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The difference between Task Manager and Resource Monitor is that Task Manager doesn't show the size of the file cache (can grow to giant size over time) and other system files that are loaded to run one's system.

Memory usage goes up as time goes by, simply by using the program. Some programs have simply a lousy memory management.

E.g. Firefox using 2.6 GB & Explorer using 129 MB is also NOT a good sign. There're 3 programs are capable of shrinking memory usage: Koshy John's Memory Cleaner, Kirkia Minimem & (my personal favourite) Cleanmem.

  Reducing memory usage has a number of advantages. Then Windows can postpone or even eliminate writing large chunks of data from the memory to the swapfile (e.g. on your SSD) and all that harddisk I/O is comparatively very slow). It then also allows Windows to preload more data in the "Stand-By" memory. In other words it makes your system (much) faster.

You can try Sysinternal's RAMMAP but it shows memory usage in a different way than Task Manager & Resource Manager and is therefore not too helpful.

Task Manager & Resource Monitor don't show the filecache and the size of it. It's part of the "In use" part of the memory (See Resource Monitor). The file cache can grow to a VERY large size, especially when one keeps the computer running for hours. Overall program memory usage goes up as time goes by, as a result of a growing file cache & memory leaks. Some programs simply have a lousy memory management.

One way to minimize memory usage is reducing the amount of processes. (Why are 118 processes running ? Why do you have multiple instances of Explorer.exe running ?)

There's a program that helps you to regularly reduce memory usage & regularly collapse the file cache. (PcWinTech's CLEANMEM). Reducing memory usage this way also reduces or even eliminates the need for Windows to write data form the memory to the swapfile (on your SSD). So, it increases the lifespan of your SSD. Reducing memory usage also makes more "Standby" memory available, allowing Windows to preload more files in the Standby memory, speeding up your system.

The picture shows that the "Modified" part of the memory is over a (massive) 2GB in size. The info/data from this part of the memory must be written to the swapfile before it can be used/claimed by other programs/processes. Seems Windows wants to avoid writing data to the swapfile.

Firefox using 2.6 GB, Explorer using 129 MB is also NOT a good sign.

As time goes by, Windows & other programs use more and more memory and are very unwilling to give that memory back. Another thing that consumes, as time goes by, more and more memory is the file cache and that's included in the "In use" part (in green) in Resource Monitor. I have seen file caches of 4 GB in size and larger. There's a program that is able to (dramatically) reduce memory usage and collapse the file cache. The program is called CLEANMEM.

Reducing memory usage with CLEANMEM has a number of advantages. Then Windows can postpone or even eliminate writing large chunks of data from the memory to the swapfile (e.g.on your SSD) and all that harddisk I/O is comparatively very slow). It then also allows Windows to preload more data in the "Stand-By" memory. In other words it makes your system (much) faster.

On top of that I would recommend to reduce the amount of processes that start upon start up (you talked about 118). Why do you have explorer.exe running 6 times or more ?

The difference between Task Manager and Resource Monitor is that Task Manager doesn't show the size of the file cache (can grow to giant size over time) and other system files that are loaded to run one's system.

Memory usage goes up as time goes by, simply by using the program. Some programs have simply a lousy memory management.

E.g. Firefox using 2.6 GB & Explorer using 129 MB is also NOT a good sign. There're 3 programs are capable of shrinking memory usage: Koshy John's Memory Cleaner, Kirkia Minimem & (my personal favourite) Cleanmem.

Reducing memory usage has a number of advantages. Then Windows can postpone or even eliminate writing large chunks of data from the memory to the swapfile (e.g. on your SSD) and all that harddisk I/O is comparatively very slow). It then also allows Windows to preload more data in the "Stand-By" memory. In other words it makes your system (much) faster.

The picture shows that the "Modified" part of the memory is over a (massive) 2GB in size. The info/data from this part of the memory must be written to the swapfile before it can be used/claimed by other programs/processes. Seems Windows wants to avoid writing data to the swapfile.

Firefox using 2.6 GB, Explorer using 129 MB is also NOT a good sign.

As time goes by, Windows & other programs use more and more memory and are very unwilling to give that memory back. However there's a program that is able to (dramatically) reduce memory usage and collapse the file cache. The program is called CLEANMEM.

Reducing memory usage with CLEANMEM has a number of advantages. Then Windows can postpone or even eliminate writing large chunks of data from the memory to the swapfile (on your SSD) and all that (harddisk I/O is comparatively very slow). It then also allows Windows to preload more data in the "Stand-By" memory. In other words it makes your system (much) faster.

The picture shows that the "Modified" part of the memory is over a (massive) 2GB in size. The info/data from this part of the memory must be written to the swapfile before it can be used/claimed by other programs/processes. Seems Windows wants to avoid writing data to the swapfile.

Firefox using 2.6 GB, Explorer using 129 MB is also NOT a good sign.

As time goes by, Windows & other programs use more and more memory and are very unwilling to give that memory back. Another thing that consumes, as time goes by, more and more memory is the file cache and that's included in the "In use" part (in green) in Resource Monitor. I have seen file caches of 4 GB in size and larger. There's a program that is able to (dramatically) reduce memory usage and collapse the file cache. The program is called CLEANMEM.

Reducing memory usage with CLEANMEM has a number of advantages. Then Windows can postpone or even eliminate writing large chunks of data from the memory to the swapfile (e.g.on your SSD) and all that harddisk I/O is comparatively very slow). It then also allows Windows to preload more data in the "Stand-By" memory. In other words it makes your system (much) faster.

On top of that I would recommend to reduce the amount of processes that start upon start up (you talked about 118). Why do you have explorer.exe running 6 times or more ?