Why Does Chrome Use So Much RAM? The Technical Explanation

The multi-process architecture

Chrome runs each tab in its own process. This means if one tab crashes, it doesn't take down your entire browser. It's a security feature too — malicious code in one tab can't easily access another.

But processes have overhead. Each one needs its own memory space, duplicating some resources that could otherwise be shared.

Pre-rendering and caching

Chrome aggressively caches data to make pages load faster. Images, scripts, and even predicted pages you might visit are kept in memory. This makes browsing feel snappy but consumes RAM.

Extensions add up

Each extension runs in its own process too. If you have 10 extensions, that's 10 additional processes, each with their own memory footprint. Some extensions are particularly heavy — ad blockers, for instance, need to process every page request.

The modern web is heavy

Websites today are complex applications. A single Gmail tab might use 200-500MB. Social media sites with infinite scroll can grow unbounded. Video sites keep streams buffered in memory.

What you can do

Chrome offers some built-in memory saving features, but they're limited. The most effective solution for tab hoarders is to suspend background tabs — releasing their memory while keeping them ready to reload. That's exactly what TabQuell does, invisibly and automatically.