Overview
- Microsoft announced memory optimizations for Windows 11 that target devices with 8GB or more of RAM, a plan first detailed by Pavan Davuluri and set to ship by the end of 2026.
- The company quietly removed Windows Learning Center pages that had recommended 32GB as the ideal configuration, a change reported across multiple outlets.
- Microsoft has launched new Surface Pro 12 and Surface Laptop 13 base models with 8GB of RAM, creating a mismatch with its earlier guidance that 16GB was the practical baseline for Copilot+ PCs.
- Engineering work described by Microsoft focuses on a more efficient memory allocator, further WinUI 3 work to reduce UI memory use, and Chromium/WebView2 optimizations that cut RAM used by web-based app components.
- The move responds to a global DRAM shortage and sharp price rises driven by AI data‑center buying, pressure analysts say is likely to persist into 2027 and could keep OEMs shipping lower‑RAM PCs and raising upgrade costs for users.