If you’ve been a long-time Windows user, you may have heard the age-old advice to periodically reinstall the operating system to maintain optimal performance. Reflecting on past experiences, many recall the days of frequently reinstalling Windows XP to keep the system running smoothly. However, as we step into 2025, the necessity of this practice is being called into question. Will Smith conducted an in-depth investigation that may surprise many.
Performance Insights from a Rigorous Test
According to Will’s findings, the answer to whether a fresh installation is essential is a resounding no. He tested his personal Windows 11 setup, which features a Ryzen 9800X3D processor and 64GB of RAM, and compared it to a clean installation. The results were strikingly similar, revealing almost no performance difference between a heavily customized machine running for over a year and a freshly installed one. Will also conducted tests on an even more powerful Ryzen 9950X3D, further validating his conclusions.
The benchmarks indicated a mere 3 percent difference in single-core tasks, with multi-threaded applications showing only slight variations. Interestingly, some tests even suggested a performance boost in the “dirty” setup, where an SSD was filled with games and personal projects, and RAM was actively managing background applications like Dropbox. For instance, Adobe Premiere performed 8 percent faster on the older setup, a revelation that raises eyebrows.
Gaming performance also yielded intriguing results. In the case of Cyberpunk 2077, the built-in benchmark demonstrated a 2.5 percent improvement on the refreshed machine, particularly in the 1 percent lows. However, when the visual settings were maximized to challenge the graphics card, the “dirty” machine once again showed a slight advantage. This performance difference approached the margin of error for many tests. Titles such as F1 2024 and Rainbow Six Siege exhibited significant enhancements on a fresh installation, achieving frame rates so high that they may exceed monitor capabilities.
These findings challenge the conventional wisdom that a fresh Windows installation is always synonymous with better performance. Will and Adam acknowledge that their tests are not exhaustive scientific experiments, and Will’s expertise as a power user plays a role in maintaining his system’s efficiency. Nonetheless, unless your computer is burdened with excessive startup programs and unwanted software, a Windows refresh may not yield the dramatic performance improvements that were once commonplace a decade or more ago.
For those interested in delving deeper into the intricacies of PC performance, subscribing to PCWorld on YouTube and tuning into their weekly podcast, The Full Nerd, is highly recommended.
