack, VOIP) running all at once switching btw them. 8 hour days no issues for these types of tasks. For creative stuff I have a top spec baseline M3 16 with 48gb ram. For everyday stuff and office stuff - I dont see a difference. I'm not trying to do lightroom + 15 tabs on my air (mainly cause its the jobs comp and not mine) but in real world usage for 40 hours a week its been fine.

    • @justinavila1320
      @justinavila1320 24 дня назад

      I love all the "you need at least blah blah" and yet these same people are NOT having to use the 8gb machines, they've skipped over them.

    • @mendodsoregonbackroads6632
      @mendodsoregonbackroads6632 24 дня назад

      @@justinavila1320 Well, I'm using both. and 8GB will work, but 16GB is better.