Microsoft’s recent performance bragging rights for Windows 11 have reignited an old debate: are holdouts running Windows 10 missing out on a meaningful speed boost, or is this marketing dressed up as engineering? A raft of new benchmarks and a fresh round of commentary — including a summary posted by Neowin — make two things clear: Windows 11 can be measurably faster in specific, well-defined scenarios, but the headline numbers pushed by Microsoft and some commissioned studies are often the result of apples-to-oranges comparisons that conflate hardware gains with OS improvements. (neowin.net)
Windows 10 will reach its official end of support on October 14, 2025. Microsoft’s messaging in 2024–2025 has been heavy on persuading users to migrate to Windows 11, citing improvements in battery life, web responsiveness, Office productivity, and large percentage gains in synthetic CPU tests. Those claims are anchored in two different kinds of evidence: (1) Microsoft-run / vendor-commissioned benchmarks and (2) independent third‑party tests performed by publications and labs. The former often compares modern Windows 11 hardware against older Windows 10 hardware; the latter tends to run side‑by‑side tests on the same machine to isolate software-level differences. The difference in approach explains most of the argument’s heat. (support.microsoft.com) (neowin.net)
Microsoft’s specific public claims in late‑2024 and 2025 include figures such as “up to 2.3x faster” (Geekbench 6 multi‑core comparisons), “up to 2.7 more hours of battery,” and other headline multipliers that sound dramatic in isolation. Those figures are real measurements — but their context matters: the Windows 11 numbers are almost always paired with newer silicon (12th/13th Gen Intel, newer AMD Ryzen chips) and faster storage, memory, and firmware stacks. That hardware delta, not just the OS, delivers much of the observable benefit. (neowin.net) (tomshardware.com)
At the same time, independent testing communities and publications still agree on two points:
For people and organizations making an upgrade decision, the correct approach is empirical: measure the workloads you care about on your machine, factor in the October 14, 2025 support cutoff, and plan migrations that respect budgets, compatibility, and security. Microsoft’s marketing will sell the dream of dramatic speed gains; independent testing and platform documentation will tell you what to expect on your hardware. Use both — but read the footnotes and run the tests before you act. (techspot.com, tomshardware.com)
Source: Neowin Windows 10 vs Windows 11 2025 performance benchmarks shows holdouts they should upgrade
Windows 10 will reach its official end of support on October 14, 2025. Microsoft’s messaging in 2024–2025 has been heavy on persuading users to migrate to Windows 11, citing improvements in battery life, web responsiveness, Office productivity, and large percentage gains in synthetic CPU tests. Those claims are anchored in two different kinds of evidence: (1) Microsoft-run / vendor-commissioned benchmarks and (2) independent third‑party tests performed by publications and labs. The former often compares modern Windows 11 hardware against older Windows 10 hardware; the latter tends to run side‑by‑side tests on the same machine to isolate software-level differences. The difference in approach explains most of the argument’s heat. (support.microsoft.com) (neowin.net)Microsoft’s specific public claims in late‑2024 and 2025 include figures such as “up to 2.3x faster” (Geekbench 6 multi‑core comparisons), “up to 2.7 more hours of battery,” and other headline multipliers that sound dramatic in isolation. Those figures are real measurements — but their context matters: the Windows 11 numbers are almost always paired with newer silicon (12th/13th Gen Intel, newer AMD Ryzen chips) and faster storage, memory, and firmware stacks. That hardware delta, not just the OS, delivers much of the observable benefit. (neowin.net) (tomshardware.com)
Why the Benchmarks Don’t Tell the Full Story
Apples-to‑Oranges vs. Apples‑to‑Apples
Independent testing norms require isolating a single variable. If the goal is to measure the operating system’s impact, run Windows 10 and Windows 11 on the same hardware (clean installs, identical drivers, same BIOS versions). Many of the most-cited Microsoft claims break that rule: they compare old Windows 10 laptops against brand‑new Windows 11 machines. That methodology is valid if the claim being made is “new PCs running Windows 11 perform better than older PCs running Windows 10,” but it is not valid if the claim is meant to imply the OS alone will produce similar gains on your existing hardware. Multiple outlets have called out this mismatch. (tomshardware.com, techradar.com)- Independent reviewers running side‑by‑side tests typically find small, often single-digit percentage gains in productivity and gaming for identical hardware on Windows 11 versus Windows 10.
- When benchmarks show double‑ or triple‑digit improvements, the delta almost always includes newer CPUs, LPDDR5 memory, faster NVMe storage, and firmware/driver stacks tuned for the latest silicon — i.e., new PC hardware. (techspot.com)
The Role of Vendor‑Commissioned Studies
Studies commissioned by vendors or by platform owners can be useful for illustrating potential benefits across a migration pathway (old hardware → new hardware + new OS), but they must be read with care. A prominent example was a Microsoft‑funded study that reported very large gains for Windows 11; critics pointed out selective test choices and unequal hardware. When a lab is paid to show what a sponsor wants demonstrated, methodology transparency and independent replication are essential before accepting headlining multipliers as general advice. Flag this kind of claim as context‑dependent and potentially misleading until validated by neutral, apples‑to‑apples testing. (neowin.net, techradar.com)The Real Technical Drivers: What Windows 11 Actually Changes
Windows 11 introduced or emphasized several platform changes that can influence performance — some of them hardware‑dependent, some purely software:- Scheduler and hybrid‑core CPU optimizations. Windows 11 contains scheduler tweaks for Intel’s hybrid architectures (P‑cores / E‑cores). On newer chips this can improve thread placement and latency-sensitive workloads. Improvements are meaningful only when the hardware supports those features. (techspot.com)
- Foreground prioritization and resource management. Windows 11 focuses more aggressively on prioritizing active (foreground) apps to improve perceived responsiveness. That helps in day‑to‑day UX, but often by milliseconds rather than seconds.
- Virtualization‑based protections (HVCI / Memory Integrity / VBS). These security features use virtualization to harden driver integrity. They can add measurable overhead on some systems; they are enabled by default on many new Windows 11 machines and can be disabled if a user prioritizes raw performance over that particular security layer. Microsoft documents this tradeoff and provides ways to toggle the features. Real-world reports show performance delta varies by workload; in gaming some users observed multi‑percent FPS gains after disabling memory integrity, while others saw negligible change. (support.microsoft.com, howtogeek.com)
- Driver certification and static analysis push. Microsoft has tightened driver certification processes and introduced static analysis as part of the pipeline. Cleaner drivers mean fewer slowdowns and crashes over time; this is a platform‑level benefit that accrues as the ecosystem updates drivers.
- Feature exclusives and hardware offloads (DirectStorage, AutoHDR, NPUs). Some gaming and media features require modern hardware and Windows 11 to deliver measurable benefits. DirectStorage and GPU/NPU‑assisted workloads illustrate how new hardware plus Windows 11 combine to unlock new performance classes rather than simply speeding old workloads.
Gaming and Real‑World Productivity: The Nuanced Reality
Gaming
- Side‑by‑side testing from trusted outlets using identical hardware typically reports negligible FPS differences in the majority of titles — often within the margin of error. Where Windows 11 shows an advantage, it is usually limited to a handful of titles or to systems with certain default security features enabled that are not present in Windows 10 by default. TechSpot’s controlled tests, for instance, show that Virtualization‑Based Security (VBS) can depress gaming performance significantly when enabled, and flipping it off can recover those losses — but the impact varies by hardware and game. (techspot.com)
- Practical takeaway: if gaming is your primary metric, test Windows 11 on your exact rig (or look for side‑by‑side tests on identical hardware). Don’t assume a universal FPS uplift just because you move to Windows 11.
Productivity and Daily Use
- Measured real‑world productivity gains (application launch, file operations, browsing) tend to be modest — single‑digit to low‑double‑digit percent improvements when the OS is the only variable. Larger differences typically correlate with new hardware. Independent reviewers who ran Windows 10 and Windows 11 on the same hardware report user‑visible gains are modest but noticeable in some scenarios (sleep/resume, snapshots, UI animations). (techspot.com)
What the Critics Are Saying
Multiple reputable outlets and analysts have raised the same central objection: Microsoft’s most eye‑catching performance claims often depend more on hardware differences than on OS‑level improvements. TechRadar, Tom’s Hardware, Windows Central, and others have called out the methodology behind the “up to 2.3x faster” narrative as misleading when interpreted as an OS-only claim. Their consistent message: the migration to modern hardware delivers the largest chunk of the performance gains, and Microsoft’s marketing sometimes blurs that distinction. (techradar.com, tomshardware.com, windowscentral.com)At the same time, independent testing communities and publications still agree on two points:
- Windows 11 is not slower than Windows 10 in the majority of real‑world cases on the same hardware.
- On new hardware designed with Windows 11 optimizations in mind, combined software and hardware improvements can produce large, visible gains.
Practical Guidance for Windows 10 Holdouts (Clear, Actionable Steps)
If you’re still on Windows 10, here’s a structured decision checklist to guide a thoughtful upgrade (or delay) strategy:- Check compatibility:
- Run Microsoft’s PC Health Check app to confirm whether your device meets Windows 11 minimums (TPM 2.0, supported CPU, UEFI Secure Boot, 4GB+ RAM, 64GB+ storage). If your hardware is eligible, Windows Update will typically offer the free upgrade path. The official requirements and the PC Health Check tool are maintained by Microsoft. (support.microsoft.com)
- Back up critical data:
- Use your current backup solution or Windows Backup to save files and settings before any major OS migration.
- Test the experience on your hardware:
- If possible, clone your drive and test Windows 11 in a dual‑boot or spare drive. This gives you a direct apples‑to‑apples comparison on your exact machine.
- Measure the right things:
- Run the workloads that matter to you (your office apps, your most‑used games, photo/video export tasks). Synthetic or single‑benchmark numbers rarely reflect your day‑to‑day productivity.
- If gaming, check security settings:
- If you’re sensitive to FPS, review Virtualization‑Based Security (Core isolation / Memory integrity). Microsoft documents that turning these features off can improve performance in some gaming scenarios, but doing so reduces a layer of protection. Evaluate the tradeoff. (support.microsoft.com, howtogeek.com)
- Consider cost and lifecycle:
- If your machine is ineligible for Windows 11, weigh the costs of buying a new PC vs. enrolling in Windows 10’s Extended Security Updates (ESU) program for up to one year past EOL. Microsoft’s consumer ESU options include a paid $30 per‑device year or free alternatives tied to Microsoft account syncs or Rewards redemption — but enrollment rules and requirements (Microsoft account, device state) matter, so read the prerequisites carefully. (support.microsoft.com, learn.microsoft.com)
- Plan enterprise migrations conservatively:
- Enterprises should pilot apps and drivers in controlled environments. Driver compatibility remains the most common source of unexpected issues after OS upgrades — invest in driver testing and holdback policies for mission‑critical systems.
Risks, Caveats, and Environmental Considerations
- E‑waste pressure and affordability. The strict Windows 11 hardware bar (TPM 2.0, UEFI) means many otherwise functional devices are technically excluded. Large‑scale pressure to refresh hardware could have environmental consequences, and it imposes a real financial cost for households and small businesses. Critics have highlighted both affordability and sustainability problems in Microsoft’s push toward Windows 11. (tomshardware.com)
- Security vs. raw speed tradeoffs. Default security protections such as HVCI and memory integrity help raise baseline security, but they may slightly reduce performance for certain workloads. Users should weigh the threat model of their environment before disabling protections purely for performance gains. Microsoft documents the tradeoff and how to toggle the features. (support.microsoft.com)
- Selective benchmarking in marketing. When a vendor publishes “up to X” claims, assume best‑case scenarios unless independent apples‑to‑apples tests corroborate the claim. Treat sponsor‑commissioned studies as demonstrative of a scenario (new hardware + new OS) rather than a universal guarantee. (neowin.net, techradar.com)
- Unverifiable or context‑dependent numbers. Any singular number, e.g., “2.3x faster,” should be considered contextual. If a claim does not include precise hardware lists, BIOS/driver versions, and test methods, label it tentative and seek independent replication. Microsoft's own documentation and the third‑party critiques make that caveat clear. (support.microsoft.com, windowscentral.com)
Bottom Line: Should You Upgrade for Performance?
- If your device is eligible for Windows 11 and you plan to replace or refresh hardware in the next 12 months, the combined effect of modern silicon and Windows 11 features is likely to produce clearly better performance and richer features (DirectStorage, AutoHDR, Copilot+ integrations). In that scenario, an upgrade makes sense for both performance and security reasons. (learn.microsoft.com)
- If your current Windows 10 PC performs well for your actual workloads (productivity apps, business software, older games) and is ineligible for Windows 11, you can reasonably delay — but treat that delay as a planned migration. The October 14, 2025 end‑of‑support deadline matters: after that date, consider Extended Security Updates (ESU) or a hardware refresh; do not assume indefinite safety on an unsupported platform. (support.microsoft.com, learn.microsoft.com)
- If your top priority is gaming frame rates, test Windows 11 on your hardware, and pay particular attention to virtualization‑based security settings and current driver versions. Disable memory integrity only after weighing the security tradeoffs and ensuring you understand why the setting impacts your particular setup. (techspot.com, support.microsoft.com)
Final Assessment: Marketing vs. Measurable Value
The 2024–2025 headline claims about Windows 11’s performance — often amplified by commissioned reports — succeed at communicating one true and important point: modern hardware plus modern software beats older hardware plus older software. But that is a different message from “install Windows 11 on your existing PC and expect a 2x speedup.”For people and organizations making an upgrade decision, the correct approach is empirical: measure the workloads you care about on your machine, factor in the October 14, 2025 support cutoff, and plan migrations that respect budgets, compatibility, and security. Microsoft’s marketing will sell the dream of dramatic speed gains; independent testing and platform documentation will tell you what to expect on your hardware. Use both — but read the footnotes and run the tests before you act. (techspot.com, tomshardware.com)
Source: Neowin Windows 10 vs Windows 11 2025 performance benchmarks shows holdouts they should upgrade