M2 Macbook Air - Is it better to upgrade to 16GB RAM or 512GB storage?

Is it better to upgrade RAM or storage on the M2 Macbook Air? A lot of you guys have been asking for the M2 Macbook Air what is a better upgrade, 16GB vs 512GB? In this video I will try to answer that question!
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[@PatrickRambles]

🔥Hey guys! For those of you asking about the leather sleeve, you can find it here geni.us/H9z0 🔥

[@mattiabaldanzi2356]

😊

[@SLTX757]

Patrick, gotta say I really enjoy and respect your opinion on these M2 machines. You're giving the people info they need, and not creating drama for clicks which I really appreciate. I'm a fan, please keep it up

[@PatrickRambles]

Thank you , I appreciate the kind words :)

[@KanuKing20]

There is a tremendous and I mean, tremendous misconception in the community among buyers and that is that 8gb is only suitable for the Office, KZbin and Spotify kind of user. 100% WRONG. The company I work for (a silicon valley giant) uses the base model to perform work with .ipa and apk. files on android and IOs platform sans problems. I use docker images, many automation frameworks and 3 programming languages in parallel and I’m yet to encounter any problems. The KZbin community needs to seriously stop spreading lies about 'future proofing' or 'you will only surf the web with that RAM'. Does Apple pay these guys to incite consumers to make a soft hard upgrade? My god…

[@user-rc8gz1bi1p]

Hey, I was really looking for a programmer's perspective on the 8ram 512ssd M2 air. Reading your comment, it seems like this spec is more than enough right? What about high Intensive tasks? Do you get any throttling? Also how is the port situation?

[@letsgowalk]

Seriously. Who is going to spend over a grand just to surf the web? If that’s all you are going to do, might as well just get a $200 Chromebook.

[@kahelsoro]

This honestly convince me to really consider just the base. Coming from windows which at minimum since 2018 have been running 16GB RAM heck even now my work laptop is 40GB; I really do not want to mess up my first step to the macOS world coming from Windows (this will be my personal; no work laptop) I do run audio software since i record as a hobby but tbh reading comments and suggestions in reddit, mac forums and a lot of YT going base is the way to go

[@fajarkusumoadi8868]

100% agree! i use the base 256/8 for everything and it works perfectly.. after effects indesign premiere pro photoshop, no probs..

[@eldars3094]

@@user-rc8gz1bi1p I’m using 8/512 for everything including some video/photo editing and office work with utilities like sap, power bi and it works perfectly

[@joellouiseize]

I like your calm and concise way of speaking- immediately a fan and subscribed :)

[@raymondpritchard]

As far as I can see, any upgrade to either RAM or SSD for the M2 Air is a step toward the 14” MacBook Pro. Apple know this, hence the $200 premium for each option. 512gb & 16gb should have been the entry level for the M2 Air priced at $1399 which, from my perspective would be equivalent value when compared with the 14” M1 Pro

[@PatrickRambles]

Agreed on all points.

[@VexxdGaming]

yeah. super annoying that base is 8gb ran and 256gb ssd

[@davidsmithers3353]

Can’t even get the M1 Pro equivalent without spending $500 more

[@imthebadguyy]

I'm a newbie software engineer upgraded to the 512 and 16 simply bc I prefer the keyboard on the air compared to the pro. (The midnight was also a plus)

[@spacechannelfiver]

@@imthebadguyy It's the same keyboard?

[@sarah_harrison]

super useful video. Short, concise, and to the point! Thanks Patrick!

[@karinjohnstone6690]

I'm so happy that you first get straight to the point to answer the question. Great help thanks.

[@Youtubehandles1234]

What do you mean? He answers the question only 4:15 min into the video. Great advice etc but doesn’t seem straight to the point ❤

[@_FLUXCAPACITOR]

I just ordered M2 Air... Got college discount + $150 gift card (I graduated 20 yrs ago🤣) Upgraded to 16G and my state is Tax free this week. $1279 total. Helluva deal! Thanks for the review!

[@PatrickRambles]

This message right here , officer 👮‍♀️. Just kidding , thanks mate !

[@glittergirl-tz4ru]

This is awesome. I wish Michigan did tax free weekends

[@iStorm-my5fp]

Don't you need to prove student status?

[@oueia]

Glad you also shared the ArtIsRight channel as they did run some very extensive tests. I just got my MBAM1 8/512 yesterday and I'm super happy! I'm the type to hoard files vs multitask and I'm pretty happy with my decision.

[@PatrickRambles]

🙌

[@bryans8656]

One of the big concerns I've seen on other KZbinr channels is disk swapping caused by too little memory, so I completely agree that increasing the memory is the wisest choice.

[@phoenixbwp]

Check out "Kevin Ross" who's done the M2 and M1 line up to dispel the fear you have with swapping... Swapping happened in the past, and it isn't going away! What you need to look into? Terabytes Written on the External SSDs... Firecuda is preferred over Samsung 980 Pro, when you use 1TB or 2TB, per "Tech Notice"

[@PatrickRambles]

Kevin’s a buddy of mine 👍

[@bryans8656]

@@phoenixbwp Thanks for the tip!

[@bryans8656]

@@PatrickRambles Thanks Patrick. Kevin is also one of the KZbinrs I trust and subscribe to.

[@derranstokes8760]

Thank you, Patrick I agree that more RAM rather than more storage would be the way to spec a MBA. As you quite rightly say if you think you need to upgrade both the MBPro is the better option for that particular use case.

[@PatrickRambles]

Thanks Derran !

[@froufou100]

Thank you very much for this feedback. I am anything but Tech orientated and have been agonising over what spec to buy with a tight budget and that I work with many Chrome tabs opened for research work, plus some moderate photo editing and maybe later moderate video editing. Sounds like I just upgrade the RAM for now until am ready to buy M2 MBP 14 :)

[@nikwen12]

finally the best video of it's kind! Thank you!!

[@mslater92]

Great info on the M2! Also the way you asked for the like and subscribe in the b-roll is genius, loved that. I hate creators doing an over-the-top ask, yours was perfect!

[@PatrickRambles]

Haha thanks Michael , I appreciate that :)

[@TomDesGarcon]

this is THE review we've all been waiting for - thanks Patrick, lifesaver!

[@PatrickRambles]

Thanks, Tom!

[@danlovesayu]

I am using a MacMini 2018 with 8GB RAM with 1TB SSD. Still running great till today! I use Photoshop 24.2 and have zero problems.

[@afrozalam5389]

This is exactly the video I needed

[@Mwk98]

This is EXACTLY what I have been trying to decide between. Feels like you read my mind! Thank you :)

[@PatrickRambles]

That's awesome 😄

[@scottmuir2385]

Quality - Loving the open and honest “No Click Bait” style!

[@PatrickRambles]

Thanks, Scott !

[@luisargueta2615]

Thanks for your video help clear out some of my thoughts. I recently purchased a basic m2 air & so far it done all my needs editing videos, pictures etc. so like you said unless your into heavy editing or work flow the basic air will do just fine. like your videos keep up the great work. 😊

[@PatrickRambles]

Thanks, Luis - much appreciated!

[@aaronfrench8322]

I am so happy someone on KZbin is giving this a real chance and calling out the overhype of it “not being able to keep up.” I myself am most likely going to get one as a very casual first ever laptop, but so many videos are throwing me off. It will be my first ever laptop or computer for myself. I plan on using it very casually, but considering trying some other things out with it like starting a casual KZbin channel or starting a business or two. But no heavy production or editing of any sort

[@PatrickRambles]

Thanks Aaron, for that it will be totally fine.

[@Terreos]

Very informative. I wish the other youtubers that making so many videos about the M2 Air were making informative videos like this that actually help people make an informed buying choice. Knowing how well the M2 Air does in heavy workloads is important as there are alot of people that make very poor purchasing decisions. When I was in collage one of my fellow classmates bought a base model xps 13 for autocad. This is back when they were pushing those very power efficient intel U processors. Great for light tasks, but were not true work horse CPU's. Needless to say he ended up returning it and was very upset it could barely run programs we used in class. And this was after the professor told them they needed something more. Point being people need good informative videos to help them avoid this kind of scenario. As for me I have not put my M2 Air through it's paces yet. Still installing programs and getting it ready. Though I'm loving the keyboard and light weight. This is definitely a great machine for anyone that needs something light and loves to type.

[@PatrickRambles]

Thanks!

[@brachiator1]

Good, brief and down to earth recommendations. Thanks.

[@PatrickRambles]

Thanks!

[@piyushlale7048]

Great job man!!! All of the confusion has been cleared in a single video.

[@PatrickRambles]

Thanks man!

[@Batman-fn9nz]

one of the best videos which made me to write comment there. Thanks bro for valuable information.

[@ciara3448]

Love this review! You’re so kind on how you give your recommendations!

[@PatrickRambles]

Thank you :)

[@waseqk4703]

very insightful advice and stellar recommendation from a great youtuber who deserves a lot more subs on here. keep up the good work patrick!

[@PatrickRambles]

Thanks man , I appreciate the kind words!

[@khannankit]

Very nicely explained. After watching so many videos, yours was the most convincing one. Thank you for the efforts.

[@PatrickRambles]

Thanks!

[@michaelbakhtiar9256]

Super awesome and direct to the point help and guidance! Thank you!

[@PatrickRambles]

Appreciate it, Michael!

[@wazitSomethingISaid]

the 8gb ram is massively imporved with the 512gb SSD that is not only twice the storage... but more than twice as fast.... an the ram will borrow from the SSD in Ram "Swap" so the 8gb would be enough for 90% of users

[@drbenirusani]

Nice cool intonation and volume. Some reviewers tend to be "loud". Keep it up !

[@PatrickRambles]

Thanks!

[@boztikmedia8784]

Thank you Mr Rambles. On point!!!

[@PatrickRambles]

Thanks !

[@michaelstout5422]

So helpful. Thanks. Ramble on!!!

[@PatrickRambles]

🙏

[@EVLOGWAY]

Thank you for the great advice.

[@ts-gaming-29531]

Very good explanation; everything felt on point. keep up the good work. Subscribed!

[@PatrickRambles]

Thanks, I appreciate it!

[@jamiereid5808]

As always Patrick a very informative and solid video as usual.

[@PatrickRambles]

Thanks Jamie!

[@nivnagar3287]

Very informative and clear, thank you

[@PatrickRambles]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@arhammehta4400]

Thankyou so much for this video Was just waiting for this ,to decide one ❤️❤️✨🙌🏻🙌🏻🙌🏻 thank you ✨

[@PatrickRambles]

Thanks !!

[@alperenors5284]

Thats very useful for me. Thanx ☺️

[@likethewind888]

This video was extremely helpful thank you

[@PatrickRambles]

😁🙌

[@katarzynaniemier3953]

Thank you Patrick! The advice really helped me choose the right one ;))

[@PatrickRambles]

Thank you , I’m glad it was useful !

[@nickviews]

Super helpful, Patrick! Liked & subscribed :)

[@AdamGobin]

This was great, just subscribed! Thank you for this great info.

[@PatrickRambles]

Thanks, Adam! Appreciate it 🙌

[@naar_kie]

just confirmed what I was thinking, thank you

[@tarajit_khuman]

Good explanation. Thank you.

[@PatrickRambles]

I appreciate that.

[@mpetrides]

Great video, as always, Patrick. I was glad to see that your conclusion is the same as mine-more RAM is the way to go. A fast external SSD works well for me when using my 16 inch M1Pro MBP to edit videos in FCP. I keep the files I’m working on on the external drive and work from there, avoiding the risk of filling up my internal storage and allowing me to move my project from the MPB to my desktop machine (M1 iMac) at will.

[@PatrickRambles]

Thanks Marian !

[@JSTherrien]

I went with the 8gb Ram and 512 on the 10 core as it was in stock. I’ll keep the demanding tasks dedicated to my tower. This feels like the perfect travel companion, portability is key on a MBA in my opinion. Ended up swapping the midnight for a starlight one as my OCD was on high alert with the fingerprints!

[@PatrickRambles]

Ha! I feel that OCD. The smudge is real…

[@andrewdismukes7725]

How do you like this? I am also looking into getting this exact device. 8GB Ram and 512 SSD with 10 Core. I would mainly just do emails and bare minimum tasks with the occasional video editing but certainly not over the top video editing. Would base level be just fine? I’m worried about storage bc I normally run out of storage with my phone bc of photos

[@luckylucson]

@@andrewdismukes7725 If you're doing mainly emails & web browsing then it should be more than sufficient. When you need it, it'll definitely be able to handle a bit of video editing

[@kiraolivia5542]

I got the exact same specs because it was $200 off at Best Buy. I mostly picked this option because I didn't want to only have 256gb of storage and I don't need this computer for strong enough computing to justify the higher spec models. I'm more than happy with this computer and it does super well with the light multi tasking that I do and some occasional gaming.

[@letsgowalk]

I just got this as well, since it is on sale now at Costco. I love it so far! I've done 4K editing, and the swap barely ever even starts. The funny thing is that I auditioned the base model first, since that was also on sale. I noticed it chugged a bit harder on multitasking, although this might be a placebo effect. I ultimately returned that one for the aforementioned.

[@rob91Harvey]

It’s crazy how much information was about “upgrade the storage!” Or how it’s only one chip being the issue Or these benchmark tests that were doing the base model vs 512/16gb and not comparing to 256/16gb. Which everything clearly indicates massively improves the performance over 512/8gb.

[@RoadmanRob8]

Very intelligent and honest man. Always listen to your advice. Thank you

[@PatrickRambles]

Thanks man 🤝

[@RoadmanRob8]

@@PatrickRambles I have just purchased the base model today for my daughter’s Christmas present. I was shitting myself thinking Iv bought the wrong Mac for her. I have been debating calling and cancelling the order all afternoon. But after watching your video it has settled me right down. It’s more than enough for her needs. Thanks bro 👊

[@PatrickRambles]

@RoadmanRob8 she'll love it 💪

[@laurentroose2429]

Thnx for the advice, I made up my mind: as a beginner in the creative sector I’ll buy the m2 256 with 16gb ram cause you can always use a external harddrive. When you make a lot of money then you can always upgrade to the pro but then I would use a Studio with Display … :)

[@spicytofuuuu]

Thank you so much, man. Out of the hundreds of videos about helping me choose what type of macbook to buy, yours gave me the most clarity. Really appreciate it! Subscribing from now on.

[@PatrickRambles]

Appreciate it!

[@thevacdude]

I think I'd be fine with the base model M2. I have a base model early 2015 13 inch with 4GB RAM, and 128GB storage. Getting double the storage for $200 more than what my 2015 cost is worth it. Thanks for the video, Patrick.

[@PatrickRambles]

100% worth it. And thanks !

[@sleepyluffy2501]

I just love your soft voice with very not too pushy demeanor like most youtubers do nowadays!

[@PatrickRambles]

Thank you :)

[@KevinFarrick]

Man! These last vids just knocked it put the park! Thanks for addressing the concerns of a large majority of users. You’ve got a new fan right here!

[@PatrickRambles]

Thanks Kevin, I appreciate the kind words!

[@user-to2dc4ge8m]

What were you saying? I was distracted by your arms 💪🏼 but really thanks for the vid. This helps a lot!

[@GrumpyCoder]

Finally someone that knows whats he’s talking about. Thank you, amazing video!

[@PatrickRambles]

Thanks Carl!

[@jadenetamura7977]

Thank you so much for the plain English discussion of when a non-power user may want to upgrade the RAM and/or SSD. I probably would be fine with the base model--in fact I probably should get the M1 MBA. But to ensure longevity, I decided to upgrade to 16 RAM and 512 SSD in the M2 MBA after a long and torturous internal debate of whether to shell out a few more dollars for the 14 MBP.

[@PatrickRambles]

At least you bought some peace of mind. In a couple of years, 8GB is going to be a bit too low I think.

[@hay16233]

valid points well taken; thanks indeed : )

[@PatrickRambles]

Thanks!

[@andrewcowie6436]

amazing video sir thank you very very much!

[@PatrickRambles]

Thanks Andrew, much appreciated!

[@gustavobio]

In markets such as Brazil the 16gb versions are only sold through Apple, so no discounts, ever. A 16gb M1 MacBook Air here costs around USD2800, whereas the 8gb M1 MacBook Air can be found discounted in major retailers for USD1300 and the 512gb for USD1700.

[@innnews6299]

Well put. If only Apple is not so greedy that it puts 2 x 128gb SSDs on its base M2 MBA, none of this issue would happen.

[@pauljericklara3865]

Always upgrade RAM. There are a lot of options for extended storage but I think there's none for extended memory.

[@mishos.2228]

That’s the correct global answer in most of the situations. But this particular case M2 has a slower SSD drive compared to M1 by half. Because they are using one 256gb chip instead of 2 128gb. The only solution to by pass this is to get the 512 option (it has 2 chips). So in the M2 particular case storage is more important. Beside transfer speeds swap files will dent the performance experience on the base 256gb model

[@suryansh12]

that's only applicable for m1 mba......not m2 mba!!

[@Fran_ku]

@@mishos.2228 when u have 16gb ram, u will not use swap often if ever. So it boils down to if u need that much storage or transfer file big enough to make differences.

[@Axxetto]

Not in this case, the ssd is so crap in the 256gb. The SSD upgrade made a way bigger noticeable difference

[@PatrickRambles]

With 16GB of RAM there will be no need for swapping, so the SSD issue becomes less relevant.

[@zeeshandiwan6630]

After ordering and cancelling the M2 MBA twice, I’ll order and stick to the base model thanks to your review. As a lawyer all I use is MS office and safari for most of my work, other reviews made me cancel my order twice since even the MacBook Air is so expensive here in india. Thanks 🙏🏻

[@BinuJasim]

Go for M1 air & save Rs. 20K. You don't need the extra performance offered by M2 chip.

[@viviee33]

Where do you plan on buying it from? The official apple store?

[@YashThakur-nw4ly]

I am planning to buy M2 15 inch base model for basic task like yours. Just want to know your experience about file transferring, web browsing, you tube watching, zoom/facebook meeting, word/excel/pdf work etc. Do base model 8/256 M2 Air handle it very well or you found any slow speed or thermal issue as mentioned in few you tube videos? Will appreciate your feedback.

[@Theappleguy1]

Brilliant video, thanks.

[@PatrickRambles]

Thanks, Chris!

[@chiodh]

Nailed it. Kudos!!!

[@PatrickRambles]

Thanks!

[@vahidleong7182]

Got what I need thank you

[@k.vn.k]

I understand for casual use the base model is more than enough. But for future proof sake, I always go a step ahead with RAM and storage so I bought 16GB RAM with 512GB SD for M2 10-core GPU model. Yea, it is overkill for day to day use: writing, scheduling, researching, etc but it’s a peace of mind for me.

[@PatrickRambles]

I wouldn’t even call it overkill necessarily. If you have the budget, I think it’s a wise upgrade, looking at the future. The purpose of this particular video was to make a case for the base model for those who don’t have the budget to “beef it up”. It’s very capable as is. But of course , upgrade is useful. I do think there is a point where upgrading the M2 Air becomes silly and it makes more sense to get an M1 Pro. Video about that dropping tomorrow :)

[@FlavorfulVic]

I opted for the SSD upgrade since my wife will also occasionally use the laptop as another user. (Mostly for the upgraded camera for video calls) - plus I don’t like to carry around external drives and do not want to run into the issue of running out of memory. I understand there’s cloud storage but in the long run the upgraded SSD will suit me well. Plus I always keep files saved to my actual computer in the event I don’t have access to my cloud. I feel like with this type of laptop you you eventually run into bottlenecks when drastically upgrading only 1 component. If I needed more RAM I would have opted for the 14 pro imho.

[@PatrickRambles]

I do agree there is a very fine line between upgrading the M2 and getting an M1 pro. Check my next vid this weekend :)

[@Youtubehandles1234]

I agree, always choose RAM. And never get 8GB. A tab uses ~500MB RAM on average nowadays. With 8GB that fills up very fast. I’m using my 2017 MBP with 16GB to this day and I’m so glad I got the 16GB. I would have upgraded my machine a few years ago if I gotten the 8GB RAM. While 8GB might be cheaper today, it will force you to upgrade earlier and costing you more down the line.

[@warrenmcclure7819]

I had to get the 8GB/512GB SSD model mainly because I do want this thing to last me as long as possible. I edit videos here and there but thats about it. Its just nice knowing that I wont have to worry about upgrading any time soon

[@SterSerafine]

you're so patient and serene you're like a tech Buddha. I love the way you speak. I'd love it if you could help me out - I'm finally upgrading my computer after ten years (a mid-2012 MacBook Pro). It makes me uneasy that the most recent MacBooks no longer allow you to upgrade RAM or storage over time, because that's what let me keep mine for as long as I have. Now I wanna invest in a machine that's gonna last me another 10 years, you know? Here's the thing, I'm lawyer and my work is mostly office stuff and heavy research (lots of tabs and windows and apps open simultaneously), so I know the M2 air would serve me fine for this. But there's something else making me doubt: I'm not a gamer exactly, but I do play one game - the sims. All expansions, all game packs, custom content and mods, the full stuff. I don't play very often because of work, but every now and again if I have time off I'll go on a gaming spree and play 18h a day for like two weeks. I don't know how much you know about it, but in that case, would the m2 still serve me well? Would there be thermal throttling during gaming, would I miss the fans? Would the 16gb of RAM suffice as upgrade or should I just go for the M1 pro already? I'm honestly leaning towards the M2 air with 16gb RAM because of portability and design (I'm all day out and about with the computer in my bag, plus lots of papers). But would it handle my occasional gaming fine? That's a detail that could make me go for the 14'' pro. Pretty please help me out!

[@PatrickRambles]

Hey thanks for the kind words. Without knowing the full requirements for the Sims, prolonged gaming sessions can definitely make the fanless M2 heat up. When it comes to performance doubts, I always point people in the direction of the pro. Still plenty portable but a lot more powerful.

[@papa.mike01]

As always Patrick you have done a balanced honest recommendation for this much maligned little beautiful everyday user machine.

[@PatrickRambles]

Thanks , I appreciate it!

[@Sami-zu7ej]

Thank you for this video, Patrick! You can always buy external storage as well for a better price.

[@PatrickRambles]

Exactly!

[@QuietlyPeaceful]

I know the configuration I’d like (16GB/512GB/10core upgrade to future proof for another 5-8 years). I know it’s close to the MBP 14” but I don’t need that kind of power neither do I need those ports (I might use those extra ports perhaps once, if not at all!). I absolutely love the thinness and light weight feel of the MBA and love the typing. However, I wish  gave the mini led awesome screen display for the MBA even if for a higher price tag. That option would have been nice as even a content consumption average user would appreciate a good rich screen (not just pro users!) TFS Patrick. Nowadays, I by default watch KZbinrs who are level headed and don’t keep beating their chest. I unwind with KZbin and so after 4-5 hours of zoom calls, I hate people screaming and repeating the same line over and over. Keep up the good work. 👍🏼

[@PatrickRambles]

Thanks for sharing !

[@Bootus123]

I haven't seen anyone getting upset that it doesn't compare to any MacBook Pro models. The things I've seen that RIGHTLY make complaints are that it's just slower for a lot of work than the base M1 MBA, which is $200 cheaper.

[@trapbeatproducer]

Just put this on! Hope you're having a good day 💻 Regarding RAM I did what you said and used the internal monitor this morning. When making music I never get as high as 8GB so my 16GB model wasn't really needed. But as my projects get bigger it may help! What is noticeable is the M1 Processor panicking briefly because making beats/video editing is processor heavy... MEANING YOU ARE ALWAYS RIGHT 😂😭 M1 Pro or M1 Max will be my next processor, or I'll wait a couple more years and get the M2 'Pro' variant when it's out. I am in love with the M2 Air it looks sick man! To be honest an M2 Air might even perform better. I'll go to Köln (Cologne) next week and ask to time machine my settings and make some music in store. Another great video. Looking forward to the next 💪🏽

[@PatrickRambles]

Ha! Thanks for sharing this dude !

[@fredhubbard7210]

All this info is available on other channels without Patrick's clarity and lack of hype. I wish I found this before I bought my MBA w/ 16GB RAM. I would have saved me a lot of time. I bought Ram for future proofing. I got 10 years out of my last MBP... I'm hoping to do better this time.

[@PatrickRambles]

Thanks Fred! Are you unhappy with the 16GB? What would you have picked instead?

[@laCASTROng]

Thanks for the content. Was. Really struggling if I should get the base model or 256 ssd. Since I'm on a budget and was. Worried about the slow ssd read and write speed on the base model. But I'll he getting the base model since real world work doesn't seem tbe affected by it as much.

[@shannonrae9955]

I agree with your input on the base model. I have a Mac Mini M1 base model, and it does everything I need, with so much power to spare. I wish people would stop thinking they're getting a MacBook Pro with M1 max in the M2 MBA (lol joking, but you know what I mean). My choice in getting the base model m1 mac mini was simple; what was I using before? It was a 2018 PC with a 4-core AMD and 8gb of RAM. On top of that, the Mac Mini is a fraction of the size, and is a powerhouse. I love it!

[@PatrickRambles]

Not many PC's can keep up with Apple silicon. I know you're kidding about people expecting M1 Max power in the M2 base model but you have no idea how many viewers ask me "can I edit 4K videos on then base model". They want everything for the least amount of cash

[@phoenixbwp]

Patrick! Thank you for your Opinion on the issue! I've watched your channel and taken your points on accessories to mind when I go shopping! I haven't been able to make the switch over to iPadOS Only with my daily work, due to Google Spreadsheets app not being fully baked in on the iPad Pro 12.9 2018 or iPad mini 6. There's a huge difference between the Desktop Browser version of Sheets and the App, that I struggle with when inputting numbers... It's quicker on desktop/laptop than iOS/iPadOS. Now that's a Google Problem, not Apple's! And yes, I was going to buy the M2 Air, but, I may get into Video Production more and the 14" M1 Pro fits nicely! For those who might struggle with Codecs? Shutter Encoder app might be something to look into over Handbrake app. Shutter Encoder app CAN re-wrap (convert) i.e. .m2ts to .mp4(h.264/265), or transcode .mkv to .mp4(h.264/265), and the speed of the operation, naturally, depends on your computer...

[@PatrickRambles]

Thanks for sharing !

[@marissalsero8780]

Sometimes it is good to step back and do a full on reality check, in particular for the average user, the category that I belong to. We often struggle for weeks trying to decide how much to spend on RAM or Drive upgrades. Then I remind myself that I am still doing the work and play that I need to do on a 2009 MacBook! Incredible as it may sound, the machine still works. The only problem is that I am limited to using an older OS, which prevents me from using the latest versions of Chrome that I need for google meet and docs, but Firefox is still fully operational on my ancient OS.

[@beltrangarrote1982]

Spot on! I'm on a 2017 Intel Core i5 which has become a little too slow for my regular John Doe Office/media multitasking. The M1 would be a perfect choice but I want the new form factor with thinner bezels and Mag-Safe. I was gonna do 16/512, then I thought about 16/256 and now I'm even considering 8/256 and live happily ever after saving 460€ in my part of the World.

[@PatrickRambles]

@beltrangarrote1982 you’re totally right about not needing to max out a machine for everyday type use. I would try to stay away from 8gb though, especially on the 256. It will save you money on the short term but I believe you might regret it down the road.

[@elerocko1]

The video I needed!

[@PatrickRambles]

🙌

[@SparklngCyanide]

i'm that person who bought a 24GB RAM/2 TB M2 Air. i don't suggest anybody do this, i just wanted it 😂 i already have an insanely powerful gaming PC that i've built, and this is just for fun casual use. eventually will trade in a couple years, when the M2 14/16 Pro becomes available. i love it so much, solid

[@PatrickRambles]

Hey man if you have the cash to burn, why not 😅

[@yasashisenpai294]

@@PatrickRambles EXACTLY !!!

[@Jo-kx3cs]

I ran out of ram yesterday on my macbook pro retina 2015 8gb ram for first time ever! understand it all now it was slowing up. so glad opted for the 16gb ram macbook air m2 and 256gb ssd. Thanks so much for your help 😊

[@PatrickRambles]

Thanks for sharing 🤝

[@Jo-kx3cs]

Thank you very much for taking the time and effort to make the video Patrick awesome work! 😊

[@Jo-kx3cs]

I've just used my new macbook air with those specs. Wow I was so surprised how much ram that was used up. There was Web tabs open, music, apple TV. They were not labour intensive ones either. At one point the ram use was 12gb! It has not got to swap once. Now if I had chosen the 8gb ram I would have been in swap and laptop slowing. So definately was the right choice. I've installed most of the apps I want at the moment and still have 201 gb ssd spare! Tks soo much again! So pleased with it 😊

[@marymadigan9707]

Nice one Patrick 👏🇮🇪😎

[@PatrickRambles]

Thanks Mary !

[@dendendenice1]

As a digital nomad who only does office stuff, base model suits for me❤ thanks for this.

[@PatrickRambles]

Thanks, Nicole !

[@jamesj5469]

2:23 took the words out of my mouth

[@profix4993]

I ordered 8/512 M2 Air model. Doing web-browsing, word document, mailing and watching some youtube. I do open a lot of tabs tho, easily 50-60 can hang in the browser. Decided to go with 512gb because dont like to carry external drives with me + with updates the OS will require more disk space, so I will have to decide what to keep and what to delete in order to free space. Also swap memory takes a chunk of storage from SSD. Is the train of thought seem logical? Hope that the choice was good enough)

[@skytechm07]

What editing software do you use Very nice intro wording ( would like to known what that called

[@flyingnutrition6199]

very good video ..thx

[@PatrickRambles]

Thank you too!

[@user-wx9dl6iy9q]

For students, I'm thinking the RAM upgrade is great especially with the student discount making the upgrade 180$ instead of the SSD that is still a 200$ upgrade with the discount. Buying during the education deal will give you a 150$ giftcard as well which almost covers the RAM upgrade

[@PatrickRambles]

Good point !

[@mackan072]

The gift cards covers nothing, unless you already intend to purchase apple stuff for at least $150. You cannot use the gift card to reduce the price of the laptop, it's only to be used in future purchases.

[@user-wx9dl6iy9q]

@@mackan072 that's true but you still get a giftcard. As you said, if you or your family were planning on purchasing other apple products, it would be useful.

[@h3nry_t122]

@@mackan072 the only thing you can buy with 150 is probably the air pods gen 2. (which isn't pretty mediocre)

[@mackan072]

@@h3nry_t122 Or put it towards something else. They do sell some non-apple products/accessories as well, such as backpacks and external HDDs

[@danielalchazov6206]

If my use is basic internet surfing, movies, reading emails Is it better to upgrade the ossd RAM memory? Excellent video

[@jaxonmattox9267]

Personally I value the lightweight and appearance of the MacBook Air, so I am willing to compromise a bit on performance because I have a moderately demanding workload that doesn't necessitate the extremely capable MacBook Pro nor would it work well with a base model M2 MacBook Air, a high-end MacBook Air is perfect for me

[@spacechannelfiver]

Agreed on all counts, 16GB will give the Air some extra longevity. An external 1TB USB-C NVMie drive costs $100. 16GB upgrade does make some sense on the Air - but the reason you are buying the Air for battery life and improved portability. I honestly think they should maybe bump the price of it by $100-200 and make 16GB/512GB standard - and then it would have a good value proposition. Once you are upgrading the Air, then the 14 Pro makes much more sense if only for the amazing XDR screen which is best in class. (I went through this buying choice, and by the time I got the Air to the spec I needed to work then the 14 Pro was like $150 more without a 2-3 wait for custom config)

[@beri232]

I’m at this same dilemma. Air with 512ssd and 16gb is roughly $350 Canadian less than the 14” Pro and the Pro easily has that $350 in value differential (bigger screen, better screen resolution, better speakers, better chip, more ports, a card reader, longer battery life)…. Too me, it makes sense to just go with the base 14” Pro. It sucks because I wanted the compactness of the Air but it just feels like a bit of a ripoff.

[@larryb4392]

@@beri232 You should always get what works for you, of course. But unless you are an actual pro user with a pro-style workload, I just don't know why you would go for the MBP. I mean if you like to buy laptops based on specs and benchmarks, by all means do what you like. But the MBA is not a ripoff - it is just a machine for a completely different user / user case scenario compared with the MBP. For me, the MBP is too heavy, almost clunky IMHO, and is too much overkill for how I use my laptop. Sleekness and portability is far more important to me. That is why I went for the MBA with no regrets.

[@spacechannelfiver]

@@larryb4392 Agreed, the Apple line up is very specifically targetted at specific use cases. In my case, it's used for work; but technical work (coding) and not content work so the value for me is a balance of portability and power. If you are travelling around a lot / constantly in meetings then the Air is better. If you are video editting or such and need something portable, then the larger Macbook is probably better. I would have liked to have seen 16GB / 512GB base on the Air as that would give it a bit more longevity which I think has a bit more longevity at the mixed consumer tier they are selling into.

[@geraxho]

​@@spacechannelfiverfacts, I got an air bc of that, sweet spot 16/512, refurbished. Cost was less than the base version at launch.

[@mishos.2228]

RAM over storage is the correct global answer in most of the situations. But this particular case M2 has a slower SSD drive compared to M1 by half. Because Apple is using one 256gb chip instead of 2 x 128gb. The only solution for this is to get the 512 option (it has 2 chips). So in the M2 particular case storage is more important. On top of transfer speeds, swap files will affect the performance experience on the base 256gb model

[@ViKiinGViiRuS]

Benchmarks disagree with you there

[@ShubhangSaurav]

@@ViKiinGViiRuS benchmarks are bullshit. Have no relation with real life experience.

[@Alexander-eu8kl]

With 16gb of ram you will almost never get swapping, it's pretty hard to use 16gb of ram tbh

[@putuadhik]

Except you dont need to swap with 16gb ram. The it supposed to be ok right?

[@PierreDybman]

After checking Art is right, your channel and a few others, I finally just ordered a very good second hand Air m2 16/256. Instead of a Pro m1. I couldn't justify the 1500€ for a second hand M1 Pro 14", and got that machine for 1050€. I do dabble in GarageBand and iMovie for audio and clips, and hope to move to LogicPro after the air arrives. I think with some external ssds for data it should handle well enough the tasks I'll ask from it for some time.

[@PatrickRambles]

Art is right is an excellent channel!

[@PerpetualPreponderer]

The 13" M2 MBP exists because the M2 is basically an overclocked M1 & it will get hot for some types of users/applications. That model has a fan & the price is still pretty far off from the M1 MBP, especially in countries beyond North America where the price difference becomes really crazy due to exchange rates, duties, etc. It is an important machine in the lineup. However for most reviewers in North America, they understandably will not be able to see that perspective.

[@kojot22undertaker22]

thx ... very usefull :)

[@PatrickRambles]

Thank you :)

[@MacBlogster]

I'm not sure if I'm comparing lemons and oranges, but as a content creator that mainly blogs and creates simple videos, I have worked with a Macbook Pro from 2015 with 8GB RAM and 128GB SSD with Intel chip. I work with Cloud and an external hard drive. This worked fine. I have a sh*tload of Chrome tabs open, as well as Pages documents and some more. I also have a lot photo material on my laptop and some videos. This has always been sufficient more or less. If my laptop didn't break down a few days ago I would still use it. Since I now have to look for a new laptop I decided to buy the M2 base version, because I figured out this would be sufficient for my type of use: Lightweight video editing and lightweight photo editing. Which can mostly be done online or with Macbook's own apps. Yes, my Macbook pro became slow when I had too much video material on my laptop. That just mean I had to transfer it to an external drive. After watching some review websites and watching some KZbin videos I got confused and thought I needed MORE or even consider buying a Pro again just to be "future proof" (the new magic word on KZbin, it seems). Yet, some comments under this video have heen very helpful and reminded me of my own data and experience. Which show I'll be fine with the M2 base model. Additionally, nowadays I don't always have to edit on my laptop since I can do this on my smartphone as well, so my way of working has changed also during the years and therefore my laptop needs as well. So, thanks for helping me clear my mind and looking at my own facts.

[@bill3117]

Very useful!

[@PatrickRambles]

Thanks Bill !