Is 16GB of RAM safe on almost any modern system?

Yes, 16GB is safe on almost any modern system. It’s been the standard for over a decade, and most consumer motherboards and laptops from the last 10+ years support at least 16GB. The real limiter is the motherboard’s slot count and max capacity per slot, not the CPU. To be sure, check your motherboard or laptop model’s memory spec, but for 16GB, you’re probably good.