AT A GLANCE
Microsoft’s Windows improvements can release memory and improve selected response times, buying useful breathing room for existing 8GB and 16GB machines. They do not remove the requirements of Teams, business applications, endpoint protection, VPN and management tools. My recommendation for new corporate PCs remains 32GB minimum. A lower purchase price can become years of waiting time, support calls and an earlier replacement.
Microsoft says Windows 11 is now up to 20% more responsive, following improvements to memory management and everyday tasks such as Start, Search, File Explorer and Settings.
Welcome progress..... but...... These are Microsoft’s measurements of selected response times, NOT a promise that every application or your working day is magically 20% faster. Availability also varies by device and rollout..
Windows can now retain up to 2GB more active data in RAM instead of moving it to slower storage. On machines with 8GB or less, Widgets load only when opened, releasing more than 200MB for other work. Useful savings..... but an 8GB machine is STILL 8GB!
This follows Microsoft’s earlier commitment to reduce Windows’ memory footprint, including improvements to its application framework and embedded browser components. The October announcement puts figures against that continuing work.
BUT..... I have been warning for years that 32GB should be the minimum for a new corporate PC. That advice STAYS.
TOP STORIES reiterated the point in #179, and better Windows memory management does not change it.
A company PC carries considerably more than Windows. Teams, Outlook, browser tabs, spreadsheets and business applications share resources with endpoint protection, device management, VPN software, synchronisation, monitoring and other background services.
The employee may have closed a window..... the company’s background software and security services has certainly not stopped running!
Making Windows more efficient leaves useful breathing room. It does not remove the memory requirements of everything else the business needs running. Microsoft’s own performance guidance explains why available memory and paging matter to the complete user experience.
Yes, the extra memory is expensive, but do NOT let that persuade you to lower the 32GB purchasing minimum. Compare the additional purchase cost with several years of employee waiting time, support calls and an earlier replacement. A saving on the quotation can become a recurring expense at the desk.
For existing 8GB and 16GB machines, these improvements may buy useful time where the actual workload remains manageable. For new corporate purchases, my recommendation remains 32GB minimum, with more where demanding applications, virtual machines or local AI require it.
Better performance with less memory buys time..... it does NOT change the buying standard.
From the briefing.....
The Monday briefing reinforced the distinction: better performance on existing machines buys customers time; it does not change the buying standard. Assess the complete corporate workload and the remaining life of the device, rather than treating the operating system’s memory usage as the whole requirement.
THE SOURCE / FURTHER READING
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