In the ongoing debate about gaming performance between Windows 10 and Windows 11, many enthusiasts have been curious about which operating system truly reigns supreme. With Windows 10 still holding a significant user base, its relevance remains intact, especially as we revisit performance metrics after a three-year hiatus. This analysis focuses solely on gaming performance, employing a straightforward test setup where both operating systems were freshly installed across four different hardware configurations. Following the installations, chipset and display drivers were added, along with our testing software and a selection of 13 games for benchmarking.
One notable adjustment made during the testing was the disabling of the “core isolation” feature on Windows 11, which is enabled by default to enhance memory integrity. In contrast, Windows 10 comes with this feature turned off. Since memory integrity can considerably impact performance in certain games, we aimed to eliminate it as a variable in our results. Additionally, anecdotal evidence suggested that reverting to Windows 10 could lead to improved gaming performance, a claim we suspect is largely tied to the memory integrity settings, as Windows 11 defaults to a more resource-intensive configuration.
Our testing utilized TeamGroup’s Cardea A440 4TB SSDs, allowing for seamless transitions between the two operating systems. Both Windows 10 and Windows 11 were sourced from the latest ISOs available on Microsoft’s website, ensuring that we were working with the most current versions: Windows 10 2022 Update, Version 22H2, and Windows 11 2023 Update, Version 23H2. Now, let’s delve into the benchmarks.
Benchmarks
<h3 id="BaldursGate3″>Baldur’s Gate 3
In our first examination with Baldur’s Gate 3, we found no discernible performance differences between the two operating systems across both AMD and Intel CPUs tested. The results here were quite consistent.
<h3 id="TheLastof_Us”>The Last of Us Part 1
Testing with The Last of Us Part 1 yielded closely matched results, with Windows 10 marginally outperforming Windows 11 by a few frames. However, the difference was minimal, hovering around 1-2%, rendering it largely insignificant.
<h3 id="Cyberpunk2077Phantom_Liberty”>Cyberpunk 2077: Phantom Liberty
Cyberpunk 2077: Phantom Liberty presented a more complex scenario, requiring multiple reinstalls to clarify the discrepancies observed. The 7800X3D showed a remarkable 10% increase in average frame rates when using Windows 10, while the 7700X only saw a 3% boost. For Intel systems, the 14700K and 12700K experienced increases of 6% and 7%, respectively. Despite thorough checks on quality settings and configurations, the reason behind this notable performance gap remains elusive.
Hogwarts Legacy
Similar to our previous findings, Hogwarts Legacy displayed no significant performance differences between the two operating systems.
<h3 id="AssettoCorsaCompetizione”>Assetto Corsa Competizione
In Assetto Corsa Competizione, the 7700X and 7800X3D both performed slightly better on Windows 10, with margins of 3% and 2%, respectively. While these differences are not substantial, they do indicate a consistent trend favoring the older OS.
Spider-Man Remastered
Results for Spider-Man Remastered mirrored those of Hogwarts Legacy and The Last of Us Part 1, showing no significant performance disparity between Windows 10 and 11.
Homeworld 3
Homeworld 3, however, favored Windows 10, with performance boosts of 6% for the 7800X3D and 4% for the 7700X. Intel CPUs also enjoyed improvements of 3-5%, marking a noteworthy trend.
<h3 id="APlagueTale_Requiem”>A Plague Tale: Requiem
In a similar vein, A Plague Tale: Requiem revealed unexpected results, with the 7800X3D gaining a 10% increase in average frame rates on Windows 10, while the 7700X saw a 5% boost. Intel processors also benefited, showing a 3-4% improvement.
Counter-Strike 2
Counter-Strike 2 echoed the pattern, with Windows 10 outperforming Windows 11. The 7800X3D achieved a 3% advantage, while the 7700X led with a 10% increase. Intel processors followed suit, with the 14700K and 12700K showing improvements of 11% and 7%, respectively.
Starfield
Starfield also leaned towards Windows 10, providing a 4% boost for the 7800X3D and a 2% boost for the 7700X, alongside similar gains for Intel processors.
<h3 id="HorizonForbiddenWest”>Horizon Forbidden West
In contrast, Horizon Forbidden West exhibited no performance differences between the two operating systems, highlighting the inconsistency in results across different titles.
Hitman 3
Hitman 3 also fell into the category of negligible differences, with a maximum of 1.5% variance between Windows 10 and 11.
<h3 id="WatchDogsLegion”>Watch Dogs: Legion
Lastly, Watch Dogs: Legion showed a slight edge for Windows 10, with frame rate differences of up to 2%, further emphasizing the minimal performance gaps.
<h2 id="WhichVersionof_Windows”>Which Version of Windows Do You Like Better?
Upon reviewing the gaming performance of Windows 10 versus Windows 11 using Intel’s 12th and 14th-gen Core series processors alongside AMD’s Zen 4 processors, we were intrigued to find that five out of the 13 games tested favored Windows 10. This was achieved with Virtualization-Based Security (VBS) disabled for both operating systems.
Historically, both operating systems have demonstrated similar gaming performance, with Windows 11 often taking the lead. The reasons behind the superior performance of Windows 10 in our recent tests remain speculative, potentially linked to recent updates or driver issues. What is clear, however, is that if users are content with Windows 10, there is little incentive to upgrade, which may explain the slow adoption rate of Windows 11 among gamers.
For those considering an upgrade, past experiences suggest that a fresh installation tends to yield better performance and stability compared to an upgrade from an existing operating system.
