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Is 4GB RAM Enough For MacBook Air/Pro? See This Before Any Purchase

Timothy Iyekowa
By Timothy Iyekowa - Technical Writer
11 Min Read
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If you’re asking whether 4GB RAM MacBook Air or Pro is good enough for the next 4-5 years [Future-Proof]. Well, it’s difficult to say, and it depends on what you’re using it for.

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The MacBook Air is a great computer but comes with limitations to upgrading the system, but with a MacBook Pro, you can always upgrade.

That’s why it’s called Air, you’re locked in, with no upgrade or anything, and for light use too. So if you’re wondering if 4GB is good enough for a MacBook Air or Pro, here are our thoughts.

In this guide, you’ll learn whether 4GB RAM is enough for MacBook Air or the Pro model for basic or power use.

ALSO READ: How To Take Screenshot On Mac (Use This Shortcuts)

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Is 4GB RAM Enough For MacBook Air?

The answer isn’t exactly Yes or No because it all depends on what you’re going to be using the computer for. 

If you’re a light user and just do the regular browsing, videos, streaming, emails, and other basic stuff, then YES, a 4GB RAM MacBook Air will be enough for you to use.

But you’ll not be able to upgrade the computer in the future. This is because all MacBook Air computer is locked, and what you buy is what you get.

So if you don’t do any power-intensive tasks, and you know you won’t in the future, then the 4GB will be very much enough for you to use.

As of 2022, most software now takes up a chunk of your RAM resources and you’ll be left with little allocation space. Softwares are now RAM hungry, and for every update, they’ll likely need more.

A 4GB of RAM will be enough, but using an 8GB RAM MacBook Air computer is better, and it will sustain you longer while ever using power-intensive apps with good performance.

Get MacBook Air For $194

Is 4GB RAM Enough For MacBook Pro?

Definitely, but not recommended for power-intensive use, well you can always upgrade. While discussing the MacBook Air, a 4GB is a great choice if you’re doing the basic stuff on a computer.

If you’re planning to get a 4GB RAM MacBook Pro, yes we’ll recommend it. The 4GB RAM is enough for you to use.

And if you feel that you need more RAM on the computer you can always upgrade and add up to 8-16GB of RAM.

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If you’re using the computer for a more intensive task like video/photos editing, rendering, and gaming we won’t recommend getting the 4GB model.

This is to make the workflow faster and smooth, if you’re using 4GB RAM you’ll need to be opening one software at a time so that it won’t overload the RAM.

4GB of RAM is enough for the average computer user even if you’re using the MacBook Air or Pro model. It depends on what you’re using the MacBook for.

What 4GB Is Enough For:

  • Using office apps like MS Office.
  • Browsing the internet with fewer tabs.
  • Social networking
  • Watching videos and playing music.
  • Playing light games like Zuma.
  • Some power apps on MacBook Pro

What 4GB isn’t Enough For:

  • Power-intensive gaming like [Call Of Duty, Grand Thefts Auto].
  • Video/photo editing and Rendering.
  • Intensive web browsing with more than 10 tabs open.
  • Opening more than 10 applications at a go.

Is 4GB RAM “Future-Proof” Enough For The Next 4-5 Years?

Yes, if you’re using the computer for just basic stuff, then you can use the 4GB RAM computer for 4-5 years.

Make sure you don’t Install any power-intensive apps that take a lot of resources, like rendering, videos and photos editing, gaming, etc.

If you avoid things like this and just use the MacBook computer for basic use, then you’ll be able to use the device longer with no problem on your end.

Some people have been using the MacBook Air/Pro model for longer than 4 years, and they say it’s great, as far as you just do the basic stuff like browsing, music, video, emails, light gaming [if you’re a fan], streaming.

You’ll be okay if it’s just the basic, but you need to be careful with a new update, the app might be more hungry than the previous version.

But if you’re more than basic, then the 4GB MacBook Air/Pro won’t be enough for 4-5 years. To future proof, you’ll need an 8GB RAM MacBook.

ALSO READ: How To Factory Reset Your Mac Computer With macOS Utility

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4GB And 8GB Which Do You Recommend

If you want to use your computer every day of the month with lots of work to do, and you also want it to be future proofs of at least for 4 years, then we recommend buying the 8GB RAM MacBook Air/Pro

If you’re not a day-to-day user and you just do the basic stuff on your computer like browsing, then the 4GB should be enough for you and last at least 5 years [use with care].

Conclusion

Getting a 4GB RAM Apple MacBook Air/Pro is good, but you need to look out for what you want to use the computer for.

If you just want to do simple browsing and other basic things, the 4GB MacBook is your best choice.

But If you’re buying the MacBook Air/Pro because you want to do heavy tasks with the computer like video editing, coding, gaming, or 3D image rendering, you’ll need more RAM to simplify your workflow.

Note that you can use a 4GB MacBook Air/Pro to do some heavy task lifting, but with time you’ll need more as these apps will consume more RAM.

More apps required more RAM to work seamlessly, the more powerful apps you use, the MORE RAM you’ll need.

So 4GB won’t be enough if you Intend to overload the computer with power-intensive apps.

But if it’s just simple things, like browsing, videos, music, and other necessary things, yes 4GB would be enough for MacBook Air, and the Pro model can even take up more power apps, but you’ll have to minimize it.

If you don’t have the budget now to get an 8GB RAM MacBook Air/Pro, get the 4GB mad don’t overload it with apps. And the next 4-5 years you can upgrade to MacBook Air/Pro with 8-16GB.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Is 4GB RAM good for Mac?

Yes, the 4GB RAM MacBook is good if you’re not a power user and you don’t use it for work. If you’re more of a power user with less basic things, you should consider going for 8GB to speed up things, and also future updates. This helps you use the device for more than 4 years if you know what you intend to do with the MacBook computer.

How many GB of RAM do I need for MacBook Air?

You can decide to use the 4GB MacBook Air if you’re just a basic user, you’ll not face any issues, as long as you use the device properly. It’s good for all the basic work you can do like browsing, emails, videos, music, typing, etc. If you’re power users though we recommend getting  8GB of RAM, and with time you’ll want to upgrade.

Is 4GB enough for MacBook Air/Pro?

Yes, 4GB is good enough for MacBook Pro/Air, that’s why Apple produced the computer in the first place. The 4GB RAM is not for everyone, but yes if you’re a basic user, the 4GB is enough to let you do the basic, 8GB is better, and 16GB will make you very happy. But it depends on the type of program you’re running on the MacBook.

What is 4GB RAM enough for?

Let’s be realistic, it all depends on the program you’re running on the device, if you’re a basic user just doing emails, using the browsers, running Microsoft Office, playing little resources games, watching videos, and playing music, the. 4GB is good enough, and you should experience any issue while using it, or less you use a power-intensive app.

Is 8GB RAM better than 4GB RAM?

Definitely Yes, 8GB is way better than a 4GB RAM computer, that’s why it’s 8 in the first place, double 4. The 8GB of RAM improved overall computer speed and performance.

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ByTimothy Iyekowa
Technical Writer
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As a seasoned content writer with 5+ years of experience in consumer technology, Timothy has been a dedicated author and editor at Techvocast since its inception. Specializing in addressing user concerns, his articles offer effective solutions for Android, iOS, Windows, and Mac-related issues. Timothy's expertise also extends to crafting content about social media and various applications. Through his daily articles, he consistently aids users in overcoming their technology challenges.
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