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Finally they're doing starting memory at 16gb. Looking at how long the 8gb lasted it's a pretty sure bet that now you won't need to upgrade for a good few year

Finally they're doing starting memory at 16gb. Looking at how long the 8gb lasted it's a pretty sure bet that now you won't need to upgrade for a good few years. I mean, I have a MacBook air with 16gb of ram and it's honestly working pretty well to this day. I don't do "much" on it though but not many people do. I'd say the one incentive a MacBook Pro has over the air is the better a screens and better speakers. Not sure if it's worth the money.

efields 2y ago
My hypothesis is Apple is mostly right about their base model offerings. > I mean, I have a MacBook air with 16gb of ram and it's honestly working pretty well to this day. I don't do "much" on it though but not many people do. If an HN user can get along with 16gb on their MacBook Air for the last X years, most users were able to get by with 8gb.
- skellington 2y ago
  It's just a tactic to get a higher average price while being able to advertise a lower price. What makes it infuriating is memory is dirt cheap. That extra 8GB probably costs them $10 at most, but would add to utility and longevity of their hardware quite a bit. They are supposed to be "green" but they encourage obsolescence.
  - Spooky23 2y ago
    They align need with more CPU and margin. Apple wants as few SKUs as possible and as much margin as possible. 8GB is fine for most use cases. Part of my gig is managing a huge global enterprise with six figures of devices. Metrics demonstrate that the lower quartile is ok with 8GB, even now. Those devices are being retired as part of the normal lifecycle with 16GB, which is better. Laptops are 2-6 year devices. Higher end devices always get replaced sooner - you buy a high end device because the productivity is worth spending $. Low end tend to live longer.
  - carlosjobim 2y ago
    People looking for low prices buy PC, they don't even consider Mac. Then they can have a computer with all the "higher numbers", which is more important than getting stuff done.
axelthegerman 2y ago
> pretty sure bet that now you won't need to upgrade for a good few years. Or you could get a framework and you could actually upgrade parts that are worth upgrading - instead of upgrade as in buying a new one
- ativzzz 2y ago
  I bought a framework back in 2020 or so and really wish I just waited a little longer and spent a few hundred bucks more on the M1. It's fine, but the issue is linux sleep/hibernate - battery drain. To use the laptop after a few days, I have to plug it in and wait for it to charge a little bit because the battery dies. I have to shut it down (not just close the screen) before flying or my backpack becomes a heater and the laptop dies. To use a macbook that's been closed for months I just open it and it works. I'll pay double for that experience. If I want a computer that needs to be plugged in to work I have a desktop for that already. The battery life is not good either. Maybe it's better now if I take the time to research what to upgrade, but I don't have the time to tinker with hardware/linux config like I did a few years ago.
  - axelthegerman 2y ago
    > To use a macbook that's been closed for months I just open it and it works. That's what I loved about my 2013 MBP but didn't have the same experience with the newer models anymore either. I think "months" or even weeks is pushing it anyways, though a good proper suspend would be much appreciated. Personally I use my laptop every other day so don't really have the same battery issue there
- jerojero 2y ago
  I don't mind spending a thousand bucks every 7 years to upgrade my laptop. I've had this macbook air since 2020 and besides the speakers don't being the best... I have no complaints. I don't really see a world where this machine doesn't last me a few more years. If there's anything i'd service would be the battery, but eh. It lasts more than a few hours and I don't go out much.
  - 2y ago

efields 2y ago

My hypothesis is Apple is mostly right about their base model offerings. > I mean, I have a MacBook air with 16gb of ram and it's honestly working pretty well to this day. I don't do "much" on it though but not many people do. If an HN user can get along with 16gb on their MacBook Air for the last X years, most users were able to get by with 8gb.

skellington 2y ago
It's just a tactic to get a higher average price while being able to advertise a lower price. What makes it infuriating is memory is dirt cheap. That extra 8GB probably costs them $10 at most, but would add to utility and longevity of their hardware quite a bit. They are supposed to be "green" but they encourage obsolescence.
- Spooky23 2y ago
  They align need with more CPU and margin. Apple wants as few SKUs as possible and as much margin as possible. 8GB is fine for most use cases. Part of my gig is managing a huge global enterprise with six figures of devices. Metrics demonstrate that the lower quartile is ok with 8GB, even now. Those devices are being retired as part of the normal lifecycle with 16GB, which is better. Laptops are 2-6 year devices. Higher end devices always get replaced sooner - you buy a high end device because the productivity is worth spending $. Low end tend to live longer.
- carlosjobim 2y ago
  People looking for low prices buy PC, they don't even consider Mac. Then they can have a computer with all the "higher numbers", which is more important than getting stuff done.

axelthegerman 2y ago

> pretty sure bet that now you won't need to upgrade for a good few years. Or you could get a framework and you could actually upgrade parts that are worth upgrading - instead of upgrade as in buying a new one

ativzzz 2y ago
I bought a framework back in 2020 or so and really wish I just waited a little longer and spent a few hundred bucks more on the M1. It's fine, but the issue is linux sleep/hibernate - battery drain. To use the laptop after a few days, I have to plug it in and wait for it to charge a little bit because the battery dies. I have to shut it down (not just close the screen) before flying or my backpack becomes a heater and the laptop dies. To use a macbook that's been closed for months I just open it and it works. I'll pay double for that experience. If I want a computer that needs to be plugged in to work I have a desktop for that already. The battery life is not good either. Maybe it's better now if I take the time to research what to upgrade, but I don't have the time to tinker with hardware/linux config like I did a few years ago.
- axelthegerman 2y ago
  > To use a macbook that's been closed for months I just open it and it works. That's what I loved about my 2013 MBP but didn't have the same experience with the newer models anymore either. I think "months" or even weeks is pushing it anyways, though a good proper suspend would be much appreciated. Personally I use my laptop every other day so don't really have the same battery issue there
jerojero 2y ago
I don't mind spending a thousand bucks every 7 years to upgrade my laptop. I've had this macbook air since 2020 and besides the speakers don't being the best... I have no complaints. I don't really see a world where this machine doesn't last me a few more years. If there's anything i'd service would be the battery, but eh. It lasts more than a few hours and I don't go out much.
- 2y ago