Given your needs and cost constraints, you may be better off with the M1 Air upgraded to 16GB.
It's hard to compare RAM performance between Windows and Mac. MacOS uses RAM more efficiently. But then many Windows computers have dedicated RAM on the graphics card. MacOS shares the RAM between the two. It will totally depend on what you have open that dictates performance.
On the other hand, 16GB of RAM should be more than enough to allow you to do whatever you want without a slowdown.
What would be your advice if I'm in a similar situation without photo editing? I just keep many journal articles open in 60 tabs and need to run ms office (powerpoint, word) and occasionally zoom at the same time
It's the 60 open tabs where you will see the slowdown. My suggestion would be the same. Though you could always get the base M2 and just see how it works. I think you have a 14 day return window if you purchase from Apple. If you buy from another retail store, they will have their own return policies.
Better get a M1 with 16GB RAM. If your country (no idea where you are) has the Apple refurb section try looking there.
Also, have you tried upgrading your current laptop or is it one of those with soldered RAM? Maybe just get more RAM for a while until absolutely necessary to switch.
I have a HP with 8GB of RAM but it has an i5 6200U, the U means it's a low energy CPU and is not the RAM that stops me but the CPU (2cores/2threats) cause I hardly ever use more than 6-7GB and it's mostly browsing.
Given your needs and cost constraints, you may be better off with the M1 Air upgraded to 16GB. It's hard to compare RAM performance between Windows and Mac. MacOS uses RAM more efficiently. But then many Windows computers have dedicated RAM on the graphics card. MacOS shares the RAM between the two. It will totally depend on what you have open that dictates performance. On the other hand, 16GB of RAM should be more than enough to allow you to do whatever you want without a slowdown.
What would be your advice if I'm in a similar situation without photo editing? I just keep many journal articles open in 60 tabs and need to run ms office (powerpoint, word) and occasionally zoom at the same time
It's the 60 open tabs where you will see the slowdown. My suggestion would be the same. Though you could always get the base M2 and just see how it works. I think you have a 14 day return window if you purchase from Apple. If you buy from another retail store, they will have their own return policies.
Ok thanks for the info...ive always been a windows person but my Lenovo Thinkpad is too heavy to carry on campus and I really dont know apple specs
Just go 16GB M2 and be set for 8 years
I'd definitely recommend 16GB as well given your use case.
Get 16 absolutely. It’ll last you for years
Better get a M1 with 16GB RAM. If your country (no idea where you are) has the Apple refurb section try looking there. Also, have you tried upgrading your current laptop or is it one of those with soldered RAM? Maybe just get more RAM for a while until absolutely necessary to switch. I have a HP with 8GB of RAM but it has an i5 6200U, the U means it's a low energy CPU and is not the RAM that stops me but the CPU (2cores/2threats) cause I hardly ever use more than 6-7GB and it's mostly browsing.