Microsoft is rolling out a Windows 11 update that it says makes the operating system up to 20 percent more responsive, with particular benefits for PCs with 8GB of RAM. The company attributes the gains to better memory management, which allows the system to keep more active data in RAM instead of writing it to slower storage.
The change is notable given rising memory prices, which Microsoft itself acknowledges are partly driven by AI data centers consuming RAM supply. For low-memory machines, Windows 11 will now load widgets only when opened, freeing more than 200MB for other tasks. The update also promises faster Windows Hello logins and improved Bluetooth headphone reliability, including quicker AirPods pairing.
Alongside the performance work, Microsoft is giving Windows Insiders early access to a revamped Photos app with a faster editor and viewer, and an AI-powered Search that can perform thousands of actions directly from the search box. These features are still in testing, while the core responsiveness improvements are being delivered to all users.