Microsoft is updating Windows 11 memory optimizations specifically aimed at the increasingly popular 8GB RAM PCs. This is significant as many budget and mid-tier PCs use lower memory pools. Optimizing memory usage is important for the overall usability of these PCs. They are making the changes to lower the friction of users changing apps or launching on low memory PCs.
New compression techniques boost performance on budget systems
Microsoft is essentially updating with new compression methods that allow it to in a way increase the local RAM pool by up to 2GB. This is all about 'making the most' of the memory already in the PC, as they see it. What they are doing is compressing the memory in use in an attempt to enable more apps to be in use at the same time, without them having to be swapped out to slower memory drives.
This has resulted in 40% faster app launching and task switching over the January 2026 build. They have lowered the memory increase for Windows/Edge/Microsoft 365 apps by up to 900MB. Edge is helping to achieve this by quickly sleeping idle tabs, helping to reduce overall memory consumption while browsing.
This software update is coming at a time where we are facing hardware limitations. Intel CEO Lip-Bu Tan says don't expect any sustained market recovery until the memory supply improves and prices become normalized. This all means that this type of software optimization will be important for low-memory PCs until we see some hardware price stabilization.
This is very much in line with our last Windows update writeup where they seemed to be all about balance and stability with the core system. Here we have a new set of optimization tools that are specifically focused on memory density/speed for low spec systems. This update confirms that Microsoft is all in on trying to optimize the current hardware's life span before it makes sense to buy new memory modules that are more cost effective.
Compressing active memory pages to simulate extra capacity is a clever workaround for the current silicon shortage but it inevitably adds CPU overhead. The 40 percent speedup likely comes from reduced disk thrashing when the OS swaps out cold pages to compressed storage instead of the SSD cache.
Does this compression layer actually slow down heavy multitasking when the CPU is already maxed out or does it just help with app launching?
It helps with app launching by keeping active sessions in fast compressed memory rather than writing them to disk. The CPU overhead is minimal for light tasks but you will feel the difference when running multiple virtual machines or heavy video editors that need raw throughput.
Microsoft is just making excuses for selling us cheap hardware again while RAM prices stay high 🤔
I am waiting for independent benchmarks on the January 2026 build versus this new release before I believe any performance claims.
This feels like a bandaid fix for a hardware industry that stopped innovating on memory density years ago.