32GB is the new minimum for video editing.

Yes, upgrade. 16GB will make you want to throw your computer out the window if you’re doing anything beyond cutting together iPhone clips in iMovie.

Video editing in 2025 is a memory hog. 4K timelines, multiple layers, effects, and especially proxy files all eat RAM for breakfast. 16GB works for basic 1080p stuff, but the moment you add a second clip, or try to scrub through a timeline with color grading, you’ll feel the stutter. Premiere Pro, DaVinci Resolve, Final Cut—they all want more than 16GB the second you push them.

The cost difference has come down a lot. For most people, 32GB is the sweet spot where you stop thinking about RAM and just edit. If you’re doing 6K or heavy Fusion comps in Resolve, maybe even 64GB. But 16GB is a bottleneck in 2025, full stop.

Don’t waste your time with “I’ll manage,” just get the 32GB. Future You will thank you.