Costco Members: Apple MacBook Air: 15.3", M2 8-Core CPU, 8GB RAM, 256GB SSD

rkoskier

Feb 15, 2024 4:38 PM

51 Comments

Joined Dec 2013

rkoskierFeb 15, 2024 4:38 PM

51 Comments

Quote from PhillipW1

:

I have the base MacBook Air 15. Use it for web, email, X, YouTube etc. No issues at all. Very fast, runs cool. Currently connected to external monitor and looks great on that too with great sound. I do not know how to code, edit ,etc. or need that capability. Have 100GB available since I store photos etc in iCloud.

great, thank you!

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JohnO4429

Feb 15, 2024 4:40 PM

246 Comments

Joined Aug 2016

JohnO4429Feb 15, 2024 4:40 PM

246 Comments

Quote from filemeaway

:

Should be shouted from the mountain tops. Apple has no excuse, 8gb is not different on Macos than windows. The world has moved on—it's 20 effing 24.

I do email, web, spreadsheets and word processing. 8 Gb ram is fine for me on my Mac or windows machine. Many of us don't need more.
I just upgraded to 16 gb of ram on my 8 year old Dell and can't tell a difference.
Hopefully Apple starts making 16 gb the base on their new computers just because the cost to them is minimal.

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jcheng8999

Feb 15, 2024 4:45 PM

253 Comments

Joined Dec 2016

jcheng8999Feb 15, 2024 4:45 PM

253 Comments

Quote from rkoskier

:

Serious question, what do you have open? My wife wants something like this for home. Most of her work is browser based (she's a teacher - and they use Macs there) and, she might use some Office type applications (sheets, ppt, etc.). She currently has a 13" M1 MacBook Air at work and it's fine. Is the M2 with 8GB RAM that bad?

8GB is enough for the general public. Web browsing, streaming, school work, majority of business Office usage (excel less than 100k rows), and even some light weight games, you will be fine.

Calling for 16GB is a legitimate ask for 2020< but for the majority of people, not needed for most people looking at a MacBook Air.

SD likes to hate on 8GB RAM because it really doesn't cost that much for Apple to put in 16GB. If everyone owner/customer was complaining about 8GB of RAM, Apple would have made changes already because it would hurt their brand. Maybe it'll happen in 2024 but today 8GB is enough.

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lane32x

Feb 15, 2024 5:11 PM

152 Comments

Joined Nov 2017

lane32xFeb 15, 2024 5:11 PM

152 Comments

Quote from filemeaway

:

Should be shouted from the mountain tops. Apple has no excuse, 8gb is not different on Macos than windows. The world has moved on—it's 20 effing 24.

I like how there's one disgruntled user going around downvoting anyone who comments on ram. I'd lay down money that user doesn't even know what RAM stands for, let alone how it's related to code execution.

6

RumbleTheBison

Feb 15, 2024 5:17 PM

7.8K Comments

Joined Oct 2008

RumbleTheBisonFeb 15, 2024 5:17 PM

7.8K Comments

Quote from filemeaway

:

Should be shouted from the mountain tops. Apple has no excuse, 8gb is not different on Macos than windows. The world has moved on—it's 20 effing 24.

So Apple sells many MBAs, which is why an article last month suggested that Jon Ivey was shut down from combining the Air & Pro due to such hefty sales.

Now, knowing that the MBA is a CONSUMER product, and that most stores will carry the base model....it's heavily implied that most MBA consumers are using...8gb of ram.

Why should Apple switch to anything else if most folks have zero issues with it???? That doesn't make sense, eh? Every time there's a deal that's posted the ram crying crew comes out but I don't truly think they've used an entry-level MBA....OR their use cases are so big that it'd be foolish to use an entry-level MBA.

What I'm typing is the consumer are speaking, and they're saying that they don't care. Why not just get the upgraded MBA and beat your feet?

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ShawnS9188

Feb 15, 2024 5:22 PM

11 Comments

Joined Jan 2013

ShawnS9188Feb 15, 2024 5:22 PM

11 Comments

People just think 16gb basing this off intel. Honestly who actually has said 8gb wasn't enough after they got it on M. No one; it's really people just comparing it in their minds with intel chips. Just look at the battery life difference, how little if ever the fans come on on the pro models compared to previous non m with-fan machines with just running 30 tabs on chrome, etc. M 8gb you won't notice a drag, intel you better have some jet fuel to keep the fans running. if you don't know you need 16,32,64 you are absolutely ok with 8. It's people coming from windows or old Intel Macs that are saying 8 isn't enough. 1000 is an incredible deal for 15 inch. You can't compare Mac and windows.

Last edited by ShawnS9188 February 15, 2024 at 09:24 AM.

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poopi

Feb 15, 2024 5:23 PM

328 Comments

Joined Oct 2022

poopiFeb 15, 2024 5:23 PM

328 Comments

Quote from Marooner14

:

I don't get people who say 13/14in laptops are too cramped for daily use. As someone who spent most of their time on a 32in monitor for the better part of the last five years and was forced to suddenly switch to a 14in daily-driver laptop, I really don't get it. Not to mention, I don't see what just roughly 20% of a screen increase is going to do when they are already that small. I'd rather have a laptop that's a bit more compact and easy to handle

With 15/16" you might not need an external monitor at all. Makes moving easier.

UKR_12

Feb 15, 2024 5:36 PM

1.6K Comments

Joined Oct 2017

UKR_12Feb 15, 2024 5:36 PM

1.6K Comments

I agree with everyone, 8gb is a joke. People should stop buying this, otherwise Apple will continue to push it, justifying it by numbers of sold units.

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CalmRain713

Feb 15, 2024 5:39 PM

183 Comments

Joined May 2023

CalmRain713Feb 15, 2024 5:39 PM

183 Comments

Quote from CaptBender

:

I have an M2 Macbook Pro with 8GB of RAM for work and would NEVER buy this. After the last update, and after reboot, I sit at 7/8GB used RAM. This thing chugs. What a piece of crap.

"work" computers could have potential corporate spyware/monitoring and other enterprise software being run in the background.

3

Yjkn

Feb 15, 2024 5:52 PM

2 Comments

Joined Nov 2019

YjknFeb 15, 2024 5:52 PM

2 Comments

I would rather buy 16 gb from b&h for $1299

Apple 13.6" MacBook Air (M2, Midnight)

https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/pr...710331-REG

1

lckillah

Feb 15, 2024 6:07 PM

80 Comments

Joined Dec 2014

lckillahFeb 15, 2024 6:07 PM

80 Comments

I have a 16gb M1 Air. System itself upon boot up usues like 7 ish gb. I use it mainly for software development. I compared it to my legion go (16gb) of ram and the legion uses a little less ram overall with the same use case (around 10 ish gb ram). I also always close apps int he background on both so if someone isn't midful of that, maybe will use more.
Good thing I didn't settle for 8gb of ram and did more research. This video explains it
8GB M3 Mac vs 16GB Windows PC - Did Apple LIE to You?! - YouTube
I'd say if you are only a casual user (internet, documents, etc), this would maybe be enough. Then again, why pay this price if you can have a cheaper 16gb option for windows. I get it when people are just apple fans and like the eco system. If I didn't want to build IOS apps using swift and xcode, I would have stuck to my Dell XPS 13 plus. Otherwise I think Macs are good for development but overpriced.

5

prescriptionfx

Feb 15, 2024 6:23 PM

6 Comments

Joined Nov 2012

prescriptionfxFeb 15, 2024 6:23 PM

6 Comments

Quote from filemeaway

:

Should be shouted from the mountain tops. Apple has no excuse, 8gb is not different on Macos than windows. The world has moved on—it's 20 effing 24.

I agree, macOS isn't too bad with the 8gb for most use cases (I often have 10 apps and 10+ tabs open with an android emulator), but seriously chugs m with the one-two punch of low ram and running low on SSD space and not having the ability to offload RAM to a swap on the SSD.

1

prescriptionfx

Feb 15, 2024 6:26 PM

6 Comments

Joined Nov 2012

prescriptionfxFeb 15, 2024 6:26 PM

6 Comments

Quote from prescriptionfx

:

I agree, macOS isn't too bad with the 8gb for most use cases (I often have 10 apps and 10+ tabs open with an android emulator), but seriously chugs m with the one-two punch of low ram and running low on SSD space and not having the ability to offload RAM to a swap on the SSD.

But the base model really should released with 16gm RAM and 1TB SSD. We'll probably only get 12gb and 512gb on the next spec bump in 2025 😐. I'm doubtful they will increase this year.

1

slickdill

Feb 15, 2024 7:15 PM

41 Comments

Joined Nov 2015

slickdillFeb 15, 2024 7:15 PM

41 Comments

The system does a great job of managing ram as long as your disk isn't full. Buy more ram if you need it for specific programs, but performance testing has proven how good 8gb is.

2

mrat93

Feb 15, 2024 7:34 PM

152 Comments

Joined Mar 2012

mrat93Feb 15, 2024 7:34 PM

152 Comments

Quote from dailydoseofone

:

Non-upgradeable is not the issue, and to a certain extent neither is the 8GB standard.

The real crime is TWO HUNDRED F**KING DOLLARS for an additional 8GB

Given how infrequent 16gb models are on sale, it's more like a $500 price difference — between the base config on sale and a 16gb model at MSRP.

And if the 16gb model is on sale, it probably has 256gb of storage.

1

Costco Members: Apple MacBook Air: 15.3", M2 8-Core CPU, 8GB RAM, 256GB SSD

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