How Much RAM Do I Need?
For general browsing, email and everyday tasks, 8GB is a reasonable minimum today. Heavier multitasking, many browser tabs, or more demanding software generally benefits from 16GB, with anything beyond that mainly relevant for specialised, resource-intensive work.
Everyday use
Browsing, email, documents and general use are comfortable on 8GB for most people, though this is now closer to a minimum than a comfortable buffer given how memory-hungry modern browsers have become.
Heavier use
Frequent multitasking, many browser tabs at once, or common productivity and creative software generally runs noticeably better with 16GB, which has become the more common comfortable amount for general use.
Specialised use
Video editing, larger creative workloads or running multiple demanding programs simultaneously can benefit from 32GB or more, though this is less relevant for most home and small business use. This page will be expanded with more specific guidance in a future update.