Microsoft says Windows 11 runs faster on 8 GB RAM laptops after recent update

Microsoft says the latest Windows 11 update, released in October 2026, improves memory management and overall responsiveness on laptops equipped with 8 GB of RAM. Corporate vice president for design and research for Windows + Devices Marcus Ash noted that the system now feels "less slowed down," while Klaus Diaconu, head of the Windows Fundamentals team, said an 8 GB device works "totally fine" for everyday use.

Diaconu explained that the Task Manager can exaggerate perceived memory pressure because Windows intentionally fills available RAM and releases it as needed. He added that the team is evaluating changes to the Task Manager to better indicate genuine memory constraints.

Microsoft attributes the performance gains to a series of optimizations, including reduced memory usage in Edge and Office, a more efficient WinUI framework, and the removal of preloaded Widgets on 8 GB systems, which saves roughly 200 MB. Pavan Davuluri, who leads Windows at Microsoft, said internal tests show up to a 20 % increase in responsiveness and up to a 40 % boost in multitasking speed on 8 GB machines.

The update also enhances the memory compression algorithm, which Diaconu said can provide the equivalent of about two gigabytes of additional memory. Additionally, Microsoft is working with PC manufacturers to limit preinstalled bloatware and to set memory budgets for firmware, aiming to free more RAM for the operating system.

Independent testing by the article’s author confirmed that Windows 11 on an 8 GB laptop now handles typical multitasking—such as several browser tabs, a Word document, and a music streaming app—more smoothly than in previous months, though heavy workloads can still cause slowdowns.