Microsoft says Windows 11 is up to 20% more responsive and handles 8GB RAM better
Microsoft says months of fixes have made Windows 11 up to 20% more responsive, with memory changes that help PCs with 8GB of RAM or less. The claims come from Microsoft; the coverage here relays them.
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The story, neutrally told
Mixed · 2Microsoft says recent work on Windows 11 has produced a Windows experience that is "up to 20 percent more responsive". The VergeLC “the “result is a Windows experience that’s up to 20 percent more responsive.”” Read at The Verge ↗ ComputerworldN “Microsoft says these changes make Windows 11 up to 20% more responsive than before.” Read at Computerworld ↗ Left · 1The announcement follows a plan Microsoft laid out earlier this year to fix Windows 11, focused on performance, reliability and the overall experience. The VergeLC “Earlier this year Microsoft laid out a plan to fix Windows 11, with a focus on performance, reliability, and the overall OS experience.” Read at The Verge ↗ Left · 1Microsoft says it improved Start, File Explorer, Search, Edge and other parts of Windows 11 to make it feel faster. The VergeLC “Microsoft has made improvements to Start, File Explorer, Search, Edge, and other parts of Windows 11 to make it feel faster and more responsive.” Read at The Verge ↗
Mixed · 2Navjot Virk, Microsoft's corporate vice president of Windows experiences, said Windows can now keep up to 2GB more of a user's active data in memory instead of moving it to slower storage. The VergeLC ““Windows can now keep up to 2GB more of your active data in memory instead of moving it to slower storage,” says Virk.” Read at The Verge ↗ ComputerworldN “"Windows can now keep up to 2GB more of your active data in memory instead of moving it to slower storage” Read at Computerworld ↗ Mixed · 2On PCs with 8GB of memory or less, Widgets now load only when opened, which Microsoft says frees more than 200MB for other apps. The VergeLC “on PCs with 8GB of memory or less, Widgets load only when you open them, making more than 200 MB of memory available” Read at The Verge ↗ ComputerworldN “ensuring that widgets only load when you open them, freeing up an additional 200MB of memory.” Read at Computerworld ↗ Centre · 1Computerworld ties the focus on 8GB machines to the global memory shortage, saying 8GB has again become the standard among manufacturers. ComputerworldN “Due to the global memory shortage, 8 gigabytes has once again become the standard among computer manufacturers.” Read at Computerworld ↗
Left · 1Other changes include less disruptive Windows Update, a cleaned-up Widgets section, a taskbar that can be moved to the sides or top of the display, faster Windows Hello sign-in, and more reliable Bluetooth pairing, including an AirPods pairing experience Microsoft says is up to 15 seconds faster. The VergeLC “Windows Hello sign-in has also been sped up, and Bluetooth pairing is more reliable, “including an AirPods pairing experience that’s up to 15 seconds faster.”” Read at The Verge ↗ Left · 1A new, faster Windows Search is available to Windows Insiders and, Microsoft says, will roll out more broadly later this year; The Verge's Tom Warren, who tried it, called it one of the best additions to Windows 11 this year. The VergeLC “It’s currently available for Windows Insiders, and Microsoft says it will “roll out more broadly later this year.”” Read at The Verge ↗
Every sentence links to the reporting it rests on. The pill in front of each says where its sources sit: Left, Centre or Right when one side supplies at least half of them, Mixed when they are evenly split. The number is how many outlets it cites.
Left1 outlet
- Framing
- The Verge reports Microsoft's performance claims as the result of a promised Windows 11 fix-up, quoting a Microsoft executive and adding first-hand praise for the new Search.
- Emphasis
- User-facing features: taskbar repositioning, Windows Hello, Bluetooth and AirPods pairing, and the upcoming Search.
- Leaves out or plays down
- No independent benchmarks or testing of the 20% figure; no mention of the memory shortage.
- For example
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“I think it’s one of the best new additions to Windows 11 this year.” — The Verge
Centre1 outlet
- Framing
- Computerworld presents the changes as a response to the global memory shortage that has made 8GB common again, relaying Microsoft's blog post.
- Emphasis
- Memory management and the 8GB context.
- Leaves out or plays down
- Does not cover the taskbar, Windows Update or Search changes, and offers no independent testing of the 20% figure.
- Charged language
- “Fortunately”
- For example
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“Fortunately, Microsoft has spent the past few months optimizing Windows 11 for computers with limited RAM.” — Computerworld
Right0 outlets
No right outlet in our sources has covered this story yet.
What every side reports
- Microsoft says Windows 11 is up to 20% more responsive.
- Windows can keep up to 2GB more active data in memory rather than moving it to slower storage.
- On PCs with 8GB or less, Widgets load only when opened, freeing about 200MB.
Microsoft organisation
Microsoft says months of work on memory management and efficiency make Windows 11 up to 20% more responsive and help low-memory PCs.
“We’ve improved memory management and efficiency across Windows to help keep more of your PC’s resources focused on what you’re actively doing.” — The Verge
Left1 article
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Microsoft says Windows 11 is now ‘more responsive’ and runs better on 8GB of RAM
Sympathetic Relays Microsoft's claims with a broad feature list and the writer's own favourable view of the new Search.
Centre1 article
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Windows 11 has now been optimized for 8 gigabytes of memory
Neutral Short summary of Microsoft's blog post, framed by the memory shortage; mildly positive wording.
Right0 articles
No coverage yet.
- 15 Oct 14:41 First The VergeLC Microsoft says Windows 11 is now ‘more responsive’ and runs better on 8GB of RAM
- 16 Oct 12:52 +22h 11m ComputerworldN Windows 11 has now been optimized for 8 gigabytes of memory
Times are when each article was published, or when we first saw it if the outlet gave no time.
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