RAM is crucial for computer performance, but figuring out how much you need can be tricky. Don’t trust the official minimums – they might not apply to your situation. Apple doesn’t provide RAM requirements for macOS Tahoe, but Microsoft recommends at least 4GB for Windows 11. However, this is too little for most users, who want to run multiple apps simultaneously.
For a basic PC, 16GB is a good starting point. This was considered enough in the past, but modern apps have increased demands, and you may notice performance issues with less RAM. Some games, like Google Chrome, can consume over 6GB of RAM on their own, making it difficult to use multiple apps at once.
Gamers can still function with 16GB, but they need to be strict about closing unnecessary apps before playing demanding games. For general use, such as browsing and email, 16GB is sufficient. However, for state-of-the-art 3D games like ARC Raiders and Call of Duty, 32GB is a better choice.
RAM speed also matters. Some motherboards support faster forms of RAM, like DDR5 and LPDDR5X. When upgrading an existing PC, always use the fastest memory your motherboard allows to avoid bottlenecks.
Source: https://www.pocket-lint.com/how-much-ram-in-a-mac-or-windows-pc