Microsoft recently released more affordable versions of the Surface Pro 12 and Surface Laptop 8, with starting prices of $849. However, early reviews suggest the base model’s 8GB of RAM isn’t enough to provide consistently smooth performance in Windows 11.
The lower-priced models use an older Snapdragon processor and come with 8GB of RAM instead of 16GB. Tests by The Verge showed that the reduced memory affects everyday performance. While web browsing, document editing, and video streaming were mostly smooth, the system sometimes froze for several seconds when a participant joined a Microsoft Teams call. Similar slowdowns happened with only around 10 Chrome tabs, Slack, and Signal open. Google Docs sessions also experienced occasional freezes, even without video calls running.
Windows Task Manager showed that available memory was under constant pressure. The system typically used around 6.7GB of its 7.6GB of usable RAM. After a fresh reboot with unnecessary startup programs disabled, memory usage dropped to about 4.2GB but increased to roughly 5.5GB after opening six Chrome tabs.
The findings suggest Windows 11 may still struggle on systems with limited memory. Microsoft’s Windows K2 initiative is intended to reduce the operating system’s default memory usage, but the improvements may not be enough for lower-end devices. Although the official minimum requirement is 4GB of RAM, many users consider 8GB to be the minimum for consistently smooth performance.
Microsoft previously recommended 16GB of RAM for a smooth Windows 11 experience, but that guidance was removed in June. The change came as the company introduced new 8GB Surface models during a period of higher memory costs and limited supply. On the Microsoft Store, the Surface Laptop is now promoted as being well suited for everyday tasks with 8GB of RAM. At the same time, Microsoft states that Copilot+ AI features require an additional 8GB of memory, meaning users need a 16GB model to access the full range of AI capabilities.
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