16GB vs 32GB RAM: Power difference is negligible

The power gap between 16GB and 32GB is tiny—1–3 extra watts at most, less than an LED bulb. On a desktop, you won’t notice it on your bill; on a laptop, you might lose 5–10 minutes of battery life. If you need 32GB for your workflow, the performance gain from not running out of memory outweighs the minimal power cost.