Is 32GB RAM worth it for modded Minecraft and multitasking?

Yes. Heavy modpacks like ATM, FTB, or GregTech with 200+ mods and shaders can eat 6–10GB for the game alone, plus Chrome, Discord, and your OS take more. 32GB gives you headroom to allocate 8–12GB to the JVM without starving the system, keeping frames smooth and alt-tabbing fast. 16GB is borderline today; 32GB is the sweet spot and future-proofs you. Get 2×16GB for dual channel—don’t cheap out on a single stick.