You'll need 8GB of RAM and an SSD to run Android apps on Windows 11

[Daniel Sims]

Why it matters: This week, Microsoft finally started rolling out support for Android apps on Windows 11, but users eager to try it might want to first look at the system requirements. In a couple of areas, they’re noticeably higher than the requirements for Windows 11 itself.

Users have been awaiting Windows 11’s touted support for Android apps since before the operating system launched last year. The first public, albeit limited, Android support came in Windows 11’s first major update this week, letting US users run over 1,000 apps from the Amazon AppStore as well as sideloaded APKs.

In its guide to installing Android apps, Microsoft lists a set of system requirements that might seem demanding at first but make sense when you consider the design environment.

The three critical requirements are that systems needs to have at least 8GB (but ideally 16GB) of RAM, a solid-state drive, and virtualization enabled. Windows 11 needs just 4GB of Ram and will run on HDDs. When Microsoft first unveiled the new operating system, its most concerning requirements were relatively recent CPUs.

However, Android apps weren't designed for desktop computers and aren't running natively on Windows 11. Virtualization and emulation tend to add to hardware requirements, probably explaining the need for 8GB of RAM. Android apps are also tailored to run on flash memory, so HDDs are too slow.

These requirements also look the same as Google's Windows 11 Android gaming beta.

Permalink to story.

https://www.techspot.com/news/93466-youll-need-8gb-ram-ssd-run-android-apps.html

 

[Mr Majestyk]

If 8GB and an SSD is deemed demanding then IO suggest a real computer is not for you. Any lesser spec would be an utter disgrace in 2022. I think 8B and 512GB SSD should be now bare bone poverty spec.

 

[RudyBob]

If 8GB and an SSD is deemed demanding then IO suggest a real computer is not for you. Any lesser spec would be an utter disgrace in 2022. I think 8B and 512GB SSD should be now bare bone poverty spec.

Well then the Dems better get busy so there is no computer gap tween the haves and have nots

 

[yRaz]

Well then the Dems better get busy so there is no computer gap tween the haves and have nots

I'm truly fascinated by how you managed to bring politics into system requirements, bravo.

It's actually difficult to build or buy a computer with less than 8gb of ram or without an SSD these days

 

[Hollow]

Well, I guess my 1TB SSD and 64GB RAM laptop will be a little bit overkill for this...

 

[Nobina]

Soon you'll need a minimum of 8GB of RAM to run Notepad.

 

[Geralt]

But someone has less than 8GB anno 2022? I have 64.

 

[Sausagemeat]

My Ryzen 3500u laptop has 8GM of RAM but 2GB is allocated for the APU so my machine reports having 6GB. All of it is addressable so I do have 8GB but because it reports at 6GB some software refuses to run. I guess that will happen again here which is frustrating. The memory is soldered too so I can upgrade it. Besides opening that sliver of a laptop would be a skill in itself!

 

[Hardware Geek]

8GB isn't enough for a business computer if your company uses teams. We've been upgrading or replacing machines all the time at work because they are so bogged down by that horrible program.

 

[viperfl]

Wonder if my 500gb SSD and 32gb of ram will be enough. I use BluStacks to run Android apps and works just fine for me.

 

[psycros]

I can't think of any legitimate reason to require a SSD for emulation of Android apps. But then I can't think of any reason to run Android junk on a real computer, either.

 

[RudyBob]

I'm truly fascinated by how you managed to bring politics into system requirements, bravo.

It's actually difficult to build or buy a computer with less than 8gb of ram or without an SSD these days

You are easily fascinated aren't you?

 

[yRaz]

You are easily fascinated aren't you?

I just have an appreciation for the absurd

 

[ET3D]

I feel that Ryzen 3000 as a minimum is a more serious requirement.

 

[captaincranky]

Well, I guess my 1TB SSD and 64GB RAM laptop will be a little bit overkill for this...

And just how special is that..? But I bet you don't have two GTX 3090s, so there.

 

[captaincranky]

I just have an appreciation for the absurd

My mantra for Techspot is, "come for the laughs stay for the a**holes".

 

[orbital71]

Bluestacks

 

[Sangheili]

8GB isn't enough for a business computer if your company uses teams. We've been upgrading or replacing machines all the time at work because they are so bogged down by that horrible program.

16gb is good enough honestly 32gb is over kill for normal everyday things. Like none auto cad, streaming, gaming or multi talking all of them and such

You won't use it unless your modding minecraft or doing a bunch of heavy things or many things at once

 

[Hardware Geek]

16gb is good enough honestly 32gb is over kill for normal everyday things. Like none auto cad, streaming, gaming or multi talking all of them and such

You won't use it unless your modding minecraft or doing a bunch of heavy things or many things at once

I guess it depends on the business. With our computers we generally have a lot of programs open at once, including auto cad, but we could get away with 8GB before we were using teams constantly along with everything else.

 

[Nintenboy01]

A lot of budget laptops have 4GB soldered RAM and one free RAM slot which may or may not have a factory-installed SODIMM. But nowadays pretty much everything has at least a 128 or 256GB nvme.

 

[ZedRM]

I'm truly fascinated by how you managed to bring politics into system requirements, bravo.

Very skillful I think. A little bit pedantic, but still skillful.

It's actually difficult to build or buy a computer with less than 8gb of ram or without an SSD these days

This is true, but a LOT of people still run Windows 11 on older PC's with mechanical drives.