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Microsoft improves Windows 11 performance on 8 GB PCs as RAM prices keep climbing
The Register • • general
Key Points:
- Microsoft is enhancing Windows 11 performance on 8 GB RAM systems, promising up to 20% better responsiveness and 40% faster multitasking through improved memory management and efficiency tweaks.
- Key optimizations include keeping more active data in RAM, faster Edge browser launches, default Efficiency Mode in Teams, and reducing background widget and tab resource usage.
- Benchmark tests show that 2026 PCs with 8 GB RAM can perform similarly to 2021 models with 16 GB, highlighting that overall system design impacts user experience more than memory size alone.
- Despite these improvements, Microsoft is encouraging users to upgrade to newer, higher-memory devices, as demanding workloads still require 16 GB or more, and Windows OEM/device revenues have declined due to rising hardware costs.
- The latest performance upgrades are available in Windows 11 version 26H2 (build 26300.9818 or later), with additional improvements delivered via Microsoft app updates through the Microsoft Store.
