Is windows 11 really bloated?

[Siliconguy]

It's purely a choice by Apple.

Comparison of budget laptops:

View attachment 2615007

I don't know how you find an SSD that slow. Gen 3 is 3,500. Gen 4 is 7,500. Gen 3 came out in 2013.

Crystal Disk is a Windows program. using it to benchmark a Mac isn't going to produce decent results. Try BlackMagic.

As for memory used with Safari and Activity Monitor open.

By comparison using integrated video Mint Cinnamon uses 1.6 GB sitting idle, MATE about 1.2, xfce a bit less, Plasma a bit over two, but that machine has a video card so the graphics is likely on that instead of RAM.

 

[pshufd]

Crystal Disk is a Windows program. using it to benchmark a Mac isn't going to produce decent results. Try BlackMagic.

As for memory used with Safari and Activity Monitor open.

By comparison using integrated video Mint Cinnamon uses 1.6 GB sitting idle, MATE about 1.2, xfce a bit less, Plasma a bit over two, but that machine has a video card so the graphics is likely on that instead of RAM.

 

[popup]

Wait until you start a GUI.

I don't have to. My daily driver is Debian + KDE.

 

[eltoslightfoot]

Go to Best Buy and look at the $200 computers.

Joke is on you. There are no $200 computers at Best Buy. They don't even exist at Wally World anymore.

 

[Bubble99]

Go to Best Buy and look at the $200 computers.

You non’t going to find any computer now for under $600 unless it is chrome book.

It not 2010 any more.

With Covid and inflation because of Covid the price of every thing is more costly now so is computers now.

MacBook pros used to be price at 1,299 before Covid not any more. The starting price is now $1699

Dell use to have lot of $500 and $600 desktop computers not any more. It now starts at $800 and $900 now.

With shortage of RAM and SSD and major demand for AI and the war and shortage of gas and oil properly by next year Apple will up the price of the MacBook pros from price is now $1699 to $2,000 starting price.

 

[pshufd]

Joke is on you. There are no $200 computers at Best Buy. They don't even exist at Wally World anymore.

 

[pshufd]

You non’t going to find any computer now for under $600 unless it is chrome book.

It not 2010 any more.

With Covid and inflation because of Covid the price of every thing is more costly now so is computers now.

MacBook pros used to be price at 1,299 before Covid not any more. The starting price is now $1699

Dell use to have lot of $500 and $600 desktop computers not any more. It now starts at $800 and $900 now.

With shortage of RAM and SSD and major demand for AI and the war and shortage of gas and oil properly by next year Apple will up the price of the MacBook pros from price is now $1699 to $2,000 starting price.

 

[Snowlover]

At Walmart

 

[Abydos]

question does gas x work on windows bloat

 

[eltoslightfoot]

@pshufd None of those are real laptops. I said what I said.

 

[pshufd]

@pshufd None of those are real laptops. I said what I said.

The question was why are there laptops with 4 GB of RAM. You may not consider these real laptops but some people obviously do.

It takes all kinds to make a market.

 

[eltoslightfoot]

The question was why are there laptops with 4 GB of RAM. You may not consider these real laptops but some people obviously do.

It takes all kinds to make a market.

I guess. Still think those are not real though. Anyone buying one of those would be ecstatic with any real laptop. Ugg. Chromebooks for the loss. Celerons for the loss.

 

[Bubble99]

question does gas x work on windows bloat

Microsoft may have to do some to clean up this bloat and lower the RAM requirements. And go back to 4 GB of RAM and 2 GB of RAM because of the shortage.

SK Hynix boss says the memory chip shortage is going to last until 2030​

Things are going to get much worse, before they start improving.​

Meanwhile, chip manufacturers remain unable to keep up with the explosive demand from Big Tech and AI data center ventures. SK Hynix now predicts that the silicon industry won't return to a more rational state anytime soon. It's better to prepare for the worst.

https://www.techspot.com/news/111751-memory-chip-shortage-going-last-until-2030-sk.html

 

[Bubble99]

The question was why are there laptops with 4 GB of RAM. You may not consider these real laptops but some people obviously do.

It takes all kinds to make a market.

The 4 GB of RAM may be new normal soon because of shortage may be even 2 GB of RAM.

 

[pshufd]

The 4 GB of RAM may be new normal soon because of shortage may be even 2 GB of RAM.

I'll be all set with my 2007 MacBook Pro 15. I could actually upgrade it as DDR2 is still cheap. Upgrade to 4 GB would be $20. Upgrade to 6 GB would be $60.

 

[klasma]

Is windows 11 really bloated?

I'm checking on HP laptop rebooted and shows 6 GB of RAM in use? Yes the laptop rebooted!! It showing 6 GB of RAM in use and no apps running.

The laptop has 16 GB of RAM.

The official minimum for Windows 11 is 4 GB, but it's actually able to run on 2 GB (which is also the official minimum for the IoT Enterprise LTSC version). Of course, applications will be limited in such a setup.

People have managed to use it on almost 20 year old PCs: https://medium.com/@damiel_gc/teaching-an-old-pc-new-tricks-294be3dea7bd. "RAM: Windows 11 runs just fine with 2 GB RAM. On the idle desktop, Task Managers shows about 1 GB in use. I have not yet tried less then 2 GB."

 

[klasma]

You non’t going to find any computer now for under $600 unless it is chrome book.

Not really true.
Laptop: https://www.newegg.com/p/pl?N=4814&d=laptop&LeftPriceRange=0+600
Desktop: https://www.newegg.com/p/pl?N=4814&d=desktop&LeftPriceRange=0+600

 

[eltoslightfoot]

Not really true.
Laptop: https://www.newegg.com/p/pl?N=4814&d=laptop&LeftPriceRange=0+600
Desktop: https://www.newegg.com/p/pl?N=4814&d=desktop&LeftPriceRange=0+600

Wow, some of those right near the $600 mark are really good.

 

[pshufd]

 

[AustinIllini]

but macos manages memory differently then windows, the old adage, free ram is wasted ram when it comes to macos.

I think it boils down better to see if there's any pressure being shown within the activity monitor.

You said it better than I did.

 

[maflynn]

Why is macOS SSD way slower than PCs SSD?

Macs historically at least for the past few years have had faster SSDs then PCs. PCIe Gen 5 is faster, but the SSDs that apple uses are by no means slow. Also consider that pcie gen 5 is not standard equipment for many if not most computer makers

 

[pshufd]

Macs historically at least for the past few years have had faster SSDs then PCs. PCIe Gen 5 is faster, but the SSDs that apple uses are by no means slow. Also consider that pcie gen 5 is not standard equipment for many if not most computer makers

The SSD speeds on base Apple Silicon models have been below Gen 3 speeds to even one-half Gen 3 speeds. Their Pro models have been below Gen 4 speeds and it depends on the SSD size. Our son bought a 2024 MSI Raider 16 for about $1,500 and it came with Gen 4 but it has Gen 4 and Gen 5 slots, so even if it doesn't come with Gen 5, you have the option to put one in aftermarket.

The thing is that there were Windows laptops that had the option of Gen 5 and you could always buy a motherboard with Gen 5 support for the past couple of years to build a desktop.

 

[maflynn]

The SSD speeds on base Apple Silicon models have been below Gen 3 speeds to even one-half Gen 3 speeds. Their Pro models have been below Gen 4 speeds and it depends on the SSD size. Our son bought a 2024 MSI Raider 16 for about $1,500 and it came with Gen 4 but it has Gen 4 and Gen 5 slots, so even if it doesn't come with Gen 5, you have the option to put one in aftermarket.

Current Mac SSD speeds are in the 5,000 to 7,700 MB/s

Mac Studio M4 Max and SSD Drive Speed

Does it still hold true with the 2025 Mac Studio M4 Max that the speed available from the SSD(s) is compromised with lower capacities? ie the 512GB, 1TB and 2TB options are much slower than the 4TB and 8TB options.

forums.macrumors.com

and gen4 SSDs are in the same neighborhood

M2 SSD Benchmark & Performance Test 2026

Here you will find detailed performance tests of the new PCIe 4.0 NVMe M.2 SSDs of the 4th generation as well as the slower PCIe 3.0 x4.

ssd-tester.com

Macs are definitely faster then gen 3 and in many cases faster then many gen 4 SSDs that makers put into their computers.

 

[pshufd]

Current Mac SSD speeds are in the 5,000 to 7,700 MB/s

Mac Studio M4 Max and SSD Drive Speed

Does it still hold true with the 2025 Mac Studio M4 Max that the speed available from the SSD(s) is compromised with lower capacities? ie the 512GB, 1TB and 2TB options are much slower than the 4TB and 8TB options.

forums.macrumors.com

and gen4 SSDs are in the same neighborhood

M2 SSD Benchmark & Performance Test 2026

Here you will find detailed performance tests of the new PCIe 4.0 NVMe M.2 SSDs of the 4th generation as well as the slower PCIe 3.0 x4.

ssd-tester.com

Macs are definitely faster then gen 3 and in many cases faster then many gen 4 SSDs that makers put into their computers.

Before M5, base models were Gen 3 speeds. With M5, Apple has moved to Gen 4 speeds.

• 14-inch M5 MacBook Pro - 6752.1MB/s
• 13-inch M5 MacBook Air - 6473.4MB/s
• 16-inch M4 Pro MacBook Pro - 5401.3MB/s (M5 MacBook Air is 19.85 percent faster)
• 14-inch M4 MacBook Pro - 3028MB/s (M5 MacBook Air is 113.78 percent faster)
• 15-inch M4 MacBook Air - 2904 MB/s (M5 MacBook Air is 122.91 percent faster)
• 13-inch M4 MacBook Air - 2833.3 MB/s (M5 MacBook Air is 128.48 percent faster)

M5 MacBook Air’s SSD Speeds Beat M4 Pro Models, Obtains An Impressive 229.96% Performance Increase Over M4 MacBook Air Lineup

The SSD on the M5 MacBook Air has been substantially upgraded, with the latter not only handily beating the M4 MacBook Air but also M4 Pro models

wccftech.com

My Lenovo Yoga gets 6,951 / 6,829 and the price level is around the M4 Air. The Thinkpad X1 Carbon 2025 does support Gen 5 but that's priced more like the MacBook Pro models. You can order it with Gen 4 or Gen 5 and later upgrade it for size or generation.

 

[maflynn]

Before M5, base models were Gen 3 speeds. With M5, Apple has moved to Gen 4 speeds.

I'm getting Gen 4 speeds on my Studio, I linked to a MR thread where people are getting speeds well beyond gen 3. I'm not about to beat this horse to death. There is no way you can convince me that I have gen3 like speeds on my M4 when in fact I have verifiable results.