With RAM getting more expensive, Microsoft is putting more effort into making Windows 11 run better on systems with just 8 GB of memory. Microsoft said on Tuesday that it was "raising the bar for 8 GB Windows 11 PCs," following a renewed focus on memory optimization earlier this year . The changes come as Redmond continues pushing more expensive Copilot+ PCs, which require at least 16 GB of RAM, amid a memory crunch fueled by AI infrastructure demand. Now, Microsoft says a low-end machine with its 8 GB of precious RAM will be up to 20 percent more responsive and 40 percent faster at multitasking thanks to improvements made in memory management. The tweaks are relatively simple, as Microsoft explained, and seem more about adjusting back to the reality that its flagship operating system needs to function on the hardware people can actually afford to purchase if and when they’re forced to upgrade. Windows 11 will now keep up to 2 GB more active data in memory before shunting it to slower storage, as one example. In another instance, Windows will connect directly to Edge when the browser is already running in the background, allowing it to launch up to 33 percent faster, according to Microsoft. Microsoft apps are also being made more efficient, with Teams able to enable Efficiency Mode by default on 8 GB machines, which Microsoft said will make it launch "up to 20 percent faster." Memory efficiency is also being improved by tweaking things like Widgets, which will only load when used instead of always being on, and decreasing the time when Edge tabs go to sleep from two hours to 15 minutes by default. Microsoft said it’s enabling third-party apps to make use of those tweaks, too. Microsoft also included benchmark data in the blog post from a recent bit of research it commissioned…