If you're a PC gamer, then by now you've probably already gotten the prompt to upgrade to Windows 11 via Windows Update. But should you? Is upgrading your gaming PC to the new OS even worth it as Microsoft suggested last year?
Windows 11 and Windows 10 operating system logos are displayed on laptop screens for illustration photo. Krakow, Poland on February 3, 2022.
In this article, you will read about the supposed gaming-centric improvements in Windows 11, and whether upgrading to the OS will actually give you performance benefits when playing games. So without further ado, let's begin!
Different Install Tests
Tech YouTube channel Hardware Unboxed performed their test of Windows 11 gaming performance in two different ways. They configured one system to have a fresh install of the OS, and another system to be upgraded to Windows 11 from Windows 10. By doing so, they'll be able to see whether or not there is a noticeable difference in gaming performance. Each system was also configured to have a mid-range and high-end CPU, while having the same graphics card (an RTX 3090).
When it comes to gaming, the performance really didn't differ much aside from the fact that one system had a lower-end CPU than the other one. Performance was largely the same give or take a couple of frames on both the fresh Windows 11 install and the upgraded from Windows 10 install. In truth, that's really it.
Despite all the chest-thumping from Microsoft during Windows 11's reveal that it is made for gaming, it really doesn't net any performance difference unless you tinker with it and enable some resource-heavy toggles.
Gaming Benchmarks
Here is another YouTube video from the channel Testing Games to further illustrate just how little of a performance change there is when going from Windows 10 to Windows 11. Cyberpunk 2077, GTA 5, Horizon Zero Dawn, God Of War, Forza Horizon 5, and PUBG were the games tested among a few others - none of them having a significant performance uplift or downgrade on either OS.
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Other Gaming-Specific Features
So we've established that you're not getting any gaming performance gains from upgrading to Windows 11 from Windows 10. Cool. Now what?
Well, there is still a compelling use case for the new Microsoft OS when it comes to games, and it only applies to a very specific group of users. People who play games on windowed mode a lot and those who have an HDR (high dynamic range) enabled display will have a better experience compared to Windows 10, writes Digital Trends.
That's because Windows 11 was built with better optimizations for running games in windowed mode. Games running in this mode will have less latency compared to if they're running on Windows 10, which is a great option for those who play games WHILE they're doing work (i.e. rendering a video in the background and they need to monitor it). Now, this is a very niche use case, but it's still a nice option to have for such users nonetheless.
As for Auto HDR, this feature can be enabled in the OS' Display menu via a toggle. It can also be turned on by bringing up the Windows Game Bar. Here's how to turn this feature on to ensure that your games will be rendered in natural, more vibrant colors on a compatible display (via PCWorld):
- Click Start, then go to Settings (the gear icon).
- Go to System>Display.
- Toggle the "Use HDR" option to on.
Here's how to turn it on via the Windows Game Bar:
- Press the Windows key + G to bring up the game bar.
- Go to Settings (the gear icon).
- Go to Gaming Features, select "Use Auto HDR with supported games."
That's it!
Should You Upgrade To Windows 11 For Better Gaming Performance?
In short, no. If you're a basic gaming user that doesn't need to run games in windowed mode while doing work in the background, you don't need Windows 11 for a better gaming experience. There's absolutely no major performance difference between this and Windows 10.
If you want a smoother gaming experience, upgrade your hardware (GPU, CPU, RAM, etc). That's it.
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This article is posted on GameNGuide
Written by RJ Pierce
