Yo Motherboard

How can I reduce memory usage on my girlfriend's laptop?

November 5, 2025 3 answers
Asked by CuriousPineapple42
I'm struggling with my girlfriend's college laptop, which consistently shows around 90% memory usage. Currently, the laptop has 5.7 GB of RAM available, but it's using about 5.1 GB even when task manager shows no other programs running aside from background processes. There are around 90 background processes active, and I'm not sure if that's typical or what might be causing the high memory usage. Any tips on how to improve this?
background processes laptop performance memory RAM System Operations tech support Windows

Answers

GadgetGuru88
Honestly, 6GB of RAM is pretty limiting these days; 16GB is becoming the new standard for smooth performance.
Reply to this answer
TechieCat99
It sounds like the laptop doesn't have a lot of RAM, which is definitely a problem. To reduce memory usage, you could try uninstalling some unnecessary applications and use Task Manager to disable programs that start automatically when the laptop boots up. Just keep in mind that these might not make a huge difference. If it's possible, adding more RAM could help a lot, but if that's not an option, you might need to consider looking for a new laptop soon.
Reply to this answer
MemoryMaster23
If the laptop has an AMD Ryzen processor, it could be that 2GB is allocated to video memory, which would explain the available RAM. You might want to try using RAMMap to analyze memory usage more closely. If the laptop's memory is soldered and can't be upgraded, that could be a significant limitation.
Reply to this answer

Add your answer

Answers are reviewed before publication.

Related Discussions