32GB is the right call if you're hitting swap

Yes, 16GB will stop the swapping for most projects, but if you’re already maxing out 8GB with heavy VSTs, go straight to 32GB.

Audio dropouts happen when your system runs out of RAM and starts using the hard drive as temporary memory (swap). That’s slow, and real-time audio can’t wait. 8GB is basically unworkable for modern production with Kontakt, Omnisphere, or even a bunch of Serum instances.

16GB is the new baseline—it’ll handle a decent-sized project without swapping. But if you’re the type to load up five Kontakt libraries, multiple synths, and long reverbs, 16GB will fill up faster than you expect. I’ve seen 32GB become the de facto standard among serious producers, and it