32GB RAM helps the host, not the VM.

Yes, if you’re doing other things while the VM runs. For the VM itself, 8GB is 8GB. But Windows likes to grab memory, and the host still needs room for its own OS, browser tabs, and whatever else you have open. With 16GB total, your host might start swapping once the VM is allocated 8GB. With 32GB, you’ve got breathing room.

The real benefit is avoiding the swap file dance. When the host runs low on physical RAM, it shoves stuff to disk, and everything slows down — including your VM. 32GB means the host can keep its own apps in RAM, the VM keeps its 8GB, and nobody is fighting over scraps.

If you’re only running that one VM and nothing else, 16GB is probably fine. But “testing” usually means you have other apps open — browser, debugger, maybe a database. In that case, 32GB is the right call for peace of mind.