Windows 11 New Media Player Uses 3.5x More RAM, Charges for Popular Video Codecs
Points and comments are a snapshot, not live.
Windows 11's new Media Player uses 3.5x more RAM and charges for HEVC codecs.
Microsoft's new Media Player for Windows 11 uses about 377MB of RAM when idle, compared to 103MB for the classic player, a 3.5x increase. It also takes roughly 3 seconds to open local video files, up from 2 seconds. The player paywalls HEVC (H.265) playback through a paid Store app, and Windows 11 version 24H2 removes built-in AC-3 (Dolby Digital) codec support. The classic Windows Media Player remains available as an optional component. Alternatives like VLC ship their own codecs without paid add-ons.
What commenters are saying
Commenters largely criticize the new player's bloat and paywalled codecs. Several note that HEVC paywalling is not new, citing articles from 2018. Many recommend VLC, MPC-HC, or mpv as alternatives; mpv is praised for scripting but seen as GUI-light, with SMPlayer and IINA (macOS) as frontends. A few defend Microsoft, noting HEVC licensing costs, patent pools may have driven removal, and argue 400MB RAM is negligible today. Others counter that this bloat reflects a broader trend in Windows development prioritising developer convenience over user efficiency.