It Depends!

How much memory (RAM) you need for your computer depends on what you plan to do with it and how much you're willing to spend. Everyone has their own opinion on this, but one thing most people agree on is that more RAM is always better. Here’s what I recommend based on my experience:

8Gb of RAM

This is the bare minimum Microsoft suggests for Windows 10 or Windows 11, but I wouldn’t recommend it in 2024. As software requirements continue to grow, 8GB might slow you down, especially when you’re running multiple programs. It’s actually hard to find new computers with only 8GB of RAM now, but there are still older Windows 7 machines that were upgraded to Windows 10 with 8GB of RAM.

16Gb of RAM

This is what I would choose for any new computer. It's the sweet spot for most users and is enough to run all games and even a virtual machine (VM). It’s a solid choice for most people.

32Gb of RAM

Now this is perfect for running just about anything and will make your computer last longer before needing an upgrade. It’s great for people who use demanding software or run multiple tasks at once.

64Gb of RAM or more

Best for video editing, streaming or engineering applications. With this much memory, you can easily run multiple VMs and handle heavy workloads. This is overkill for anyone but the most advanced users.

Ultimately, the more RAM, the better (Well, up to a point) — especially if you want your computer to last and perform well for years!

Memory is usually installed in pairs

Most modern motherboards have either 2 or 4 slots. It's not uncommon for a server to have 16 slots. Memory is sold in factory matched pairs. (The memory comes from the same manufacturing lot). The motherboards and memory are designed to run in dual channel mode (pairs of memory) for a slight speed increase.

Examples:
16 Gig would be 2 x 8g modules
32 Gig would be 2 x 16g modules OR 4 x 8g modules
64 Gig would be 2 x 16g modules OR 4 x 16g modules

Side notes:
Yes, you can install combinations but that’s not recommended as it hurts performance. The ability to run in dual-channel mode is lost. For example: Combining a 16 gig pair and a 32 gig pair gives you an odd size of 48.

Yes, you can use a single stick of ram, but that hurts performance. This is becoming common in Dell, HP. Lenovo and others as a cost cutting measure in the competitive marketplace.

Yes, you can mix and match memory brands but that also hurts performance as one brand may be faster than the other and you will lose out on the dual channel mode.