Microsoft Changes Its Mind: 8 GB RAM Found Sufficient for Windows 11

Microsoft is updating its official recommendations regarding the technical requirements for stable operation of the Windows 11 operating system. The company now acknowledges that 8 GB of RAM is fully sufficient for daily tasks. This decision was made after prolonged debates among users and experts. This is reported by Ixbt.com news reports.

According to ixbt.com, the tech giant has clearly split the requirements for Windows 11 and Copilot+ AI functions in its Surface device selection guide. According to this, 8 GB of RAM is sufficient for simple processes such as browsing, watching videos, reading, and using office applications.

However, Microsoft has kept the requirements higher for those who want to make extensive use of AI capabilities. To run functions belonging to the Copilot+ PC category, the computer must have at least 16 GB of RAM and a 256 GB SSD. This is explained by the high resource demands of AI algorithms.

Marketing and user backlash

Interestingly, Microsoft had previously called 16 GB of RAM the minimum standard for modern computers. However, this statement caused backlash from many users, as a large part of the market still consists of laptops with 8 GB of memory. Following the criticism, the company was forced to delete the published article.

Currently, Microsoft continues to sell its Surface Laptop 13, Surface Pro 12, and some commercial Surface Laptop models with 8 GB of RAM. If the company had strictly set 16 GB as the mandatory standard, these products could have been seen as "obsolete" or "weak".

This news is also significant for the Uzbekistan market. This is because the majority of laptops sold in local stores are equipped with exactly 8 GB of RAM. Microsoft's new recommendation allows owners of such devices to work peacefully on Windows 11, with limitations only when using the latest AI functions.

Microsoft has officially declared 2026 as the "Year of AI PCs". Copilot capabilities are expected to expand further in the future, which will inevitably increase hardware requirements over time. For now, average users do not need to rush to upgrade their devices.