The new crop of default Windows apps is too resource-hungry and inefficient — ditch them for these lightweight alternatives to save RAM.

Windows comes with some default apps, but they often fall short of covering everyday needs. If you want to work more efficiently, keep track of your PC's performance, or navigate with ease, ...

From a newly free Photoshop rival to a "minimalist" WinRAR, these 3 Windows apps are the ultimate budget hack for 2026.