Windows 11 can be slow due to resource-heavy features like animations, excessive background apps/startup programs, outdated drivers, low disk space, or insufficient hardware for its demands, with common fixes including disabling visual effects, managing startup apps, updating drivers, and running system cleanup tools. The OS itself is more demanding than Windows 10, especially on older hardware, causing perceived lag from new services and visual flair that consume more resources.
Here are some simple and easy steps you can try to improve the speed of your Windows 11 computer:
You can only downgrade to Windows 10 within the 10 days of your upgrade. For example, if you upgraded to Windows 11 on 1 September, 2021, then you can downgrade within 10 days. If you want to downgrade on 25 September, 2021, you can't.
Reports from our readers and Reddit claim the Windows 11 update is bringing lag to their gaming sessions, while others blame the Nvidia update. Unfortunately, Microsoft hasn't confirmed new issues in the Windows 11 update, but the update is causing havoc in the community.
Windows 11 isn't 2.3X faster, the hardware is
It's no mystery that benchmark results can often be misleading, as they don't entirely reflect real-world usage. It's been shown that Windows 10 can offer better gaming performance than Windows 11.
The best choice for a modern machine with a 13th-gen+ CPU is Windows 11 v23H2 because it supports Intel Thread Director and DirectX 12 Ultimate (which is DirectX 13 without the number 13). I've been following benchmarks, and they look promising. Windows 10 follows closely.
Your Windows device may run slowly for several reasons, such as limited storage space, too many startup apps running in the background, outdated software, or hardware that no longer meets modern performance needs.
As with any software, Windows 11 may have bugs or stability issues that could affect performance until updates and patches address these problems. Cost of upgrade. For some users, especially those with older hardware, the cost of upgrading to meet the new requirements or purchasing a new device could be a drawback.
High Temperatures Causing Thermal Throttling
The number-one cause of sudden FPS drops is excessive heat. When your CPU or GPU gets too hot, it automatically reduces its clock speed to protect itself, leading to instant performance loss.
About 31% of Steam gamers still run Windows 10 despite Microsoft ending support.
Windows 10 has reached the end of support on October 14, 2025. At this point technical assistance, feature updates and security updates is no longer provided. If you have devices running Windows 10, we recommend upgrading them to Windows 11, a more modern, secure, and highly efficient computing experience.
Note: The Go back option is only available for 10 days after you upgraded Windows. Once 10 days have passed, the system will delete the old files to save space as well as the go back option will be unavailable and removed from settings. Within 10 days, Go back will be disabled as well under the following circumstances.
Windows 11 has received mixed feedback from users, with some feeling that it may be more of a downgrade than an upgrade. Key concerns include: User Interface Changes: While the interface is modern, many users miss classic features such as traditional right-click options and extensive taskbar customization.
Methods to Clear RAM Cache on Windows
How to run Disk Defragmenter in Windows 11 or Windows 10. Click Start and search for and open Defragment and Optimize Drives. In the Optimize Drives window, choose a hard drive to defragment, and then select Optimize.
How To Increase Your PC Performance: 10 Tips To Implement Today
Yes, 500 FPS (Frames Per Second) is generally overkill for most gamers, offering diminishing returns beyond 240Hz/360Hz, but it provides a significant competitive edge in fast-paced esports (like Valorant, CS2) by drastically reducing input lag and smoothing motion for elite players with 360Hz+ monitors, though the average person won't perceive the difference. For casual or even most competitive play, aiming for 144-240 FPS is usually sufficient and offers a better balance of performance and system strain, with 500 FPS being a luxury for peak performance in specific scenarios.
A $700 gaming PC can deliver excellent 1080p performance, often hitting 100+ FPS in demanding titles like Apex Legends (150-200 FPS), Warzone (100-150 FPS with DLSS), and even achieving 60+ FPS in Cyberpunk 2077 with ray tracing, while competitive games like Valorant can exceed 200-300+ FPS, making it great for 144Hz monitors. Performance varies by game and settings, but expect smooth 1080p gaming and sometimes even decent 1440p performance.
The most common reason for reduced FPS is graphics settings that create a larger workload than your hardware can handle. So how do you achieve better FPS? Getting a faster CPU, more RAM, or a newer graphics card is one solution.
As time went on, reception of Windows Me became more negative, to the point where it was heavily panned by users, mainly due to stability issues. Retrospectively, Windows Me is viewed as one of the worst operating systems of all time, being unfavorably compared to its immediate predecessor and successor.
Windows 11 uses more RAM than Windows 10 because it has more features and programs. The memory management in Windows 11 is excellent, so you may not notice any performance issues. Depending on how much RAM you have installed, the system will automatically allocate more or fewer resources to different programs.
How to Fix PC Lag
In the Task Manager window, select the Performance tab. The left-side column will show you a list of key resource components and the percentage of each resource being actively used.