16GB won't cut render times much over 8GB.

Not really. For 1080p projects in DaVinci Resolve, render time is mostly determined by your GPU and CPU. RAM helps when you’re actually editing—scrubbing the timeline, applying effects, handling Fusion comps. If you have only 8GB and you run out while rendering, the system starts swapping to disk and things slow down. But for a straightforward cut, color grade, export, the difference is negligible.

Where you will feel the pain is while you’re working. 8GB in Resolve means laggy playback, stutters when you add a second timeline, and general frustration. The render might finish five minutes later than it would on 16GB—but the real time sink is waiting for the interface to respond during editing.

Get 16GB if you can. It’s the sweet spot for 1080p. But if you already have 8GB, don’t upgrade just for faster exports. Upgrade for your sanity.