Ross Zeiger explains that a MacBook Air with 16 GB RAM is plenty for Descript since it runs in the cloud. RAM mainly helps with multitasking, not export speed. For occasional CapCut use, your current setup is fine.
I got a MacBook Air because of course when you traveled, you want it as, as light as possible.
Mm-hmm.
But for the work that we're doing with Descript, would the MacBook Pro have been better to make it the experience any better?
So I had a MacBook Air for the last 4 years and I just upgraded to a MacBook Pro. And for Descript, it's not that big of a deal. Um, okay, so no, it's— you're, you're totally fine with the MacBook Air. And is it the newest one, M5?
Yeah, it is. Yeah, but I think I only have like, I think 16 RAM.
Yeah.
And I didn't know if I should exchange— I still can exchange it like for 10 more days, so I wasn't sure if I should get more RAM. Do you have thoughts on that?
Do you ever run anything else alongside of Descript? Like other than a browser, do you have like anything big? I don't think you probably do, but like photo editing software or—
No, just like YouTube.
Yeah. So the MacBook Air is totally fine for that.
Oh, but I do have my WordPress website.
That, that too isn't that big of a deal if it's in the browser. Where you would want more RAM is if you have a lot of apps running at once and especially heavy apps, like, uh, video editing is a heavy app, photo editing, AI stuff.
When you say video editing, do you mean Descript or do you mean like—
Well, yes, but also Descript is a little bit lighter than, than normal because it's internet-based.
Okay.
So most other video editing tools happen on your computer, but Descript happens in the internet. That's why it doesn't need a powerful computer.
Okay. I was considering maybe like when we do travel, if I wanted to do editing, like on the plane, trying CapCut. Have you ever tried that?
Yeah. Yeah. I use CapCut. It's been a couple years, but yeah, it's great.
It's, it's a great tool. It's a, it's a kind of a go-around for like when I can't use Descript, like, you know, for whatever reason. Um, so does that use a lot of memory or would I be good with my 16?
Yeah, I think, 'cause I used to run it on my, my MacBook Air that had 8 gigs and it was fine there. Um, if you're doing a lot of it, like, yeah, you, it would eventually probably wanna upgrade. If you're just doing occasional like airplane and that's all you're doing, one, it's the only app you have open, you're not gonna notice anything more powerful probably. If you want it to be more future-proof, then yeah, like probably a 32 gig or 64 gig.
Okay.
But I think for your purposes, you, you're probably fine. And what did you have before? What? Oh, how many gigs? Okay. So yeah, it's already gonna be way more powerful than that. And so if you never had problems with opening multiple apps and stuff, then You're going to be fine.
Thank you. Am I understanding correctly that if I had a higher amount of RAM that my videos would export faster?
No, RAM isn't the speed.
Okay.
RAM is like how much your computer can do at once is the easiest way to explain it.
Like being able to run.
Yeah. Like multitask with a lot of tools at once. So overall, I think you're. MacBook Air is gonna be solid, but if you really wanna future-proof yourself, then you could bounce the next size or two up. If you enjoyed this, if you got value from it, this is an actual question from one of the live group coaching calls that I do for Descript Made Easy. It's my program where I have live group coaching 3 times per week on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday mornings. I've done over 250 of these sessions over the last 18 months. I've answered thousands of questions like the one you just watched. So if you're interested in joining, check the link in the description below.
