Have you identified how much RAM and disk space you actually need for your workflow?
If you just want something “good enough” you might be able to make do with even the $1300 Core m3, 8GB, 256GB, 12” MacBook [0], or even a PC running macOS in a VM.
Otherwise the answer is “as much as you can afford.”
I haven’t compared markets lately, but I think that although you’ll find PC laptops that exceed MacBooks in a couple specs here and there, you may be hard pressed to find something that betters a MacBook across the board in many areas (including Thunderbolt 3, SSD performance, trackpad, color gamut and battery time) and still beats it at price. Then of course there’s the value of the OS.
The Touch Bar can also be surprisingly handy if you give it an honest chance. Search for third-party tools that let you customize it, like BetterTouchTool [1].
[0] https://www.apple.com/shop/buy-mac/macbook
[1] https://lifehacker.com/customize-your-macs-touch-bar-with-be...