Microsoft is introducing memory and system resource optimizations for older and budget Windows 11 laptops with 8GB of RAM, promising up to 20% better responsiveness and reduced background memory usage.
Windows 11 is expected to run noticeably better on laptops with 8GB of RAM, thanks to months of system optimizations that Microsoft has now detailed.
The company claims that Windows 11 responsiveness has improved by up to 20% in certain situations, with the improvements expected to be particularly noticeable on computers with limited memory.
The issue has become especially relevant due to rising RAM prices and the growing number of affordable Windows laptops shipping with just 8GB of memory.
These devices are frequently criticized because Windows 11 can consume available memory relatively quickly, especially when users run multiple applications and browser tabs simultaneously.
Earlier this year, Microsoft announced a broader initiative focused on improving Windows 11's performance, stability, and overall everyday user experience.
The optimizations cover the Start menu, File Explorer, Search, the Edge browser, and other parts of the operating system.
Windows 11 laptops with 8GB RAM can keep more active data in memory
Navjot Virk, Microsoft's Corporate Vice President of Windows Experiences, explained that the key to these improvements lies in smarter memory and system resource management.
The goal is to direct more of the computer's available performance toward what the user is actively doing rather than background processes.
According to Microsoft, the improved memory management allows Windows 11 to keep up to 2GB more active data in RAM instead of frequently moving it to significantly slower SSD storage.
This reduces waiting times when switching back to applications and other active tasks.
Widgets provide a good example of these changes.
On computers with 8GB of RAM or less, Widgets content is no longer preloaded in the background. Instead, it loads only when the user actually opens the Widgets panel.
This change alone can free up more than 200MB of RAM, making additional memory available for other applications and tasks.
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