Windows 11’s RAM usage update is live — but the 20% responsiveness boost Microsoft promised applies only in narrow conditions, and real-world results vary sharply by hardware. The change rolled out globally Thursday as part of the ongoing 26H2 servicing stack, not a full feature update. It targets memory-constrained systems: specifically, PCs with 8GB of RAM or less. On those machines, Windows now holds up to 2GB more active data in RAM instead of offloading it to slower storage, and delays loading Widgets until explicitly opened, freeing over 200MB for foreground apps. Microsoft says this delivers ‘up to 20% more responsive’ performance. But that figure is internal, best-case, and unverified by third parties. Windows Latest tested it on two devices: a three-year-old laptop with 16GB RAM saw RAM usage drop by 2GB, while an 8GB system showed no measurable improvement in responsiveness or memory headroom. AirPods pairing is now up to 15 seconds faster across all supported Windows 11 devices. A revamped Windows Search. Faster and more capable, is still in Insider testing, with Microsoft targeting wider rollout before year-end. No price, no subscription fee, no new license tier: this is a free OS-level optimization, delivered via Windows Update. It does not require Windows 11 Pro, nor does it change Pro’s licensing terms. Windows 11 Pro remains $199.99 in the US, Rs 14,999 in India. Same as before.