Newer versions of Windows typically have a bigger demand for computer resources, as a result, performance in games and programs can decrease depending on what version of Windows you decide to use for your computer. In this article, I will explain if you lose FPS on Windows 11.
On average, you do lose FPS on Windows 11. But, the FPS loss is incredibly small, so it won’t have a noticeable difference. Windows 11 on average has 3 FPS less than Windows 10 for graphics intensive games. Whereas, differences of 10 FPS or more will provide a noticeable difference in game play.
The other factors that affect gaming performance, are the amount of RAM utilized, and the amount of the CPU that is used. Below, I will:
- Explain if games run worse on Windows 11
- If Windows 11 is good or bad for gaming
- If Windows 11 is better for gaming on a computer with low end specs
Let’s get into it!
Do Games Run Worse on Windows 11
The decrease in FPS when using Windows 11 to Windows 10 does depend on the specific game. For example, Cyberpunk 2077, has 2% more frames per second when run on Windows 11 compared to Windows 10.
Therefore, the rate of FPS is not a big factor that determines if gaming performance is better on Windows 11 compared to Windows 10.
Below, is a table that shows the FPS in numbers on a fairly high end PC, for some of the most popular and graphics intensive games. After that is a table that shows how much they differ as a percentage so you can see how significant the difference is.
| Game | Average FPS on Windows 10 | Average FPS on Windows 11 |
| Forza Horizon 4 | 149 FPS | 145 FPS |
| Battlefield V | 81 FPS | 83 FPS |
| Assassins Creed Valhalla | 68 FPS | 69 FPS |
| Hitman 3 | 89 FPS | 88 FPS |
| Red Dead Redemption 2 | 71 FPS | 72 FPS |
| Death Stranding | 151 FPS | 152 FPS |
| Cyberpunk 2077 | 52 FPS | 51 FPS |
| Microsoft Flight Simulator | 59 FPS | 60 FPS |
| Mafia Definitive Edition | 89 FPS | 87 FPS |
| Horizon Zero Dawn | 66 FPS | 69 FPS |
| The Witcher 3 | 91 FPS | 93 FPS |
(modified from data by Techuda.com)
| Game | FPS Difference |
| Forza Horizon 4 | 2.76% more FPS on Windows 11 |
| Battlefield V | -2.41% less FPS on Windows 11 |
| Assassins Creed Valhalla | -1.45% less FPS on Windows 11 |
| Hitman 3 | 1.14% more FPS on Windows 11 |
| Red Dead Redemption 2 | -1.39% less FPS on Windows 11 |
| Death Stranding | -0.66% less FPS on Windows 11 |
| Cyberpunk 2077 | 1.96% more FPS on Windows 11 |
| Microsoft Flight Simulator | -1.67% less FPS on Windows 11 |
| Mafia Definitive Edition | 2.30% more FPS on Windows 11 |
| Horizon Zero Dawn | -4.35% less FPS on Windows 11 |
| The Witcher 3 | -2.15% less FPS on Windows 11 |
| Average | 0.54% less FPS on Windows 11 |
So, to answer: do you lose FPS on Windows 11: yes. But, only a very small amount. The average FPS you get in a game is the ultimate measure of how well Windows 10 performs compared to Windows 11. But, how much of the CPU and RAM Windows 10 or Windows 11 uses affects the load time. Such as:
- Cut scenes
- Loading the map and resources before getting in game
- Starting up and closing down a game
I recently compiled some data from independent tests to determine whether Windows 10 or Windows 11 uses more of the CPU and RAM in this article about whether Windows 11 is slower than Windows 10.
Here’s a summary table.
| CPU and Memory usage | Windows 10 | Windows 11 | Percentage difference |
| Memory usage (RAM) | 3.9 GB | 4.7 GB | 7% |
| Memory usage 2 (RAM) | 2.6 GB | 3.1 GB | 6% |
| Processor usage (CPU) | 15% | 3% | 500% |
| Processor usage (CPU) | 15% | 6% | 300% |
As you can see, Windows 10 uses significantly more of the processor (CPU), but slightly less RAM. Certain games are more CPU intensive, whereas, others use more RAM. It’s well known that RAM over a certain amount does not offer increased performance.
Provided, you have 8GB or more, your computer should comfortably run graphics intensive games. With 16GB of RAM being more than enough. Whereas, if you have a weak CPU it will cause games to run significantly slower.
Based on the CPU usage and memory usage of Windows 10 compared to Windows 11. It’s clear that Windows 11 is by far a better option especially for gaming. It uses significantly less of the CPU. And, as a result, games run far smoother, and load much faster.
However, if your computer has a decent CPU, such as an i5 10th generation or similar, there won’t be a noticeable difference.
The reason is decent CPUs have more than enough processing power that the difference becomes relatively very insignificant. But, if your CPU already struggles to run games, then Windows 11 will provide a significant improvement in gaming performance.
Is Windows 11 Better For Gaming on a Low End PC
Low end PCs have a slower CPU, and less RAM. These directly affect computer performance for gaming. Now that Windows 11 has been released, it has been tested thoroughly to see how it performs. So, here is if Windows 11 is better for gaming on a low end PC.
Overall, Windows 11 is better for gaming on a low end PC. Independent tests have found it uses significantly less of the CPU (processor) than Windows 10. But, if your PC is very low end, Windows 7 is the best option. It uses significantly less of the CPU than Windows 11.
If your computer runs games fairly well, then upgrading to Windows 11 is a very good idea. But, if your computer already struggles to run the games you want to play on Windows 10, then you should downgrade to Windows 7.
The main thing to check first is whether the games you like to play are available on Windows 7. You can do that by checking the system requirements for the game on the official website for the game.
Is Windows 11 Good or Bad for Gaming
Gaming is one of the most resource intensive things you can do on a computer. So, how fast or slow the version of Windows you are using is, directly impacts gaming performance. Here is if Windows 11 is good or bad for gaming.
Windows 11 is good for gaming. Windows 11 uses on average, 4.5% of the CPU a computer has. Whereas, Windows 10 uses on average 15% of the CPU. For RAM usage Windows 11 and Windows 10 are almost identical. But, if you have a high end CPU the difference will not be noticeable.
On slower CPUs, Windows 11 will provide a significant performance improvement for gaming compared to Windows 10. The reason is Windows 11 frees up about 10% more of the CPU compared to Windows 10. Therefore, you will see about a 10% improvement in load times, and FPS using Windows 11 compared to Windows 10 for gaming.