16GB is the new minimum for VST-heavy production.

Yes. If you’re running a lot of VST plugins, 16GB is necessary, and 8GB will make you miserable.

Modern sample libraries (Kontakt, Omnisphere, Spitfire) eat RAM for breakfast. One instance of a big orchestral patch can take 2–3GB. Throw in a couple synth layers, effects, and your DAW overhead, and 8GB gets maxed out before you’ve even started mixing. You’ll hit crackles, stutters, and “out of memory” errors right when inspiration hits.

If you’re only using lightweight synths (like a few Serum presets with no samples) and very few tracks, 8GB might barely work. But “many VST plugins” means you’re going to want headroom. 32GB is becoming common for serious work, but 16GB is where you stop fighting your computer and start making music.

Don’t save sixty bucks on RAM. Future you with a frozen project at 2 AM will not be grateful.