Every time Microsoft releases a new version of Windows, it promises that it's the best for gaming. Windows 11 was no exception, but users quickly discovered that Redmond's promise, once again, fell short. We're two months from the third anniversary of Windows 11, and the question is: What has changed? How does it compare to Windows 10 for gaming? Steve from the Hardware Unboxed channel shared several benchmarks, and among all those numbers we spotted some surprises…
Like someone who has modified different versions of Windows to the limit to reduce memory usage, eliminate bloatware, and free up resources, I understand exactly where this doubt comes from. Users want more with less, and if the operating system becomes an obstacle, you have to consider different solutions… including a downgrade.
We all know that Windows 11 didn't start off on the right foot, and there are still many things to fix, but it has almost three years of work under its belt, and not a few gamers wonder if it's worth making the leap. New hardware, new drivers, new games… the situation requires updated benchmarks, and Steve from the Hardware Unboxed channel decided to share them:
Gaming: Upgrade to Windows 11, or stick with Windows 10?
Obviously, the operating systems must be on equal footing before starting: that means both got clean installs on each of the four hardware configurations that were tested (Core i7-12700K, Core i7-14700K, Ryzen 7 7700X, and Ryzen 7 7800X3D, all with a GeForce RTX 4090), with the latest chipset and video drivers, and of course, the benchmarking software.
However, the most important change was applied to Windows 11, by disabling the core isolation and memory integrity feature. Microsoft recommends this tweak in its official support section (basically admitting it hurts system performance), and it's already disabled in Windows 10. So, what do the numbers say?
- Baldur's Gate 3 shows no impact on performance, and differences of 1 FPS are attributed to margin of error. In this game, Windows 10 and Windows 11 are the same.
- The Last of Us Part 1 presents a very consistent frame rate, but Windows 10 manages to sit two or three frames higher with Intel chips. Whether that's enough to justify a downgrade will depend on the user.
- Cyberpunk 2077: Phantom Liberty took Steve by surprise, since it runs between 3 and 10 percent faster with Windows 10. That 10 percent belongs to the 7800X3D.
- Hogwarts Legacy falls into the same category as Baldur's Gate 3, and with just one or two frames of difference, the experience ends up being the same on both operating systems.
- Assetto Corsa Competizione seems to favor AMD hardware under Windows 10 with 4 additional FPS, and a more robust 1% low on the 7800X3D. With Intel processors, there's almost no change.
- Spider-Man Remastered behaves similarly to The Last of Us Part 1 and Hogwarts Legacy. Benchmarks gain between 1 and 3 FPS under Windows 10.
- Homeworld 3 breaks the monotony, and definitely works better on Windows 10 on AMD hardware, gaining 6% (7800X3D) and 4% (7700X) performance. On Intel chips, it goes from 3 to 5 percent.
- A Plague Tale: Requiem is a continuation of Phantom Liberty. The game improves between 5 and 10 percent with AMD processors and Windows 10, while in the case of Intel it's 3 to 4 percent.
- The story repeats itself in Counter-Strike 2. Every frame counts in competitive online games, and Windows 10 manages to get the advantage: 3 to 10 percent on AMD, 7 to 11 percent on Intel.
- Starfield is a performance nightmare on many setups… but it favors Windows 10 anyway: 2 to 4 percent faster on AMD, 4 percent on Intel.
- Horizon Forbidden West starts in a situation similar to Baldur's Gate 3, however, there is a minimal difference in favor of Windows 10 with Intel processors.
- Hitman 3 delivers a more than acceptable experience on both operating systems, with a slight jump of 4 FPS under Windows 10 on AMD hardware. Intel numbers are more consistent.
- The last game is Watch Dogs: Legion, and it confirms the trend in favor of Windows 10, although it never exceeds 2 percent. The 1% low is more noticeable on AMD chips.
In summary, at least five games (Cyberpunk, A Plague Tale, Homeworld 3, CS2, Starfield) show superior performance with Windows 10. Steve doesn't know if it's due to a Windows 11 update, video driver issues, or another technical detail. Even with current hardware and core isolation disabled, Windows 11 remains a step below. I'm not surprised, but I don't know if the numbers justify a complete downgrade, with full reinstallation of drivers and software. What do you think? Leave a comment!
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