iTech Level is reader-supported: we may earn a commission when you buy through our links, at no extra cost to you. As an Amazon Associate, iTech Level earns from qualifying purchases. Affiliate disclosure
Short answer: Yes, for nearly all games today. PC Gamer and TechSpot both tested memory-hungry games and found 16GB ran most of them as well as 32GB. The exceptions were Mafia: The Old Country, Escape from Tarkov and Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024, and PC Gamer warns there’s little room left for Discord, a browser or streaming while you play. Make sure the 16GB is two sticks, and that the laptop has slots so you can add more later.
How we put this together: the benchmarks are from PC Gamer and TechSpot, both run on desktop PCs because we found no equally thorough laptop test. The memory behaves the same way, but your frame rates on a laptop will be lower. It is not based on hands-on testing by iTech Level. See how we choose products.
What the tests show
PC Gamer checked 27 big games at maximum settings, picked the eight most memory-hungry, and ran each with 16GB and 32GB on an RTX 5090 and on a desktop RTX 5070. Here are the RTX 5070 results it singled out:
| Game | What 32GB changed compared with 16GB (desktop RTX 5070) |
|---|---|
| Cyberpunk 2077 | Almost nothing: 36 to 38 fps average, 1% lows unchanged at 27 fps |
| Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2, Black Myth: Wukong, Hogwarts Legacy | No meaningful difference |
| Stalker 2 | 1% lows 11% higher |
| Escape from Tarkov | 1% lows 34% higher, in a training mode with bots |
| Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 | 1% lows from 2 to 6 fps, and no more memory thrashing. The bigger problem was VRAM |
TechSpot tested more than a dozen recent games with Chrome and Discord open in the background. Marvel Rivals, Borderlands 4, Stalker 2, Doom: The Dark Ages, The Outer Worlds 2 and others ran about the same on 16GB as on 32GB. The one clear failure was Mafia: The Old Country, which needed about 20GB for a smooth experience. 8GB, by contrast, caused stutters in almost everything.
The catch: everything else you have open
PC Gamer’s test PC ran nothing but the game, which left only about 3 to 5GB free at 16GB, and some of that is reserved. It warns that watching video in a browser, keeping Discord open or streaming your gameplay will “almost certainly” be a problem at 16GB if you also use maximum settings in the heaviest games. Lowering graphics settings frees up memory, so that’s the free fix.
Your GPU matters too. When a game runs out of VRAM, the overflow goes into system RAM, and most gaming laptops have 8GB of VRAM (is 8GB of VRAM enough?). In TechSpot’s Spider-Man 2 test, an 8GB desktop card gained more than 60% in 1% lows by moving from 16GB to 32GB of RAM. TechSpot’s advice is that 8GB GPUs “typically require more system memory”. So an 8GB laptop with 16GB of RAM is the setup most likely to benefit from an upgrade.
Check for two sticks
16GB on one stick runs in single-channel mode, which is slower. TechSpot‘s 13-game average at 1080p found one stick was 12% slower in average frame rate and 16% slower in 1% lows than two, though games stayed playable. That test used a desktop with a 16GB stick against a 32GB pair, so it includes some of the capacity gap as well. Laptop listings don’t always say, so look for “2 x 8GB” or check a review.
Can you add more RAM later?
Often, but not always. This matters more than the number you start with:
- Upgradeable: ASUS says its ROG Strix line can take more RAM or storage with just a screwdriver. Notebookcheck lists two RAM slots on the Lenovo LOQ 15, and two on the Gigabyte Aorus Elite 16.
- Not upgradeable: ASUS says Zephyrus models from 2024 on have their memory soldered to the motherboard. Many thin laptops do the same, so buy what you’ll need up front.
- Before buying RAM: check your laptop’s maximum and memory type, and confirm the new total shows up in Windows afterward.
Check the Lenovo LOQ 15 (RTX 5060) on Amazon →
16GB or 32GB?
- 16GB is enough if you mostly play one game at a time, close other apps, or are on a budget. Notebookcheck says 16GB is still acceptable in 2026.
- 32GB is worth it if you stream, keep lots of apps open, play Flight Simulator or Tarkov, or edit video. TechSpot calls 32GB “the sweet spot” for gamers, but says 16GB remains viable while memory prices are high.
- Laptop with soldered RAM? Lean toward 32GB, since you can’t change your mind later.
On a budget, our best budget gaming laptops and cheapest gaming laptops guides list what to look for.
Our verdict
16GB of RAM is enough for a gaming laptop in 2026 for almost every game, as long as it’s two sticks and you don’t run a lot alongside your game. It’s the first thing to upgrade if you see stutters, so a laptop with free RAM slots is a better buy than one with soldered memory. If the memory is soldered, or you stream, get 32GB up front.
RAM is one of the few parts you can change later. The graphics card usually isn’t: can you upgrade a gaming laptop’s GPU?
Frequently asked questions
Is 16GB of RAM enough for gaming in 2026?
Yes, for nearly all games. PC Gamer and TechSpot found most memory-heavy games ran the same on 16GB as on 32GB. Mafia: The Old Country, Escape from Tarkov and Flight Simulator 2024 are the main exceptions.
Will 32GB of RAM increase my FPS?
Usually not by much. In PC Gamer’s tests, average frame rates barely changed. The gains showed up in 1% lows in a few games, such as 34% in Escape from Tarkov and 11% in Stalker 2.
Is 16GB enough for gaming and streaming?
It’s tight. PC Gamer found only about 3 to 5GB left free while running a heavy game alone, so streaming or a browser on top will likely cause problems at maximum settings. Lower your settings, or get 32GB.
Can I upgrade the RAM in my gaming laptop?
Often. Many gaming laptops such as the Lenovo LOQ 15 and ROG Strix models have two RAM slots. Others, including ASUS Zephyrus models from 2024 on, have soldered memory that can’t be changed.
Is 8GB of RAM enough for a gaming laptop?
No. TechSpot found 8GB caused stutters or very poor performance in most modern games it tested, so 16GB is the minimum to buy.
