8GB vs 16GB RAM: Capacity matters more than speed for real-world performance

Going from 8GB to 16GB is a huge upgrade for multitasking and modern apps — 8GB chokes, 16GB breathes. The speed bump from 2666MHz to 3600MHz helps 5-10% on Ryzen, less on Intel, but it’s the capacity that keeps your system from swapping to disk. One catch: make sure your motherboard and CPU support 3600MHz, or don’t pay extra for faster RAM.