Restrict the Amount of RAM Microsoft Edge Consumes During Gaming Sessions
Microsoft Edge is continuing to challenge Chrome's dominance with its performance-focused approach, and now it's taking aim at browsers like Opera GX with a new feature that's bound to appeal to gamers and resource-conscious users alike. Resource Controls, a feature that allows you to limit the amount of RAM Edge can use, is now available to all Windows 11 users.
You can access Resource Controls by updating your Edge browser to the latest version and navigating to System and Performance under the three-dot menu. Once triggered, you'll see a RAM slider that allows you to allocate a specific amount of RAM to Edge.
Opera GX, as it's just copied one of that browser's most useful features.
Limiting Edge's RAM usage can significantly benefit gaming performance. When a game is running, the feature is particularly useful as it ensures more system resources are available for gaming, potentially improving frame rates and gameplay smoothness. The best part? You can set Edge to only limit RAM when you're gaming, ensuring that your browser performance remains unaffected during normal use.
Windows Latest, Edge has recently added a new Resource Controls feature, which lets you severely limit how much RAM the browser can use. This can be useful while gaming (or performing other demanding tasks), and you can even set it to only limit RAM while you're in-game. You can give the browser access to as little as 1 GB of memory, too, so you can get especially stingy here, but note that doing so will limit you to about five active tabs while browsing modern websites. Pages might also take longer to load, especially if they have elements like video on them.
However, this feature comes with some trade-offs. Limiting Edge's RAM allocation can cause browsing to slow down, especially if you're using multiple tabs. Pages may take longer to load, especially if they contain elements like video. With that said, this feature is designed to optimize Edge's performance for users who run multiple applications simultaneously.
been in beta before, Microsoft is seemingly now rolling it out to the stable build of Edge for Windows, so everyone should have access to it now (or soon). To find it, first first update your browser to the latest version (under
Striking the right balance is essential when using Resource Controls. Too low of an allocation might impact your browsing experience negatively, but starting with a moderate limit and adjusting based on performance can help you find the sweet spot. Additionally, using Edge's Efficiency Mode can further help optimize performance by reducing background activity and resource usage.
The new Resource Controls feature in Microsoft Edge, which allows users to limit the browser's RAM usage, is a direct take from Opera GX's tech. This feature is particularly beneficial for gamers, as it can significantly improve gaming performance by ensuring more system resources are available during gameplay. Moreover, you can set Edge to limit RAM only when gaming, preserving browser performance during normal use.
