The 8GB base RAM configuration that Apple has been using since 2016 may be changed with new Macs using the M4 chip.
According to a new report from Bloomberg's Mark Gurman, Apple's upcoming entry-level Mac models could start with 16GB of RAM by default, up from 8GB in the previous generation. This breaks with the tradition that Apple has maintained for the past eight years.
Apple increased the base RAM of the base 13-inch MacBook Air from 4GB to 8GB in 2016, and it has become the standard RAM for Macs since. This amount of RAM is still fine for standard tasks, but in recent years, some complaints have grown that it causes Safari to freeze when you have too many tabs open.
According to Gurman, the M4 Macs tested “all had either 16GB or 32GB of memory.” This means that prospective Mac buyers will likely get 16GB of RAM without having to pay extra for an upgrade. Additionally, 32GB of RAM will be the new maximum for the M4 chip. Currently, the M3 maxes out at 24GB of RAM.
Bloomberg's expert also mentioned that some of the configurations tested started with a lower-end 8-core CPU and 8-core GPU. This is slightly different from the M4 chip introduced in the iPad Pro , where the lower storage options came with a 9-core CPU and 10-core GPU. The fully unlocked M4 chip in the Mac would have a 10-core CPU and 10-core GPU, just like the iPad Pro.
Gurman didn't mention any details about the M4 Pro and M4 Max, although some reports suggest Apple will start rolling out the M4 Mac lineup later this year with the MacBook Pro , Mac mini, and iMac. The rest of the lineup is expected to launch in 2025.
With Apple Intelligence demanding more memory, 16GB of RAM becoming the new baseline may not be so unrealistic.
Apple last updated its MacBook Pro and iMac models last October at its “Scary Fast” event, introducing M3 chips across the lineup. The MacBook Pro received a new Space Black finish, as well as a lower-cost model that replaced the old 13-inch MacBook Pro with the Touch Bar. The 24-inch iMac kept most of its design, even the included Magic Mouse, Magic Trackpad, and Magic Keyboard accessories didn’t make the switch to USB-C.
With the new updates coming to Mac models this fall, Gurman doesn’t expect much beyond the introduction of a new M4 chip. The M4 first debuted in the iPad Pro in May, but no Mac models have received the new processor yet. Since the iMac still uses Lightning accessories, Bloomberg predicts that USB-C accessories will appear alongside the 24-inch iMac with the M4 chip later this year.
Gurman said there will be an update to the Mac mini later this year. The Mac mini skipped the M3 chip line and was last updated in January 2023 with the M2 Pro chip, but otherwise the model has not received any major upgrades.
