Get 16GB if you're doing real work on an M2 MacBook Air

Get 16GB.

8GB on an M2 MacBook Air feels snappy at first, but once you start juggling a few Docker containers, a couple of browser windows with a dozen tabs each, VS Code, and maybe Figma or a design app, you’ll hit swap hard. The M2’s unified memory architecture is efficient, but it’s still 8GB. When you run out, macOS starts compressing and swapping to the SSD. That’s fast, but it’s not instant — and it wears the drive faster over time.

For coding and design multitasking, 16GB is the sweet spot. You might get away with 8GB if you’re only doing light text editing or single apps, but the moment you need to keep Xcode, a browser, Slack, and a design tool open simultaneously, the stutter creeps in. I’ve seen people regret the 8GB more often than not.

Future You will appreciate not having to close apps to keep things smooth.