Do Son 
Microsoft recently published a progress update on the quality improvements its team has been delivering for Windows 11. At the close of that blog post, the company added a notable line: it will optimise specifically for devices with 8 GB of RAM and above.
Rising Memory Prices Are the Root Cause
Microsoft had already signalled plans to cut Windows 11’s memory footprint. The reason is blunt. Memory prices have climbed so high that many newly launched laptops now ship with just 8 GB of RAM once again.
For Windows 11, however, 8 GB is barely adequate. Open a few extra applications and the slowdown becomes obvious. Yet soaring DRAM costs leave OEMs with little choice. They must balance component cost against retail price, and 8 GB is what keeps the sticker low enough to sell.
Even Microsoft’s own hardware feels the squeeze. The company released a Microsoft Surface device with 8 GB of RAM. Unsurprisingly, the experience on that branded machine proved equally poor. Heavy memory consumers like Chrome eat through 8 GB in no time.
Google faces the same pressure from the other side. It recently revealed plans to improve Android’s memory efficiency. Although Google did not say so outright, the reason is obvious. Android OEMs have likewise started fitting lower memory modules.
The First Explicit 8 GB Target in Years
Microsoft’s exact words in the blog read: optimise for 8 GB and above to reduce Windows 11 memory usage, delivering a fast, responsive Windows experience on the PCs people use every day.
This appears to be the first time in recent years that Microsoft has explicitly named 8 GB as an optimisation floor. In the past, the company spoke frequently about trimming memory overhead but never singled out 8 GB as its baseline. That change signals real urgency, because the problem directly affects Windows 11 device sales.
OEMs have no easy exit. Fitting more RAM raises the retail price and risks hurting volume. Therefore, the fix must come from software. At a minimum, Microsoft needs Windows 11 on 8 GB to feel usable, not smooth and spacious, just no longer painfully slow.
Support Our Threat Intelligence
If you find our CVE report and cybersecurity news helpful, consider supporting our work.
Buy Me a Coffee
PayPal
