Higher RAM vs Higher Storage [closed]

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I am planning to buy the new MacbookAir with M1 chip.

My usage

1. Basic Word, PowerPoint editing. Plan to use native Pages and Keynotes.
2. Frequent video editing using iMovie and Kdenlive. I do not require 4K. 720p at 30fps is fine.
3. Latex editor
4. VPN and ssh to remotely login to a ubuntu server.
5. Google docs and google spreadsheets (online)

The base model comes with 8GB RAM with 256GB storage. If I wish to spend extra money which of the following should I go for:

• 16 GB RAM with 256 GB storage
• 8GB RAM with 512 GB storage
• Go for MACbook pro with 8GB RAM and 256 GB storage.
• or the basic MACbook Air should be fine?

I personally think to go either for second or last option.

I do not intend to do any gaming or storing lots of images, movies, audios, etc. Mostly all my docs and PPTS will also be saved on drive and not locally. Immediately after rendering videos in .mp4 format they will be uploaded to Youtube and do not require save them MacBook Air storage.

Answer 1

Opinion-based this may be… however, there's a slightly new paradigm with the M1 "Hard disk" storage configuration.

It is so fast that it makes additional RAM less useful than it was in the past. This is because it is now part of the same chip, rather than having to be accessed over a bus system to another component.

Received wisdom if you have to choose between the two is to go for more "SSD" storage rather than more RAM, as paging is now almost instantaneous.

Another consideration is that once chosen, it can never be changed, so don't come up short on storage, unless you want to be carrying round an external drive for the next few years.

Having said that, no-one can choose for you, you have to finally make your own call ;)

I shall be using this same received wisdom in a week's time, when the Apple Store opens orders for me to buy a new iMac. Right now, I'm going to be going for 512GB or 1TB "SSD" & possibly only 8GB RAM, depending on pricing [which I cannot see just yet].