Go Home

Running 8GB of RAM_ Now's the time to upgrade, as Microsoft seems set to make 16GB the minimum for A

Published on December 08, 2025

For those of you still trucking on with 8GB of RAM, I have some potentially bad news. According to a () Microsoft has set a new baseline for RAM requirements in AI PCs at 16GB, which likely means that 8GB users may finally have to upgrade if they want to keep up with the latest Copilot features. 

This looks like good news for DRAM manufacturers at the very least, but for those of you that have been content to run on 8GB up until now and might be thinking to yourselves that you don't really care for Copilot or AI features anyway, may I suggest that now might be the time to upgrade regardless?

While you might be content to let the integration of AI features in your OS pass you by (and to be honest, I wouldn't blame you), [[link]] the truth is that 8GB has been scraping the bare minimum requirement for a functional PC for quite some time now.  

Beyond gaming, where 16GB remains something of a realistic minimum for anyone playing much beyond lightweight indie releases, the truth is that a modern system with a few basic background programs installed and a reasonable number of browser tabs open tends to fill up 8GB and beyond rather quickly. 

Unless you happen to spend a fair amount of time playing whack-a-mole with your apps, or have a zen-like approach to running the absolute bare minimum of background programs, on a modern Windows machine you're likely to be cresting the limit of your capacity on something of a regular basis. 

While Windows is fairly good on the whole at managing your RAM usage to make sure it has enough space left to run properly, there's only so much the OS can realistically do without dipping into the virtual memory and slowing things down to a crawl.

Moar RAM

An image of the best DDR5 RAM for gaming 2022 on a blue background with a PC Gamer recommended badge.

(Image credit: Future)

: the latest and greatest
: affordable and fast

Luckily however, and even RAM is currently pretty cheap. While this might thanks to manufacturers cutting back on production, as things stand an extra 8GB stick of RAM to take you up to a much more reasonable 16GB remains a relatively small expense, and the difference it'll [[link]] make to your daily PC usage will be massive. 

For what it's worth, if you happen to be using a device with RAM soldered to the board without the possibility of an upgrade, I do sympathise, but the march of progress does come for us all at some point.

Whether you're interested in taking advantage of AI features to come, [[link]] or quite happy to ignore them entirely, it's finally time to say goodbye to 8GB as a reasonable minimum requirement. 16GB and up is the future my friends, and we're even where 32GB is becoming a realistic recommended spec for high-end gaming. 

I don't make the rules, but while RAM remains cheap, now may well be the time to get yourself ahead of the game. 

Reader Comments

BetGuru4636

The promotions and bonuses offered are very generous. I especially love the daily free spins and deposit bonuses. They make playing even more enjoyable and increase my chances of winning big. The platform keeps me engaged for hours every day. I appreciate the themed slot games, especially those based on movies and TV shows. They make the gaming experience more engaging and immersive. The combination of storyline, visuals, and bonus features makes each game feel unique.

HighRoller3443

The progressive jackpots are thrilling, and it's exciting to watch the jackpot amounts grow as more players spin the reels. I hope they add even more jackpot slots because it adds a lot of excitement to the gameplay. The payout process is generally smooth and reliable, though occasionally it takes longer than expected. Overall, I feel confident that my winnings are safe and will be credited properly. The variety of games is excellent, including table games like blackjack, roulette, and baccarat, in addition to slots. This keeps the platform interesting and allows me to switch games depending on my mood.

CasinoKing5536

The variety of games is excellent, including table games like blackjack, roulette, and baccarat, in addition to slots. This keeps the platform interesting and allows me to switch games depending on my mood. The progressive jackpots are thrilling, and it's exciting to watch the jackpot amounts grow as more players spin the reels. I hope they add even more jackpot slots because it adds a lot of excitement to the gameplay. Customer support has been outstanding whenever I had any issues. They respond quickly and professionally, ensuring that any concerns with deposits, withdrawals, or gameplay are addressed immediately, which makes me trust the platform more.

Recommended Reading

Major subreddit admins are going to war with Reddit over monetization changes that will kill many th

Hundreds of subreddits of all sizes and topics—including some of the big ones—will temporarily go dark beginning on June 12 in [[link]] protest of changes to Reddit's API that they say will make it effectively...

Keep Reading

You can't buy Dark and Darker yet, it may not ever release, but they will sell you some coffee and a

A mere 10 days ago, developer Ironmace Games announced the delay of Dark and Darker's early access release—news that was not-unexpected given its rolling legal dispute with Nexon. There is [[link]] a not-insig...

Keep Reading

How to revive dead companions in Baldur's Gate 3

Reviving companions in Baldur's Gate 3 can be a bit of a pain, especially early [[link]] on when you only have a limited number of Scrolls of Revivify, and you're desperately trying to keep your pals on the go...

Keep Reading