Windows 10 vs Windows 11 for Gaming (2026) — Which Is Actually Better?

Quick Answers

Common questions answered at a glance

What is currently the faster OS for gaming?

Based on the tests done by TechSpot and Hardware Unboxed, Windows 11 25H2 is slightly faster than Windows 10. However, this only occurs when Memory Integrity (VBS) is turned off, bloatware is uninstalled, and the defaults are adjusted.

Are Windows 10 users still safe to use the OS?

Should I upgrade to Windows 11?

The “real” question is this: Are Windows 10 users foolishly holding onto an outdated OS simply because they’ve heard Windows 11 is “slower for gaming”? They were wrong.As of the 25H2 update in late 2025, many independent sources are reporting that Windows 11 is equal to or outperforms Windows 10 in most of the games that have been tested. The significant performance gap between the two versions of Windows that existed since launch is gone. However, there’s a catch – and it’s a BIG one. To achieve this level of performance in the tests conducted by the independent sites referenced here, you’ll need to disable ALL of the defaults that Microsoft enables on Windows 11.

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In other words, if you’re still on Windows 10 and thinking about upgrading to Windows 11, wait until you’re ready to configure the defaults correctly before doing so. Likewise, if you’ve already upgraded to Windows 11 and want to know if you configured the defaults correctly, you should read this article.

The Benchmarks: What the Data Really Says

As of January 2026, several independent review sites performed the following tests:Steven Walton of TechSpot tested 14 games on brand-new SSDs for each OS, with VBS disabled on both, to ensure fairness in his tests. His results showed that Windows 11 25H2 took a slight lead over Windows 10 across the 14-game average. The titles included Rainbow Six Siege X, Battlefield 6, Spider-Man 2, and Cyberpunk 2077 all ran at least as well or slightly better on Windows 11.Hardware Unboxed found similar trends in their testing, discovering that Windows 11 25H2 produced an average of 194 FPS at 1440p compared to Windows 10’s 185 FPS across their test suite — a ~5% advantage. At 1080p, the gap was much smaller (~1.2%) while at 4K the gap widened to Windows 11’s 141 FPS versus Windows 10’s 134 FPS.This is a complete turnaround. In Hardware Unboxed’s 2024 testing, Windows 10 was the faster OS. The 24H2 and 25H2 updates reversed this trend, particularly for AMD processors, where the Windows 11 scheduler improvements resulted in a measurable performance gain.Important note: Both TechSpot and Hardware Unboxed disabled VBS/Memory Integrity on Windows 11 for their testing. By default, Windows 11 has this option enabled, and disabling it results in a loss of 5–15% FPS depending on the game. If you install Windows 11 and don’t disable it, you’ll be running slower than Windows 10 was.

What Windows 11 Does Well for Gamers

DirectStorage. Exclusive to Windows 11. Allows games to load data directly from your NVMe SSD to your GPU, bypassing the CPU bottleneck. Games that support it (and more every month) load significantly faster. There is nothing like this on Windows 10.Auto HDR. Simulates HDR in older games that don’t natively support it. If you have an HDR monitor, this is free visual improvement with no performance cost. Windows 10 doesn’t have this.Scheduling for modern CPUs. Intel 12th gen and later use Hybrid Architecture (P-cores and E-cores). Windows 11 recognizes this and routes the game threads to the correct cores. Windows 10 does not recognize this and may route important threads to E-cores. AMD’s Ryzen 7000 and 9000 series also receive a performance boost from Windows 11 scheduler improvements.Windowed game optimizations. Windows 11 improved how Borderless Windowed Mode works, reducing the latency penalty of Alt-Tabbing. If you run games in Borderless for Streaming or Multi-Monitor setups, Windows 11 handles it better.

What Windows 11 Gets Wrong (Out of the Box)

This section is usually skipped by other comparison articles. Windows 11 is faster than Windows 10 — once you fix the defaults. However, out of the box, Windows 11 comes with settings that negatively affect gaming performance. Windows 10 has none of these issues because they didn’t exist at the time.Memory Integrity (VBS) is enabled by default. This security feature creates a mini Virtual Machine alongside your OS. According to ComputerBase, Memory Integrity (VBS) on Windows 11 24H2 resulted in an ~8% drop in Frame Rates on an AMD 5800X3D. Other tests indicate a 5–15% loss of Frame Rate depending on the game. Windows 10 also had this feature, but it was disabled by default. Windows 11 turns it on. We cover how to disable it in our Memory Integrity guide.More bloatware and AI features than Windows 10 ever had. Copilot, Recall, AI in Notepad, AI in Edge, AI Search Suggestions, Widgets, ClipChamp — All of these are background processes, consuming both RAM and CPU. Microsoft reportedly stated that Windows 11 went astray with AI and is reverting some of it back — however, most of these features remain. We explain how to remove them all in our Copilot & Bloatware guide.Xbox Game Bar still eats resources. 200–400 MB RAM + 18–23 ms Input Latency. Same as it always was on Windows 10, but Windows 11 adds more. We cover it in our Game Bar guide.Aggressive Telemetry and tracking. Windows 11 collects more telemetry data by default than Windows 10. More Background Processes, more Random CPU Spikes. We detail how to reduce it in our Telemetry guide.

The Honest Answer: Should I Stay on Windows 10?

Honestly, no. Not because of gaming performance — Windows 10 will continue to run games perfectly fine. However, because of security.Windows 10 support ended on October 14, 2025. As explained by PCMag’s Neil Rubenking, tens of millions of Windows 10 PCs are becoming increasingly attractive to cyber-criminals because any new vulnerabilities discovered will never be patched. Microsoft does offer a paid Extended Security Update Program (free for consumers through October 2026), but after that point, consumers are on their own.Additionally, you’ll miss out on the benefits of DirectStorage, Auto HDR, and the scheduler improvements for modern CPUs. If you purchased either an Intel 12th Gen or newer CPU, or an AMD Ryzen 7000/9000 Series CPU, you’re leaving performance on the table by continuing to run Windows 10.

Upgrading to Windows 11: The Upgrade Checklist

When you upgrade to Windows 11 (or you’ve already gotten it done), here are the settings you should change immediately to obtain the gaming performance that the benchmarks indicate:1. Disable Memory Integrity (Device Security → Core Isolation → Off → Restart)2. Remove Copilot and bloatware (Apps → Find and Remove What You Don’t Use)3. Disable Xbox Game Bar (Gaming → Game Bar → Off)4. Change the power plan to High Performance or Ultimate Performance5. Reduce telemetry (Privacy & Security → Turn Off What You Don’t Need)6. Disable Widgets (Personalization → Taskbar → Widgets Off)7. Clean up the startup apps (Startup Tab → Disable Junk)All of the above options are detailed extensively in our optimization guides. These are essentially the exact steps the independent reviewers followed prior to conducting their testing — stripping both Operating Systems down to the bare minimum required.

The Bottom Line

Windows 11 25H2 is currently the better gaming OS. It produces slightly better raw performance, a better scheduling algorithm for modern CPUs, and exclusive features such as DirectStorage and Auto HDR, making it the superior choice for gamers. The gap will only grow as more game developers begin optimizing for Windows 11 and cease testing on Windows 10.However, Windows 11 is also the worst gaming OS out of the box. It includes more bloatware, more AI features, more telemetry, and a security feature (VBS) that reduces your FPS by 5–15% unless you manually disable it. The benchmarks appear good because the reviewers removed everything else first.The answer is NOT “Windows 10 or Windows 11.” It’s “Windows 11 Optimized.” That is the version that will beat Windows 10. And that is what our guides are designed to assist you in building.

More Information

For information on every step mentioned in the upgrade checklist above:• Why Is My PC So Slow? — A full symptom-by-symptom diagnostic• Copilot & Bloatware — Every pre-installed app, all 13+ AI features, and how to remove them• Memory Integrity (VBS) — What it does, who needs it, and the FPS trade-off• Power Plans — Balanced vs High Performance vs Ultimate Performance• Game Bar & DVR — 200–400 MB RAM + 18–23 ms latency you don’t need• Telemetry & Location Tracking — What Windows 11 collects and how to stop it• Startup Optimization — Which programs to disable from auto-launching• Per-game optimization guides — In-game settings, GPU config, and network tweaking for 9 gamesThe OS isn’t the problem. The defaults are.

Windows 10 vs Windows 11 for Gaming (2026) — The Honest Answer