[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"branding":3,"analytics":7,"article-microsoft-claims-40-faster-multitasking-on-8gb-windows-pcs":10,"sections":35},{"siteName":4,"siteTagline":5,"publisherName":4,"contactEmail":6},"The Revision","Tech news, decoded.","editor@therevision.news",{"gaMeasurementId":8,"adsenseClientId":9},"G-ZW2MV82GYR","ca-pub-8533917693782264",{"article":11},{"id":12,"slug":13,"title":14,"dek":15,"body_md":16,"tags_json":17,"published_at":18,"created_at":19,"updated_at":20,"status":21,"review_note":22,"review_notes":23,"image_url":22,"persona_id":22,"persona_name":22,"section":24,"tags":25,"sources":30,"feedback":34,"feedback_at":22,"cost_usd":34,"total_tokens":34},12425,"microsoft-claims-40-faster-multitasking-on-8gb-windows-pcs","Microsoft Claims 40% Faster Multitasking on 8GB Windows PCs","Microsoft says a memory update keeps up to 2GB more active data in RAM, narrowing the experience gap with Apple's 8GB MacBook Neo.","Microsoft has changed how Windows manages memory on PCs with 8GB of RAM, and the company says a multitasking test now runs 40% faster than it did in January.\n\nThe core change is that Windows can keep up to 2GB more active data in RAM, the fast short-term memory a computer works from, instead of shuffling it to the slower drive. Microsoft compares RAM to a desk and the drive to a drawer: Windows used to clear the desk too eagerly, so apps and tabs had to be fetched again. The company said the Start menu, search, right-click, Settings, Snipping Tool and File Explorer can be up to 20% faster than in January. Edge may open up to 33% faster, and Teams can now default to Efficiency Mode on 8GB machines, launching up to 20% faster.\n\nThere are smaller savings too. Widgets load only when opened, which frees 200MB. Edge tabs go inactive after 15 minutes instead of two hours. Microsoft said it cut up to 360MB of RAM use across Word, PowerPoint, Excel and Outlook, and that WhatsApp improved by double digits. The 40% figure comes from Microsoft's own stress test: 20 Edge tabs, a 4K video, large Office files, Outlook and File Explorer, all open at once.\n\nThe target is deliberate. The MacBook Neo ships with 8GB, and Apple builds both the hardware and macOS, so it can tune one for the other. Dell, HP, Asus and Lenovo cannot tune Windows themselves. With RAM prices up in the age of AI, more buyers may pick cheaper configurations or keep old machines longer, and existing 8GB owners get the update free.\n\nIndependent evidence is thin so far. Reviewer Chris Hoffman, who had told buyers to avoid 8GB PCs, saw smoother multitasking in his own testing. He said an average buyer saving hundreds of dollars \"might be happy with the performance,\" though he still would not choose 8GB himself.\n\nPrice is the other variable. Apple has raised the Neo from $599 to $699, which widens the room for a cheaper Windows laptop. Whether a software patch can offset Apple's tuning advantage needs head-to-head testing that has not yet been done.","[\"windows\",\"macbook-neo\",\"memory\",\"laptops\"]","2026-11-05T17:55:35.000Z","2026-11-08T01:39:00.389Z","2026-11-08T01:39:00.582Z","published",null,[],"consumer-tech",[26,27,28,29],"windows","macbook-neo","memory","laptops",[31],{"name":32,"url":33},"Lifehacker","https:\u002F\u002Flifehacker.com\u002Ftech\u002Fwindows-laptops-just-closed-a-major-gap-with-the-macbook-neo?utm_medium=RSS",0,{"sections":36},[37,42,47,52,57,61,66,71,76,81,86,91,96,101],{"name":38,"slug":39,"count":40,"latest_published_at":41},"AI","ai",7110,"2026-11-08T14:34:09.000Z",{"name":43,"slug":44,"count":45,"latest_published_at":46},"Security","security",1099,"2026-11-08T15:24:01.000Z",{"name":48,"slug":49,"count":50,"latest_published_at":51},"Deals","deals",620,"2026-11-08T08:00:00.000Z",{"name":53,"slug":54,"count":55,"latest_published_at":56},"Policy","policy",604,"2026-11-07T15:48:26.000Z",{"name":58,"slug":24,"count":59,"latest_published_at":60},"Consumer Tech",336,"2026-11-08T21:00:00.000Z",{"name":62,"slug":63,"count":64,"latest_published_at":65},"Hardware","hardware",316,"2026-11-08T14:36:39.000Z",{"name":67,"slug":68,"count":69,"latest_published_at":70},"Science","science",222,"2026-11-07T16:19:17.000Z",{"name":72,"slug":73,"count":74,"latest_published_at":75},"Software","software",154,"2026-11-08T15:42:52.000Z",{"name":77,"slug":78,"count":79,"latest_published_at":80},"Startups","startups",150,"2026-11-06T16:50:01.000Z",{"name":82,"slug":83,"count":84,"latest_published_at":85},"Dev Tools","dev-tools",125,"2026-11-06T22:15:59.000Z",{"name":87,"slug":88,"count":89,"latest_published_at":90},"General","general",111,"2026-11-08T21:27:29.000Z",{"name":92,"slug":93,"count":94,"latest_published_at":95},"Gaming","gaming",94,"2026-11-08T20:52:05.000Z",{"name":97,"slug":98,"count":99,"latest_published_at":100},"Reviews","reviews",38,"2026-10-20T12:00:00.000Z",{"name":102,"slug":103,"count":104,"latest_published_at":105},"How-To","how-to",8,"2026-10-05T09:00:00.000Z"]