How much RAM do you need in your desktop?

Written by Kasper

Edited on

21 March 2025

·

16:32

How much RAM do you need in your desktop?

The RAM, also known as the internal memory, influences the speed of your PC. Do you want to buy a computer, but you don't know how much RAM you need for your usage situation? On this page, we'll help you create the right amount of RAM for your new PC.

Man puts RAM kit in desktop.

Choose RAM desktop

For every type of use we recommend a certain amount of RAM for your computer. The general rule is that the larger the RAM is, the faster your PC will be. Factors like the version of your processor are also important. In order to make things easy for you, we've listed a few usage situations, including the minimum amount of RAM you need.

View all desktops

How much RAM do you need for which situation?

2GB4GB8GB16GB32GB+
Internet and text processingYesYesYesYesYes
Photo editingNoNoYesYesYes
Video editingNoNoYes, but preferably from 16GBYesYes
GamingNoNoYes, but preferably from 16GBYesYes
Virtual RealityNoNoNoYesYes
RAM in a computer.

Is the RAM expandable?

If you buy a PC with an eye for the future, extra RAM is useful to have. Consider at least 16GB RAM, for example. Or choose a PC that has room for extra RAM. This is easy to do with most desktops because there are often 1 or more empty slots. Make sure you buy the right kind of RAM modules that fit on your motherboard.

View all sorts of RAM

Was this page helpful?

Article by Kasper

Desktop Expert.

Kasper