Windows 11’s October update has stirred quite a commotion among users, particularly gamers and businesses alike. The update, identified as KB5066835, has been linked to a series of performance issues, including disruptions to WinRE, Task Manager, and localhost functionalities, alongside triggering BitLocker. However, the most alarming concern has been the significant drop in frame rates for gamers, particularly those engaged with titles like Assassin’s Creed Shadows.
Reports indicate that after the installation of the October update, many gamers experienced a dramatic decline in frames per second (FPS). Players who typically enjoyed gaming at 120–140 FPS found themselves struggling with rates plummeting to the 40–70 FPS range, even on robust Nvidia hardware. The situation was exacerbated by heavy stuttering during gameplay, leading some to speculate whether Windows was mistakenly utilizing integrated graphics instead of dedicated GPUs. However, Nvidia GPUs were still showing an impressive 99% usage, albeit with a concerning reduction in power draw—approximately 100W less than usual, as noted by users on various forums.
How a Windows update bug botched up the performance of some games
The October update, which is mandatory and typically installs automatically, has primarily affected systems running Windows 11 versions 24H2 and 25H2. Interestingly, users on Windows 10 and those gaming on Linux or Steam Deck reported no such issues. The performance hiccups appear to be concentrated among Nvidia users, specifically those with:
- RTX 5000 series (5070, 5080, 5090, 5060 Ti)
- RTX 4080 and 4090 models
In contrast, users with AMD graphics cards, such as the RX 7900 XTX, reported maintaining normal performance levels despite the same Windows updates. While AMD and Intel users did not experience frame rate drops, they noted sluggishness in other areas, such as File Explorer, the Taskbar, and the Start menu, suggesting a broader issue with the October update.
So what caused the ‘frame rate drops after the Windows 11 update?
The root cause of these frame rate drops remains elusive, but patterns suggest a potential conflict between the latest Windows updates, Nvidia’s drivers, and the game engine’s interaction with the GPU. Speculation arises that Windows may have inadvertently limited the GPU’s power budget while still reporting high usage levels. In response to these widespread concerns, Nvidia released a hotfix driver on November 19, aimed specifically at addressing the reduced gaming performance linked to the recent Windows updates. Early feedback from gamers indicates that this update has successfully restored performance levels, with some even reporting improvements beyond their previous benchmarks.
