You probably don't need 16GB.

No. 8GB is still plenty for browser tabs and Word docs.

Unless you’re the type who keeps 30+ Chrome tabs open while running a video call and a Spotify playlist, 8GB handles web browsing and office work just fine. Most of the time you won’t even hit 6GB. Office apps barely sip RAM. Browsers are the only real hog, and even then, modern ones manage memory pretty well.

The exception: if you’re running a heavy Electron app like Slack, Teams, or Discord alongside your browser and office tools, you might start feeling the pinch. In that case, 16GB gives you room to breathe. But “web browsing and office work” in the traditional sense? 8GB is still the sweet spot.

Future-proofing is a weak argument too — by the time 8GB truly feels slow for basic tasks, you’ll probably want a new computer anyway.