Windows 11 PCs with 8GB of RAM are now 20% more responsive and 40% faster in multitasking, Microsoft says — improvements rolling out via Windows and app updates this week. The changes hit devices running Windows 11, not older versions, and apply specifically to systems with 8GB of RAM, a configuration increasingly common in budget and mid-tier laptops, especially after Apple’s MacBook Neo pushed the segment into sharper focus. 9to5Google reports the gains were measured in lab testing.

Gadgets 360 adds that the tweaks include tighter memory compression, foreground-task prioritisation, and lower baseline resource use across core Microsoft apps. Teams now enables Efficiency Mode by default on supported 8GB systems. Edge launches faster and puts inactive tabs to sleep sooner. Widgets consume less memory when closed.

None of these changes require new hardware or a paid upgrade, just standard Windows Update and Microsoft app updates. No release date beyond “this week” is given, and Microsoft hasn’t specified whether the improvements will appear in Windows 11 Pro, Home, or both, though both editions run on 8GB systems and are covered under the general Windows 11 umbrella.

The move comes as RAMageddon, the industry-wide shortage and price surge, shows no sign of easing: analysts expect pressure on memory supply and cost to persist through 2030. For buyers searching ‘Windows 11 laptop’ or ‘Windows 11 Pro’, that means an 8GB machine bought today may now behave noticeably better than one shipped six months ago, even if the spec sheet looks identical.