Microsoft improves Windows 11 performance on 8 GB PCs as RAM prices keep climbing

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.

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.

Windows 11 will now keep up to …