Windows 11 8GB RAM configurations get a performance boost – As AI demand keeps prices up, Microsoft says Windows is now 20% more responsive, multitasking 40% faster on memory-constrained machines
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After a revival of 8GB RAM laptops earlier this year, and following the promise of improving Windows 11 performance with just 8GB RAM, Microsoft today announced what it claims are a series of performance improvements. Driven by an ongoing global PC component shortage that is forcing manufacturers to lower specifications, the company says that with 8GB of RAM, Windows is now 20% more responsive and 40% faster when it comes to multitasking.
The development shared today by Microsoft is an update to a commitment earlier this year to improve the quality and performance of Windows 11, a major bugbear of users since its launch. Microsoft says it has taken a three-tiered approach to memory optimization: better use memory on Windows 11 PCs, protect interactions that need to feel immediate, and ensure that key apps in Windows use less memory. While the company admits that you can do more with 16GB or 32GB of RAM, it says “we make sure you can do more, even with 8GB.”
The headline performance gain is a claim that Windows is now up to 20% more responsive on 8GB PCs. Even multitasking is now allegedly 40% faster in Microsoft lab tests. Of course, these are internal tests conducted under favorable conditions by Microsoft.
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Microsoft says it has fine-tuned compression for useful apps and data, and can now keep up to 2GB more of your active data in memory, instead of moving it to storage. In practice, this should mean that apps and tabs that are open are less likely to reload when you go back to them.
The claim of 20% more responsiveness refers specifically to tasks such as opening Start, searching, right-clicking, opening Settings, using the snipping tool and opening File Explorer. The company says it has achieved this by supporting background tasks such as indexing while you are actively using your PC. Edge is now reportedly up to 33% faster. There is also an efficiency mode for Microsoft Teams that can be set to default, which improves launch times by 20%.
Microsoft says its claims of 40% speed increases for multitasking are based on a demanding workflow of 20 Microsoft Edge tabs, a 4K video, large Word, PowerPoint and Excel files, Outlook, and File Explorer all opened one after the other.
Other improvements include reducing dedicated memory growth by up to 900MB in apps such as Microsoft Edge and 365 apps, and reducing the memory footprint of Word, PowerPoint, Excel, and Outlook by 360MB. Third-party apps can also benefit from improved memory management, with Microsoft saying WhatsApp is already benefiting.
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Going forward, Microsoft says it has plans to make memory compression even smarter and more efficient. Windows features and apps share common parts, such as search and widgets with a web engine, for example. WinUI 3 apps like File Explorer and Notepad are designed to use less memory and open faster, and Microsoft is working with PC manufacturers and silicon manufacturers to reduce how much memory a PC must reserve to support its hardware, making more room for Windows.
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