Different use case but Claude Code CLI and GitHub Copilot CLI, both JS monstrosities, use 500MB at idle per session and it's not uncommon to have 10+ sessions across multiple IDE's. 5GB RAM gone on just an LLM harness doing nothing.

At least Codex CLI in rust uses 80-100MB which is still not great but a big improvement.

These AI companies screw you over from both sides. They make the cost of RAM skyrocket and then they build terrible software that uses all the RAM you have.