Look it's like this;
The elite or "gurus" telling you dedicated ip as all a myth, absolute no benefits and the same with paid ssl.
What they not telling you is this;
IBM one of the big Let's Encrypt ssl sponsors- check their website they not use the free let's encrypt ssl themself- so why?
A website in the serps who has unique paid ssl and unique dedicated ip ,not masked behind cdn like Cloudflare, they are in googles eyes unique they own online property.
All the others who use the same free ssl, have their shared webhost ip (shared with hundreds of other domains) masked behind a cdn, they are not unique, they not have online property, it's like;
like living in an anonymous high-rise building with many floors.
With unique ip and paid ssl this is your own house-your property, you are the landlord.
And we know today google favors "uniqueness" .....
All have same free ssl, same masked webhost ip behind cloudflare, have nearly same AI content, how do you sting out of the crowd ?
My theory is after I observed some big media sites, when "they" all use paid ssl, dedicated ip, so there must be a reason for this- so I do the same....