Laptops and machines with limited RAM benefit the most
Google Chrome 108 is now available to users across operating systems, packing great new features that make the browsing experience on mobile better. This doesn’t mean there’s nothing in store for users on the desktop. After all, Chrome is infamous for being a merciless RAM hogger and battery drainer, but Google says this behavior is improving with the Chrome 108 release.
Earlier this year, we reported Google was testing a way to snooze tabs and relegate them to the background, freeing up memory for other system tasks. The feature was spotted on Chrome Canary, the build for developers, but it is now rolling out as Memory Saver in the stable version. This utility promises to reallocate RAM from tabs you aren’t using, so the ones in active use can deliver a smoother, uncompromised experience. Google claims the feature could drop Chrome’s RAM utilization by up to a whopping 10GB or 40%.
When you revisit any snoozed inactive tabs, Chrome will reload them. However, you will have the option to exempt some websites so Chrome doesn’t snooze them when Memory Saver is active. This way, you can trust the browser to allow other intensive applications, like a video editor or game, to use more RAM without closing and reopening any tabs.
The latest version of Chrome for desktops also reduces the toll Google’s browser takes on laptop batteries. If your battery level drops below 20%, Chrome automatically limits its background activity and visual effects used by websites displaying animations and videos.
You can now keep granular control over both Memory Saver and Energy Saver features with toggles to turn them off if required, located under the three-dot menu in Chrome on your desktop. If you’re on a laptop or an older machine with limited RAM, we suggest updating the browser immediately and taking these new features for a spin to improve your user experience.
