16GB is the new minimum for Ableton Live with VSTs.

Yes, 16GB significantly cuts down dropouts compared to 8GB if you’re running many VSTs in Ableton Live.

The problem with 8GB is that modern VSTs are hungry. A single instance of Kontakt with a large orchestral library can eat 2-3GB on its own. Add a few synth plugins, some effects, and Windows or macOS takes its 2GB cut, and you’re already paging to disk