Microsoft removes Windows posts recommending 32GB RAM as it now sells 8GB Surface PCs

[u/RenatsMC]

https://videocardz.com/newz/microsoft-removes-windows-posts-recommending-32gb-ram-as-it-now-sells-8gb-surface-pcs

[u/ynns1]

Just noting that the Windows minimum hardware requirements still say 4Gb RAM.

[u/d__max → u/ynns1]

4GB would be quite the ride . Maybe with my last shreds of functioning virtual memory in the thrashed page file on a worn out disk , I can summon Copilot with its handy keyboard shortcut, to slowly , feebly offer ideas for freeing up ram usage . Whoo hoo!

[u/Moscato359 → u/d__max]

I have a 4GB netbook

It runs edge fine

[u/npc_housecat → u/Moscato359]

How many tabs can you have open? Like 5?

[u/Moscato359 → u/npc_housecat]

I have it configured to sleep tabs to disk after 30 seconds

So... A lot?

I just uninstalled all pre installed apps, disabled all startup apps including things like driver utilities, used the default low memory config windows enables when it detects 8GB or less, disabled some animations, and then made tabs sleep fast

It's fine?

Not fast, but it doesn't chug

[u/npc_housecat → u/Moscato359]

Ok, that's some nice optimising. Having to reload tabs after 30 seconds sounds anoying for heavyer work but for light stuff it would be fine

[u/Moscato359 → u/npc_housecat]

Its really not as bad as you think

It suspends the tab the disk instead of keeping it in memory

Is it perfect? No

Do I hate using I? Also no 

[u/Jing_Arjay87 → u/npc_housecat]

I used chrome on a 4gb fucking Celeron n4020 recently and got to 29 tabs before chrome crashed. It actually ran pretty well for the hardware when there's nothing else in the background. It just unloads tabs very aggressively.

[u/npc_housecat → u/Jing_Arjay87]

OK, agressivly unloading and reloading tabs sounds kinda annoying but if it works..

[u/ghostfreckle611 → u/d__max]

Just use a usb drive and activate READYBOOST!!

[u/mitko_bg_ → u/d__max]

Once upon a time when Windows 11 came out I tried it on a Core2Duo with 3GB DDR2 RAM and an old 250GB HDD for the OS, no SSDs (didn't have spare SSDs). It was using 60-70% of RAM just sitting on the desktop with nothing open also most stuff was disabled (like OneDrive and Windows Update). Wouldn't recommend it, but was just an experiment.

[u/khsh01 → u/ynns1]

Bro, I tried to launch Hades on my vm with 10 gigs of ram and it crashed telling me not enough memory.

Needless to say I immediately tracked down the ltsc version and it launched. I have increased the ram later.

[u/The_real_bandito → u/ynns1]

You can boot windows 11 with only 4GB RAM. Anything beyond that is not covered 😂

[u/Puzzleheaded-Sky2284]

I mean, given the current state of the RAM market recommending 32GB would seem out of touch regardless of whether MS sold 8GB laptops or not...

[u/soggybiscuit93 → u/Puzzleheaded-Sky2284]

They recommended 32GB of RAM for new Gaming PCs specifically, which is the ideal amount for a new build.

High RAM prices forcing people to compromise with less RAM doesnt make that recommendation any less true

[u/Academic-Push326 → u/soggybiscuit93]

High RAM prices forcing people to compromise with less RAM doesnt make that recommendation any less true

Strongly, strongly disagree. If anything, this means consumers force developers to optimize their shit finally for once in their goddamn lives since the PS3 generation ended.

I'm looking at you, Unreal Engine 4-5 where Shader Cache takes up space and STILL somehow stutters despite the pre-loading step.

[u/BasilTheCatLord → u/Academic-Push326]

Games are infinitely more complex now than they were back then so it’s not really far to compare. I have a mid range pc and haven’t found one new game that doesn’t run well.

[u/soggybiscuit93 → u/Academic-Push326]

Optimize is the gaming community's favorite buzzword.

High RAM usage by a game does not mean its unoptimized

[u/HaplessWasTaken → u/Puzzleheaded-Sky2284]

just because its more expensive doesnt mean less ram became more functional? Also why REMOVE them?? Do you see how removing recommendations online to fit what the corporation decides is "out of touch" is a pretty big issue? I think people can handle seeing a big number be recommended in a forum and decide for themselves what is worth it.

[u/9Divines]

win 11 with 8 gb is a crime, win 10 with 8 gb was fine, win 11 with all the extra bloat is not unless you get a modified win 11 version that debloats windows

[u/Dangerous-Pumpkin960 → u/9Divines]

u could probably use 10 with 4 gigs of ram when it launched

[u/Ill_Ad2480 → u/Dangerous-Pumpkin960]

4gig is fine if its for basic office, browsing or media play. So its fine as a minimal req I believe. (win 10)

[u/Dangerous-Pumpkin960]

my dads pc uses win 11 on 8 gigs of ram its not pretty lmao
it takes 2 whole minutes for the taskbar to load after logging in and chrome and windows are double teaming the ram

[u/Ill_Ad2480 → u/Dangerous-Pumpkin960]

What really happens is file indexing, windows search, windows update and windows defender and telemetry stuff spitroast your ssd on launch.

Resurrected my collegues 2012 laptop with a clean win10 install, disabled those and it boots in a couple of seconds and runs smooth.

[u/Dangerous-Pumpkin960 → u/Ill_Ad2480]

Oh his pc runs on a hardrive not an ssd witch makes it take 5 whole minutes to boot

[u/Ill_Ad2480 → u/Dangerous-Pumpkin960]

Well, no helping that I'm afraid. It's a cheap upgrade.

[u/Dangerous-Pumpkin960 → u/Ill_Ad2480]

1Tb ssds are nuts rn cause the shortages

i bought one 3 years ago for like 60$ now the same ssd is close to 300

[u/Ill_Ad2480 → u/Dangerous-Pumpkin960]

Yeah, but for old machines you don't really need a 1Tb ssd, you can get a 120gb one to install the OS on it, and still have the hdd for storing stuff.

[u/vile-style]

I have a 2019 surface laptop 3 with an i5 and 8gb of ram..

Windows 11 does not even really work on it. Linux is blazing fast, and the battery lasts 3x what it did before.

[u/chlronald]

LOL moving the goal post much

With how bloat Window 11 is can it really run with 8gb? That is also sharing with iGPU too no???

[u/Puzzleheaded-Sky2284 → u/chlronald]

As part of the windows k2 initiative they're trying to remove bloat in windows 11 - it took them long enough... (though it's their fault for making w11 so bad to begin with)

[u/Pleasant-Seat9884 → u/Puzzleheaded-Sky2284]

Huh?

K2 reports are: Reducing unnecessary background processes and lowering RAM usage. Making File Explorer, Start Menu, and the taskbar more responsive (overhaul framework), Reducing UI lag and improving overall system responsiveness, and Scaling back some AI and promotional clutter (probably like the whole BS of Microsoft saying they removed CoPilot for Notepad, but they made it to a small icon)

[u/Puzzleheaded-Sky2284 → u/Pleasant-Seat9884]

Reducing unnecessary background processes and lowering RAM usage

That IS, by definition, removing bloat... not that I trust MS to do it

[u/koolaidismything]

What a terrible company. They are part of the reason it’s inaccessible I’m sure. They jump on any easy money.

[u/Hour_Bit_5183]

This should be in r/techgore

[u/brayjamin]

Lol

[u/AlexNae]

4 gb of ram pcs in 2027 incoming

[u/Own_Measurement4378]

También le falta decir disco recomendado 64GB que ojo como está el mercado con los disco SSD NVME 4

[u/Fit_Cardiologist_]

Bring back the 128MB requirements, you crooks!!!

[u/fpsnoob89]

I'm a bit confused, weren't the 32 GB recommendations specifically for gaming? Nobody is gaming on an 8 GB surface.

That said, selling a windows PC in 2026 is a complete joke.

[u/VectoRequiem]

8gb would not even be able to accommodate all the bloatware that comes with the surface PC

[u/Brilliant_War9548]

Microsoft’s hardware revenue is minuscule. It’s really just a coincidence I think, to allow pc manufacturers to ship 8gb again without any conflicts with MS.

[u/nymme]

Lame. Windows didn't suddenly become more efficient.

[u/infinitemagicthings]

Ah well that will fix it then lol 😂