M4 Macs might start with 16GB of RAM for the first time

According to a new report from Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, Apple’s upcoming base model Macs could start with 16GB RAM by default, up from 8GB. This breaks a tradition that Apple has had going for around 8 years now.

Apple increased the base RAM of the base model 13-inch MacBook Air from 4GB to 8GB in 2016, and since then it’s been the standard. For the most part this has been fine, but in recent years it’s been a growing complaint. However, that could be changing soon.

According to Gurman, the tested M4 Macs “all have either 16 or 32 gigabytes of memory.” This means upcoming Mac buyers would potentially have 16GB of RAM without needing to pay $200 for the upgrade. Additionally, 32GB of RAM would be the new maximum for the M4 chip. Currently, M3 tops out at 24GB of RAM.

Additionally, he mentions that some tested configurations start with a lower tier 8 core CPU and 8 core GPU. This varies a bit from the M4 chip introduced in the iPad Pro, where the lower storage options come with a 9 core CPU and a 10 core GPU. The fully unlocked M4 chip in Macs will have a 10 core CPU and 10 core GPU, just like the iPad Pro.

Gurman mentions no details on M4 Pro and M4 Max, although I’m sure we’ll hear some things in the future. Apple is expected to begin debuting the M4 Mac lineup later this year with the MacBook Pro, Mac mini, and iMac. The rest of the lineup is expected to follow in 2025.

It’s worth noting that this is all based on whats currently visible in a developer log, and it’s still very possible that Apple will end up shipping less than 16GB of RAM. However, things are looking quite positive! With Apple Intelligence demanding more memory, 16GB RAM as standard might not actually be too unrealistic.

Are you excited for the upcoming M4 Macs? Does more RAM make you more likely to upgrade? Let us know in the comments below.

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