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Microsoft is working on a new Windows 11 feature that could give users more control over how unified memory is shared between the CPU, GPU, and AI workloads. The feature has been spotted in an experimental Windows Insider build and could become particularly useful for upcoming PCs that rely on large pools of shared memory.
The feature is reportedly called ‘IntelligentCarveout’ and was found in Windows 11 build 29648, an experimental build released on August 17. It is designed for systems where the CPU and GPU use the same physical memory instead of having separate system RAM and dedicated VRAM. In other words, systems with integrated graphics and no standalone graphics card.
More memory controls ahead of the RTX Spark launch #
The need for IntelligentCarveout is becoming more relevant as hardware such as Nvidia’s upcoming RTX Spark systems use unified memory. Nvidia’s RTX Spark can be configured with up to 128GB of LPDDR5X memory, which is shared by the CPU and GPU. Laptops and desktop systems powered by RTX Spark are due in Fall 2026, so we’re not too far away from availability.
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Unified memory optimizations #
To realize the potential of up to 128GB of unified memory on RTX Spark, we have focused on improving how Windows supports unified memory systems, starting with a new higher, smarter limit on total system memory accessible by the GPU. This updated limit increases the memory available to the GPU on high-memory systems, unlocking the ability to load larger local AI models or render more complex projects.
Source:[Windows Blog]
Normally, Windows manages this memory dynamically. Applications can use whatever portion they need, with the operating system adjusting the allocation as workloads change. That works well for everyday use, but demanding games and local AI applications can require a large amount of memory at the same time.
Microsoft’s new system could allow users to reserve additional unified memory for graphics and AI-intensive applications. Memory that is reserved for these workloads would no longer be available to other applications, potentially helping prevent situations where background programs consume resources needed by a game or AI model.
This could be particularly useful for local AI workloads, which can require large amounts of memory to load models. It could also benefit gaming and creative applications that need a large graphics memory allocation.
The feature appears to be part of Microsoft’s broader work to improve Windows 11 for unified-memory systems. Microsoft previously highlighted plans to increase the amount of system memory that high-memory GPUs can access, specifically mentioning workloads such as gaming, rendering, and local AI.
However, IntelligentCarveout is not officially available yet. It remains hidden in an experimental Windows Insider build, and Microsoft has not announced when, or even if, the feature will reach a stable version of Windows 11.