Microsoft is making changes to Windows to help PCs with 8GB of RAM feel faster, as memory availability and pricing remain concerns. The company is focusing on using existing memory more efficiently rather than increasing the amount installed in a computer.

Pavan Davuluri, who leads Microsoft’s Windows + Devices team, described the approach in a blog post as “making better use of the memory that’s there.” Microsoft says it is applying more compression and improving how Windows anticipates what users are likely to open. The company estimates that compression can effectively add up to 2GB of usable local memory, while memory savings in Windows, Edge and Microsoft 365 can reduce actively used or committed memory by as much as 900MB.

Microsoft is also adjusting background activity. Edge can stay open in the background to launch more quickly, while its tabs are put to sleep sooner so they use less memory. Microsoft says a test involving 20 Edge tabs, a 4K video, Office files, Outlook and File Explorer completed 40 percent faster than on January 2026 builds. The company did not provide details about the test’s completion time.

The changes come as the outlook for memory remains uncertain. Intel predicted that its CPU sales would fall by 10 percent in 2026. CEO Lip-Bu Tan said the company did not expect a sustained recovery until memory availability improved and prices began to normalize, while declining to give a timeline.

Windows’ improvements may not be enough if other software continues to demand substantial resources. The article notes that some apps may require at least 8GB of RAM to run, while meeting a minimum requirement does not necessarily mean they will perform well. Firefox has introduced measures to reduce CPU and memory use on pages with large images, and Opera GX includes a RAM limiter. Google Chrome, by contrast, has not made comparable changes, though a developer said the project was experimenting with freezing background tabs and did not want to compromise site isolation or security to save memory.

Microsoft can reduce the operating system’s footprint, but broader support for 8GB PCs will depend on app developers as well. If other software continues adding features that consume more memory, Windows’ efficiency work may have only a limited effect.

Sources: PCWorld.