Apple was ready for the RAM crisis

While PC makers have raised prices and struggled to meet demand due to exploding memory costs, Apple has leveraged its greatest asset to stem the tide.

- FILIPE ESPOSITO

Over the decades, the evolution of computers has been easy to follow: They've become steadily more powerful to keep pace with the need for more advanced applications. We’ve seen computers equipped with faster processors, more storage, and, most of all, more RAM. This trend has accelerated even further recently, with companies pushing on-device AI capabilities into their devices, and Apple is no exception.

However, the increasing demand for RAM is having another effect on the market. While once plentiful and affordable, RAM is more expensive than ever (fave.co/4qYjNPX), and it’s becoming harder to get, even at exorbitant prices. But instead of dealing with constraints by upping prices, Apple is showing the industry how its yearslong effort to control every component inside its devices has given it a unique advantage over every other PC maker, clearly evidenced by the recent launch of the MacBook Neo (fave.co/4cGoJUh).

THE IMPORTANCE OF RAM IN TODAY’S WORLD

First, let's take a closer look at why RAM or memory is so important. Essentially, RAM is a type of short-term memory with ultra-fast speeds, much faster than SSDs. When you open an app on your phone or laptop, it’s stored in RAM to ensure that the processor can handle it more quickly as you continue to use it.

That's why, generally speaking, having more RAM means your devices can run faster, enabling more apps and tasks to operate at the same time without slowing down.

As such, RAM has also become extremely important for artificial intelligence. Since RAM is much faster than internal storage, devices also store AI parameters in RAM for quicker access. In other words, the more RAM a device has and the faster that RAM is, the greater that device's ability to handle AI tasks locally.