Microsoft improves Windows 11 performance on 8 GB PCs as RAM prices keep climbing
We've got a hunch the memory crunch is taking a bite out of Windows revenue
Microsoft is making Windows 11 run better on 8 GB PCs as RAM prices rise. The company announced changes on Tuesday, with a focus on memory optimization. These improvements should make low-end machines with 8 GB of RAM up to 20 percent more responsive and 40 percent faster at multitasking. Windows 11 will now keep up to 2 GB more active data in memory before offloading it to slower storage, and Edge will launch up to 33 percent faster when running in the background.
Microsoft apps like Teams will launch up to 20 percent faster by enabling Efficiency Mode by default on 8 GB machines. Memory efficiency is also improved by making Widgets only load when needed and reducing the time for Edge tabs to go to sleep from two hours to 15 minutes by default. Microsoft wants to ensure third-party apps can also take advantage of these tweaks.
The company shared benchmark data showing that a 2026 8 GB Dell XPS 13 performed comparably to a 2021 16 GB Dell XPS 13 across selected workloads. However, Microsoft emphasized that overall PC performance, not just memory capacity, determines user experience. The improvements are part of Windows 11's 26H2 build and are expected to help users get the most out of their 8 GB systems, given the high cost of memory upgrades and the increasing price of memory.
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