I stopped paying for lag-reduction apps after a week of methodically reconfiguring Windows 11 — and the games started running smoother, the UI snappier, and my wallet a little heavier.
Background
Windows 11 shipped with a handful of gaming-focused toggles and security features that can materially affect performance depending on your hardware and use case. For many gamers the instinctive response is to install a "game booster" utility that promises one-click resource prioritization; in my experience those apps mostly automate tweaks you can make yourself. By focusing on four built-in Windows areas — Game Mode, the graphics defaults (HAGS, VRR, and windowed optimizations), memory integrity (HVCI), and startup/background software — I reduced in-game stutter and raised average frame rates without third‑party software. Those changes are what this article documents, explains, and validates against independent testing and official documentation.
This feature pulls together Microsoft’s guidance, independent benchmark testing, and large community experiments so you can make informed decisions — including when to accept a security-versus-performance tradeoff.
Overview: what the built-in settings actually do
- Game Mode instructs Windows to give foreground games priority access to CPU and GPU resources, limiting some background scheduling and deferring lower‑priority tasks. This is an OS-level resource-priority mechanism rather than a process-killer.
- Hardware‑accelerated GPU Scheduling (HAGS) shifts some GPU scheduling work from CPU-managed queues into GPU-hosted scheduling hardware, potentially lowering CPU overhead and improving input latency on certain systems and drivers — but results vary by GPU, driver, and game.
- Optimizations for windowed games moves compatible DirectX 10/11 titles from the legacy blt presentation to a flip-model pipeline so borderless/windowed games can approach the latency behavior of exclusive fullscreen. Microsoft built this explicitly to reduce frame latency in windowed modes.
- Variable Refresh Rate (VRR) and related display features let Windows coordinate monitor refresh to match frame output for smoother motion and lower tearing; Windows exposes a global VRR switch while GPU vendors continue to provide the primary Adaptive‑Sync implementations.
- Memory integrity / Hypervisor‑Protected Code Integrity (HVCI) is a Windows security feature that protects kernel allocations and code integrity via virtualization-based protections (VBS). It provides stronger defenses but carries a measurable performance cost in CPU‑bound scenarios, including many games. Independent benchmarks show average gaming slowdowns in the low single digits up to around five percent in geometric-mean tests, with larger outliers on older hardware or specific titles.
Each of these features is a lever: flip them on or off, measure, and choose what matters to you. Below I explain what each toggle does, why I changed it, and how other authoritative sources and benchmarks corroborate the gains and caveats.
Game Mode: what it is, when it helps, and how to use it
What Game Mode actually does
Game Mode is Windows’ native attempt to prioritize the active game by reducing background activity and allocating resources more consistently to the foreground process. It’s not a magical FPS booster — it’s a scheduler and prioritizer built into the OS that reduces OS-level interruptions and gives the game a more predictable share of CPU/GPU resources. Microsoft documents Game Mode as an API and system behavior designed to help games hit performance targets more consistently.
The practical effect
- For CPU‑bound scenarios where background services (indexing, scans, update jobs) compete with the game, enabling Game Mode can reduce frame-time spikes and occasional hitching.
- For GPU‑bound workloads (high-resolution, high‑detail settings), the effect will be smaller or negligible.
- Game Mode does not pause large ongoing downloads (Windows Update or Store downloads can still continue), and certain anti‑cheat or overlay software can still compete for resources.
How I used it
- Settings > Gaming > Game Mode — turned on.
- Run a controlled session in the game I play most (competitive shooter), record frametimes and subjective input responsiveness.
- If you use overlays or vendor-specific services (e.g., mouse macro utilities, DVR overlays), test for conflicts — Game Mode is usually harmless but has produced one‑off conflicts with some vendor software in field reports and community discussions. Treat those reports as anecdotal and verify on your machine.
Verdict
Game Mode is low risk, zero cost to try, and often helpful for smoothing out background jitter. If you see no benefit, toggle it off — nothing is permanently changed.
Graphics defaults: HAGS, Optimizations for windowed games, and Variable Refresh Rate
Hardware‑accelerated GPU Scheduling (HAGS)
HAGS gives the GPU more control over scheduling jobs and memory management that used to be orchestrated by the CPU. In theory the CPU has fewer scheduling interrupts, which reduces CPU overhead and can reduce input latency in CPU‑heavy scenes.
- Microsoft and support channels show HAGS as a settings toggle under System → Display → Graphics → Change default graphics settings. The toggle appears only if your GPU and driver expose the feature.
- Driver and OS support matter: WDDM driver versions and GPU family determine availability. Microsoft Q&A and vendor guidance make this explicit: update drivers first, then check the toggle.
What to expect:
- Some users see measurable latency or average FPS improvements in CPU‑bound titles (competitive shooters and titles where the CPU is the gating factor).
- Others see no change or occasionally worse behavior (stuttering) depending on driver maturity and particular GPU/OS interactions.
- Community testing and forum threads show real-world variance — your mileage will vary and the correct approach is to benchmark on your own hardware.
My workflow:
- Update GPU drivers from the GPU vendor.
- Toggle HAGS on, reboot, and run a repeatable benchmark (in-game benchmark or repeated multiplayer session).
- If stutter appears, turn it off and retest. I saw a modest average FPS and latency improvement in my CPU‑sensitive shooter; others will see no benefit.
Optimizations for windowed games
If you play in borderless windowed mode, this Microsoft Windows 11 setting is one of the most useful under-the-hood improvements. It switches older DirectX 10/11 presentation models to a modern flip model, lowering latency and allowing VRR and Auto HDR to behave more consistently in windowed modes. Microsoft documents this explicitly and recommends turning it on for windowed/full‑screen borderless play.
Why it matters:
- Borderless windowed mode historically had higher latency than exclusive fullscreen because of how frames passed through the Desktop Window Manager (DWM).
- This optimization meaningfully narrows that gap and makes task switching less of a tradeoff.
My tip: if you rely on fast alt‑tabbing but feel increased latency, enable this setting and test — the improvement is concrete for many DX11 titles.
Variable Refresh Rate (VRR)
VRR reduces tearing and can lower perceived latency by letting the monitor’s refresh rate match the GPU’s frame output. Windows exposes a global VRR toggle while vendor-level G‑Sync/FreeSync remain the primary mechanisms; enabling VRR in Windows helps in cases where a game's native VRR support is missing or incomplete. Intel, AMD, and Nvidia ecosystems all document that VRR requires compatible displays, drivers, and WDDM versions.
My recommendation:
- Enable VRR globally if you have an Adaptive‑Sync capable display and updated GPU drivers.
- If your monitor's driver or vendor control panel already enforces G‑Sync/FreeSync, Windows’ setting won’t override it; instead it complements existing vendor implementations.
Memory integrity (HVCI): the toughest and most consequential decision
What Memory integrity (HVCI) does
Memory integrity (Hypervisor‑Protected Code Integrity) is part of Windows’ virtualization‑based security (VBS) family. It enforces strict integrity checks on kernel memory, making certain classes of kernel‑level exploits harder to execute. Microsoft positions it as a security hardening for modern Windows platforms and OEMs are encouraged to ship compatible systems with it enabled where drivers and hardware support it.
The performance tradeoff
Independent benchmarking shows a consistent, measurable performance cost to enabling VBS/HVCI. The headline number from rigorous tests is that enabling VBS/HVCI tends to reduce average gaming performance roughly in the mid-single‑digit percentage range on modern hardware — often around 3–6% in geometric-mean testing — with some game-specific outliers that are higher. Tom’s Hardware’s thorough tests showed geometric-mean slowdowns in that ballpark and recommend that especially gaming PCs consider disabling these protections if they prefer maximum performance over the extra layer of kernel defense. TechSite follow-ups confirm similar ranges.
Be careful with numbers cited in casual guides: a 5–20% improvement reported by some users after disabling memory integrity is not a universal rule and is often tied to specific hardware, driver incompatibilities, or older processors missing MBEC support. Treat high‑end claims conservatively unless you can reproduce them in your environment. Where you sit on the performance curve depends on CPU generation, drivers, and whether Mode‑Based Execution Control (MBEC) is present — MBEC, available in more recent CPU microarchitectures, substantially reduces the penalty.
How to change it
- Settings > Privacy & security > Windows Security > Device security > Core isolation details > Memory integrity toggle. A reboot is required.
- If you plan to toggle HVCI off for gaming, update drivers afterwards and test stability — disabling memory integrity may require driver changes for some security‑sensitive software.
My decision process and cautions
I disabled Memory integrity because my machine is a dedicated gaming rig with no sensitive work data. That change produced the largest single improvement I observed in-game. But this is a calculated risk: you are reducing kernel‑level protections. For most users who store personal or work data, or who prefer the security posture recommended by Microsoft,
keeping HVCI enabled is the safer option. If you disable it, accept the tradeoff and ensure other security mitigations (modern antivirus, safe browsing, and cautious software installs) are in place.
Startup apps, background services, and uninstalling cruft
One of the simplest, highest‑ROI changes is to stop unnecessary apps from launching at login and to remove software you no longer use.
Why it matters:
- Startup apps increase boot time, consume RAM, and often run background services that can interrupt CPU cycles or schedule network activity (which matters for online multiplayer).
- Microsoft’s recommended path is Settings > Apps > Startup or Task Manager > Startup to view and disable automatic launchers. Task Manager even reports the startup impact so you can triage by likely offenders.
Practical steps:
- Settings > Apps > Startup: disable all nonessential items (game launchers only if you open them manually; cloud sync apps consider whether you need live sync).
- Task Manager > Startup: review “High impact” items and disable if unnecessary.
- Settings > Apps > Installed apps: uninstall programs you don’t use. Many apps leave background services that persist even when the UI is closed. Clean house ruthlessly.
Result: faster boot, less background CPU contention, and fewer surprise network or disk operations while gaming.
How I validated changes (and how you should test)
- Baseline: record a representative gameplay run (use in-game benchmarks when available or an identical multiplayer map/round on repeat).
- Change a single setting (e.g., enable HAGS), reboot if required, and re-run the same test sequence. Log averages, 99th percentile frametimes, and check for microstutter.
- Compare visual smoothness and input responsiveness subjectively — averages don’t tell the whole story; stutter and frame pacing have outsized impact in competitive play.
- Revert if results are worse or unstable. Most Windows toggles are reversible with a restart.
This is the same method authors and reviewers use in formal testing: isolate one variable, measure, and repeat. Community feedback is useful for patterns but won’t replace your own machine’s results.
Strengths of the built‑in approach — and its limits
Strengths
- Low friction and reversible. Settings live in Windows, require no third‑party installers, and can be toggled back quickly.
- Granular control. You can selectively apply optimizations to particular games or apps using per‑app graphics options.
- No added background agents. Third‑party "boosters" often run processes themselves; letting Windows handle prioritization avoids adding another service to the mix.
- Official backing and driver integration. Microsoft and GPU vendors provide the plumbing and driver hooks — these are maintained through standard Windows and driver updates.
Limits and risks
- Varied hardware results. HAGS and HVCI impacts vary widely by CPU generation, GPU model, and driver version. Community threads show cases where HAGS caused stuttering or other anomalies on certain combos. Test before you conclude.
- Security tradeoffs. Disabling Memory integrity reduces kernel protections. If your PC contains sensitive data or you value maximum security, do not disable it casually; instead, weigh the modest performance impact against real security risk.
- Not a one‑click silver bullet. Some boosters claim to disable services and processes aggressively; Windows’ features focus on prioritization and driver-level improvements. For systems with deep driver or hardware mismatches, a full driver/firmware update or hardware upgrade may be the real fix.
A practical checklist — quick actions that cost nothing but time
- Update Windows and GPU drivers.
- Enable Game Mode: Settings > Gaming > Game Mode. Test.
- Enable "Optimizations for windowed games" if you use borderless/windowed mode: Settings > System > Display > Graphics > Change default graphics settings. Restart games after toggling.
- Try HAGS: Settings > System > Display > Graphics > Change default graphics settings → Hardware‑accelerated GPU scheduling. Reboot and test; revert if you encounter stutter.
- Enable VRR if you have a compatible display: Settings > System > Display > Graphics > Advanced graphics settings → Variable refresh rate. Also verify vendor panel (Nvidia/AMD/Intel) for monitor-specific VRR features.
- Disable startup apps and uninstall unused programs: Settings > Apps > Startup and Settings > Apps > Installed apps. Use Task Manager's Startup tab for impact analysis.
- Consider Memory integrity only after testing: verify measurable benefit on your machine before disabling it; accept the security tradeoff if you do. Use Settings > Privacy & security > Windows Security > Device security > Core isolation details to toggle.
Final analysis: balancing performance and security
If you’re a competitive gamer whose PC is dedicated to gaming and you’ve already hardened your accounts and behavior (strong passwords, up-to-date AV, limited sensitive storage), selectively disabling HVCI can produce the most significant single performance improvement. But for the majority of users, the safer path is to keep memory integrity on and instead optimize the other settings — Game Mode, Optimizations for windowed games, VRR, and careful management of startup/background software — because they deliver visible smoothness improvements without lowering kernel defense.
The ecosystem’s reality is this: modern Windows provides robust, officially supported levers for game-focused performance tuning. They are often more effective and less risky than third‑party “boosters” that add background agents and opaque changes. However, pay attention to your specific hardware: HAGS helps some builds and hinders others; VRR requires compatible displays and the right drivers; HVCI impacts are real but typically modest on recent CPUs.
If you follow the test-first approach — change one setting at a time, benchmark, and revert if needed — you can extract significant responsiveness and FPS gains from Windows 11 without paying for apps that mostly automate what Windows already exposes. For me, the combined effect of enabling Game Mode, turning on optimizations for windowed games, trying HAGS (validated on my rig), enabling VRR, and ruthlessly pruning startup apps removed the need for the paid booster I tried and delivered a noticeably cleaner, more consistent gaming experience. Those same settings and tests are a reproducible path you can follow on your own machine.
Conclusion
Windows 11 already includes the most useful tools for smoothing gameplay: Game Mode, graphics defaults (HAGS, VRR, windowed optimizations), and the ability to manage startup applications. Use them, update drivers, and measure. Treat memory integrity (HVCI) as a deliberate tradeoff: great for security‑first machines; optional for locked‑down, gaming‑only rigs, but only after you verify the gains and accept the risk. With measured, methodical changes you can skip third‑party boosters and keep both performance and control in your hands.
Source: MakeUseOf
I stopped paying for lag-reduction apps after changing these Windows 11 settings