Microsoft Launches $899 Surface Laptop with 8GB RAM and Snapdragon Chip; Tests Show Stuttering, Company
Microsoft has launched an entry-level Surface laptop starting at $899, equipped with 8GB of RAM and a Qualcomm Snapdragon chip. Tests show the device struggles with video streaming when running around 10 Chrome tabs plus constant apps like Slack and Signal. Even opening a Google Docs document causes stuttering or freezing. The laptop runs Windows 11, which uses over 4GB of RAM at boot and typically around 6.7GB under normal use. After exhausting physical memory, the system relies on SSD virtual memory, leading to frequent swapping and pauses. Microsoft previously said 16GB is necessary for smooth Windows 11 performance but now claims 8GB is sufficient for daily use.
Microsoft has launched an entry-level Surface laptop starting at $899, equipped with 8GB of RAM and a Qualcomm Snapdragon chip. Tests show that when running about 10 Chrome tabs in the background along with persistent communication apps such as Slack and Signal, the device struggles to handle video streaming smoothly. Even opening a single Google Docs online document causes stuttering or freezing. When running Microsoft's own Teams video conferencing software, severe stuttering or screen freezes occur frequently, lasting several seconds.
The laptop runs Windows 11, which uses over 4GB of RAM at startup and typically maintains memory usage around 6.7GB under normal operating conditions. After physical memory is exhausted, the system uses the SSD as virtual memory, causing frequent data swapping between RAM and storage, leading to pauses and freezes. Microsoft's official minimum RAM requirement for Windows 11 is 4GB, but in tests, 8GB of RAM is insufficient for smooth operation. Microsoft previously stated that 16GB of RAM is necessary for smooth Windows 11 performance, but recently it has said that 8GB is adequate for everyday use.
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