How much Ram does a pc need these days?

[Totally]

Given ram-apocalypse, just checking how much ram does a pc actually need these days?

[Northernah]

Depends if it's a Welsh ram. /s
Half Welsh so I can get away with that joke

[CosmicRay40]

Windows11 needs at least 12gb for all the ai. I wouldn't go either less than 16gb but depends if you are just doomscrolling the socials or are proper gaming

[MayanHan]

As much as you can afford

[SuperPosition]

Ddr5 FTW

[ElPresidente]

That is the sensible route. Measure twice and all that, but also factor in that it always takes longer than you think.

Post a photo when it is done

[Danny_21]

Yeah that is the sensible route. Task Manager tells you most of what you need to know if you know which columns to look at.

That is how I would approach it anyway.

The hardware is usually fine, it is almost always software causing the slowdown

[Frost Orca]

The answer has changed a bit because modern PCs are doing more in the background than they used to. For a basic office machine, 16GB is still perfectly fine. For gaming, 32GB is becoming the comfortable choice, especially if you like having browsers, Discord, launchers and other things open at the same time.

The old advice of "just buy the most RAM you can afford" is not always great though. Money spent on RAM that sits unused could have gone toward a better GPU or faster storage.

[WanderingSentinel]

Task Manager is the best place to start because people often assume they need more RAM when the real issue is something else. A browser with 50 tabs and eight extensions can make any computer look guilty.

Check memory usage during your normal workload rather than opening a benchmark and panicking.

[Adam75]

For a new build in 2026, 32GB feels like the sweet spot. It gives enough room for gaming, streaming, editing photos, running virtual machines occasionally and not having to think about it.

16GB is not suddenly useless though. Plenty of people are still happily using it, especially if they mainly browse, watch videos and play lighter games.

[Gareth5]

The interesting thing is that games are slowly pushing expectations higher. A few years ago 8GB was common, then 16GB became the standard, and now 32GB is where many enthusiasts are landing.

It is less about a single game needing all that memory and more about the whole system being comfortable.

[Ria3]

A lot depends on what the PC actually does. A student laptop, a gaming tower and a workstation are three completely different answers.

Someone editing 4K video or running several development environments can chew through RAM quickly. Someone writing documents and checking email might never notice the difference between 16GB and 32GB.

[Panther21]

There is a funny cycle with RAM recommendations. Every few years people say "you will never need more than this" and then software quietly arrives and proves them wrong.

That does not mean everyone should buy 128GB though. For most people that is just expensive desk decoration.

[ShawnMichaels_99]

Gaming is where the advice gets messy because the GPU usually matters more. A balanced system with 16GB and a stronger graphics card can beat a system with 64GB and a weaker GPU.

The sensible approach is usually 32GB if building new, then upgrade later if your actual usage proves you need it.

[Sinead_47]

One thing worth mentioning is dual channel memory. Two decent sticks of RAM are usually a better idea than one huge stick because the system can make better use of the bandwidth.

People sometimes focus only on capacity and forget that configuration matters too.

[ClusterCrossing]

Virtual machines are the reason many people suddenly discover they need more RAM. Running a Windows VM, a few browser sessions and developer tools can make 32GB disappear surprisingly quickly.

For that kind of workload, 64GB starts making more sense.

[Dean95]

The term "RAM apocalypse" made me laugh because it sounds like we are all preparing for a zombie invasion of memory modules.

The reality is less dramatic. Most users just need enough headroom that the computer stays responsive when they do normal multitasking.

[BinaryMonk95]

Personally would avoid upgrading just because the internet says you should. Watch your memory usage over a week and see what happens.

If you are constantly hitting the limit and the system is using the page file heavily, then an upgrade makes sense. Otherwise keep the money.

[Gary98]

Modern browsers deserve some blame here. Ten years ago opening loads of tabs was a hobby. Now it is a memory benchmark with a search bar attached.

Still, browsers are also better at managing memory than they used to be, so the situation is not quite as bad as the jokes suggest.

[KingCurtis27]

For a family PC, 16GB remains a very reasonable target. Kids doing homework, parents streaming, some light gaming and general use are all covered.

The jump to 32GB is more about comfort and future proofing rather than something everyone immediately needs.

[Zach72]

A lot of people forget that operating systems also improve their memory management over time. More RAM helps, but software efficiency matters too.

Buying a decent amount now is good, but chasing huge numbers because of fear of being outdated gets expensive very quickly.

[Matt75]

For a fresh desktop build today, 32GB DDR5 would be my starting point. It is not because 16GB cannot work, but because the price difference is often small compared with the rest of the machine.

It gives breathing room without going into enthusiast territory.

[WWFRoss95]

RAM prices and expectations move around a lot. Sometimes the market makes larger kits affordable, and sometimes people buy huge amounts because a sale makes it tempting.

A good rule is buy enough for your workload, not enough to win a specification competition.

[Jackson77]

For anyone unsure, check the memory graph in Task Manager while doing your normal routine. Open your games, apps and browser tabs exactly as you usually would.

Real usage beats guessing every time.

[Rabbit11]

There is no universal answer because "need" is doing a lot of work in this question. A professional photographer, a gamer and someone checking emails are going to have very different requirements.

The best upgrade is always the one that removes an actual problem.

[Echo36]

People with older systems should not feel pressured to upgrade immediately. A well maintained PC with 16GB can still be perfectly usable.

The best test is simple: does it slow down during the things you actually do? If not, there is no emergency.

[RedWrench]

The biggest mistake is pairing a powerful CPU and GPU with too little memory. You can create a very expensive bottleneck by saving a relatively small amount on RAM.

A balanced build usually feels better than a machine with one impressive part and weak support components.

[Phil80]

The answer I usually give friends is 16GB minimum, 32GB recommended for a new machine, and beyond that only if you have a reason.

That covers the majority of people without turning the build into a science experiment.