Microsoft Surface Laptop Test Shows 8 GB RAM Is Not Enough for Windows 11

The crisis in the global memory market and price fluctuations are impacting the modern technology market. According to ixbt.com citing The Verge analyses, Microsoft's new 13-inch Surface Laptop starting at $950 is equipped with only 8 GB of RAM. The tests conducted showed that even the manufacturer itself could not ensure the smooth operation of the Windows 11 operating system with such capacity. This is reported by Ixbt.com reports .

This device features a Snapdragon X Plus processor, 8 GB of RAM, and 256 GB of storage. For a modern computer in the $950 price segment, such technical specifications feel somewhat outdated and insufficient today. Most regrettably, the shortage of RAM seriously impacts the device's performance in daily tasks.

Daily usage issues and system freezes

The Verge tests showed that the laptop regularly froze even while performing simple tasks in the Windows 11 environment. Right after system boot and with just a few applications launched, the Task Manager showed that 4.2 GB of memory was occupied. In a normal working mode, the device consumed a staggering 6.7 GB out of the available 7.6 GB of usable memory.

Due to memory scarcity, the system completely froze for a few seconds several times a day. For example, such instances were observed during a voice call in Microsoft Teams or while working with Google Docs. Although the laptop handled basic tasks well, such as casual web browsing or watching videos online, it struggled in slightly more complex multitasking modes.

Test results and comparison with competitors

During the test, the user participated in a Microsoft Teams call while having about 10 Chrome tabs open. Additionally, Slack and Signal apps ran in the background, and the webcams weren't even active. Nevertheless, when the organizer added a short video, the laptop froze for a few seconds. Experts note that this is not an extremely high load, but a standard daily workflow.

Interestingly, MacBook Neo with the exact same 8 GB of RAM handles multitasking effortlessly even with dozens of apps open. Moreover, Apple's device is significantly cheaper. However, the Microsoft device is not without its merits — its build quality, keyboard, touchpad, and battery life were rated highly.