Quick answer: RAM by use case
| Use case | Recommended | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Basic / office / web | 8–16GB | Handles browsing, email and documents; 16GB adds headroom for lots of tabs. |
| Gaming | 16GB | Runs virtually every 2026 title comfortably alongside a browser and Discord. |
| Gaming + streaming | 32GB | Room for the game, encoder, browser sources and chat at once. |
| Content creation | 32GB | Video editing, 3D and photo work load large assets into memory. |
| Workstation / VMs | 64GB+ | Virtual machines, big datasets and 4K/8K timelines need the extra space. |
8GB, 16GB, 32GB or 64GB?
8GB — basic use only
Fine for a browser, email, and office apps, but you'll feel it with many tabs open. Treat 8GB as a floor, not a target, in 2026.
16GB — the sweet spot
The best value for most people. Comfortable for gaming, everyday productivity, and light creative work, and the jump from 8GB is well worth it.
32GB — creators and multitaskers
Ideal if you stream while gaming, edit video, run VMs, or keep dozens of apps open. The price premium over 16GB is smaller than it used to be.
64GB and beyond — workstations
For professional 4K/8K editing, large 3D scenes, heavy virtualization, and big data. Overkill for gaming or everyday use.
What does each capacity cost?
Higher-capacity kits usually cost less per gigabyte. Here's the live price per GB across common capacities:
| Capacity | Cheapest / GB | Average / GB | Products |
|---|---|---|---|
| 8GB | £3.73/GB | £12.21/GB | 68 |
| 16GB | £2.82/GB | £12.06/GB | 170 |
| 32GB | £4.58/GB | £15.83/GB | 322 |
| 64GB | £4.69/GB | £13.63/GB | 144 |
| 128GB | £5.25/GB | £11.66/GB | 22 |
Buy the biggest kit you'll use
Because larger kits are cheaper per gigabyte, it often makes sense to buy the most you'll realistically need in one go rather than upgrading piecemeal later.
Best value 16GB and 32GB kits right now
Our top value DDR5 picks — the capacities most buyers land on:
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View on Amazon Timetec Premium 32GB DDR5 5600MHz PC5-44800 Unbuffered Non-ECC 1.1V CL46 2Rx8 Dual Rank 262Pin SODIMM Laptop Memory RAM Upgrade
£6.44/GB£206.02 total32GBddr5
2
View on Amazon 48GB DDR5 4800MHz PC5-38400 288-PIN DIMM MEMORY RAM COMPATIBLE WITH PC DESKTOPS/MOTHERBOARDS
£7.27/GB£349.00 total48GBddr5
3
View on Amazon 2024 Newest SK-Hynix 8GB DDR5 4800MHz SODIMM PC5-4800B-SC0 1Rx16 1.1V SO-DIMM 262-Pin Gaming Busines Home Laptop Notebook RAM Memory Module (HMCG66MEBSA092N BA) (OEM)
£7.50/GB£59.99 total8GBddr5
4
View on Amazon Transcend SO-DIMM Memory Module 32GB DDR5 4800MHz - JM4800ASE-32G
£8.12/GB£259.99 total32GBddr5
5
View on Amazon Silicon Power DDR5 32GB Kit (2 x 16GB) 5600MHz (PC5-44800) CL46 1.1V SODIMM Non-ECC Laptop RAM Computer Memory SP032GBSVU560F22
£8.41/GB£269.00 total32GBddr5