Is 72% RAM usage at idle normal on Windows 11?

Windows often uses otherwise-available RAM for caching, preloaded components, and memory compression. That number by itself doesn’t necessarily mean there’s a problem, because cached memory should be released when a game needs it. Check Task Manager’s Memory page and sort by usage to see whether one process is actually consuming a large amount. Also make sure your page file is enabled and set to be managed by Windows.

I’d avoid modified or stripped-down Windows installations. They can remove useful components, cause driver problems, and create security or stability issues. Instead, uninstall programs you genuinely don’t use, review Startup Apps, and disable unnecessary background permissions. Don’t remove unknown system processes just because they use a small amount of RAM—many small processes are normal, and removing them usually won’t recover much memory.

The single RAM stick may be a bigger concern for gaming than Windows’ idle percentage. One stick usually means single-channel memory, which can reduce performance and cause worse frame times, especially on a laptop using integrated graphics for some system tasks. If the laptop supports it, adding a matching second 16GB module—or replacing the current module with a matched kit—could improve performance. Before upgrading, check actual RAM speed, dual-channel support, temperatures, GPU drivers, and whether the games are using the RTX 4050. A high memory percentage alone shouldn’t make older games run badly unless available memory is genuinely exhausted and the system is heavily paging to disk.