Microsoft said on November 3 that an 8GB PC completed an internal lab multitasking scenario up to 40% faster. It compared Windows 11 builds 26200.7623 and 26200.9445 on the same HP OmniBook 3 with an eight-core Snapdragon X Plus. The workflow opened 20 Edge tabs, a 4K video, large Word, PowerPoint and Excel files, Outlook and File Explorer in sequence, keeping everything open.
Microsoft has adjusted memory compression and the movement of data between RAM and storage for 8GB systems. It says Windows can retain up to 2GB more active data in memory. On PCs with 8GB or less, Widgets loads only when opened, reducing memory commitment by roughly 200MB while closed. Inactive Edge tabs now sleep after 15 minutes by default, down from two hours.
To receive the latest improvements, Microsoft recommends Windows 11 version 26H2, build 26300.9818 or later. Edge, Microsoft 365 and Teams should also be updated, as some changes arrive through app updates and the Microsoft Store. Windows also briefly prioritizes actions requested by the user and backs off background tasks such as search indexing during active use.
