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

With RAM getting more expensive, Microsoft is putting more effort into making Windows 11 run better on systems with just 8 GB of memory.

Microsoft said on Tuesday that it was "raising the bar for 8 GB Windows 11 PCs," following a renewed focus on memory optimization earlier this year. The changes come as Redmond continues pushing more expensive Copilot+ PCs, which require at least 16 GB of RAM, amid a memory crunch fueled by AI infrastructure demand.

Now, Microsoft says a low-end machine with its 8 GB of precious RAM will be up to 20 percent more responsive and 40 percent faster at multitasking thanks to improvements made in memory management.

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The tweaks are relatively simple, as Microsoft explained, and seem more about adjusting back to the reality that its flagship operating system needs to function on the hardware people can actually afford to purchase if and when they’re forced to upgrade. 

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Windows 11 will now keep up to 2 GB more active data in memory before shunting it to slower storage, as one example. In another instance, Windows will connect directly to Edge when the browser is already running in the background, allowing it to launch up to 33 percent faster, according to Microsoft. Microsoft apps are also being made more efficient, with Teams able to enable Efficiency Mode by default on 8 GB machines, which Microsoft said will make it launch "up to 20 percent faster."

Memory efficiency is also being improved by tweaking things like Widgets, which will only load when used instead of always being on, and decreasing the time when Edge tabs go to sleep from two hours to 15 minutes by default. Microsoft said it’s enabling third-party apps to make use of those tweaks, too. 

Microsoft also included benchmark data in the blog post from a recent bit of research it commissioned. The benchmark report compares a range of 2026 Windows machines with models from 2021, finding that a 2026 Dell XPS 13 with 8 GB of RAM performed about as well as a 2021 Dell XPS 13 with 16 GB across selected workloads.

What that means, says Microsoft, is that “the complete PC, not memory capacity alone, shapes the experience.”

In other words, please buy some new Windows hardware, even if it’s expensive - we’re begging you. Software optimization can only do so much. 

“For many people, 8 GB is a great fit for the things they do every day,” Microsoft EVP of Windows and devices Pavan Davuluri wrote in the blog post. “Demanding workloads, such as 3D modeling, advanced video editing, or large-scale data processing benefit from 16 GB of memory or more.” 

It’s no surprise Microsoft is improving the performance of lower end systems at the same time it’s subtly asking users to buy newer kit, even if it’s just an 8 GB machine - Microsoft may have done well in the past two quarters, but it’s no thanks to Windows devices. 

Microsoft’s Q4 2026 earnings in late July saw the company rake in cash more broadly, while simultaneously reporting a 7 percent decrease in Windows OEM and devices revenue.  

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Likewise, in its fiscal Q1 2027 results, reported just last week, Microsoft again brought home a mountain of net income, with adjusted earnings reaching $36.4 billion, up 18 percent from the same period last year. Windows OEM and devices revenue, however, was down a whopping 22 percent. It’s hard to think of a reason beyond the fact that hardware prices have shot up with more force than a SpaceX rocket - memory prices are likely to actually make it to Mars, unlike Starship - leaving both consumers and enterprises to stretch those upgrade cycles. 

If you need to get the most out of that 8 GB Windows 11 PC, you’ll find the latest improvements in 26H2, build 26300.9818 or later. Microsoft is also encouraging users to keep its branded apps up to date, as “some improvements arrive through app updates or through Microsoft Store.”  ®