Microsoft says Windows 11 multitasking is up to 40% faster on 8GB PCs
Microsoft says Windows 11 updates make PCs with 8GB of RAM up to 20% more responsive and up to 40% faster at multitasking in its tests. The changes tune memory compression and background tasks; Microsoft says users need Windows 11 version 26H2, build 26300.9818 or later, alongside updated Edge, Microsoft 365 and Teams apps.
Bottom line — Microsoft still recommends 16GB or more for 3D modelling, advanced video editing and large-scale data processing.
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Microsoft’s 40% result came from one lab test on an 8GB HP OmniBook 3, running 20 Edge tabs, a 4K video and large Office files alongside Outlook and File Explorer; the company says it is not a benchmark.
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Microsoft says adjusted compression lets Windows keep up to 2GB more active data in memory, making open apps and browser tabs less likely to reload.
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Across Windows, Edge and Microsoft 365, Microsoft measured up to 900MB less growth in committed memory during multitasking tests. Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Outlook account for 360MB of claimed savings.
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On PCs with 8GB of RAM or less, Microsoft says Widgets now loads only when opened, while Edge puts inactive tabs to sleep after 15 minutes by default.
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Microsoft says its labs test fixes across more than 20,000 PCs, using automated workloads and high-speed cameras to measure response times.
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Microsoft plans to make memory compression more efficient and have Search and Widgets share a web engine, with similar sharing planned for OneDrive and Photos.