Apple has announced that 16GB of RAM is now the standard minimum for its M2 and M3 MacBook Air models. This update brings the company’s most affordable laptop in line with the rest of Apple’s refreshed computers, all of which now start with at least 16GB of RAM. If you already didn’t figure it out, entire lineup of iPhone 16, from base iPhone 16 to the flagship iPhone 6 Pro Max, comes with 8GB RAM.
Despite the big memory upgrade, the entry-level MacBook Air keeps its $999 starting price. This change removes the previous $200 upsell for 16GB of RAM.
The RAM boost extends beyond the MacBook Air. Apple’s entire range of new computers introduced this week, including iMacs, a smaller Mac Mini, and updated MacBook Pros, all feature a minimum of 16GB RAM. This removes the 8GB RAM tier from Apple’s entire computer lineup.
Industry experts speculate that this across-the-board increase in base RAM is likely driven by Apple’s focus on Apple Intelligence. AI models need considerable memory resources to perform well, especially on macOS.
This isn’t the first time Apple has made such a move. In 2016, the company increased the minimum RAM for the 13-inch MacBook Air to 8GB and discontinued the 4GB 11-inch version shortly after, as per The Verge.