Microsoft is working on a new way to make Windows 11 PCs faster. But instead of tackling performance through additional tools or upgrades, the company is relying on a trick that affects the CPU.
With the new “Low Latency Profile,” the CPU speed will increase in bursts whenever Windows 11 is given an important task, whether that’s launching an app or opening the Start menu. The aim is to make unnecessary delays and stuttering a thing of the past.
Well-known Windows leakers like phantomofearth have already discovered the feature in a test version. Windows Latest has also been able to test it and reports that, thanks to the new CPU trick, Windows 11 operates up to 40 percent faster when launching pre-installed apps (primarily Microsoft apps) and up to 70 percent faster in the Start menu and context menu.
How Low Latency Profile works
The Low Latency Profile is activated once and then applies to the entire PC. Windows 11 is then supposed to automatically detect when it’s necessary to boost CPU speed, ensuring a smoother user experience.
The spikes are intended to last for just one to three seconds to prevent the mode from having a negative impact on CPU temperature or battery life. It runs on Windows Task Scheduler, which is event-driven and can therefore respond quickly to short-term needs.
According to Windows Latest, you can also observe in Task Manager exactly how CPU usage spikes (up to 96 percent!) and then drops again immediately. As a result, apps launch smoothly—even when opening several applications in quick succession.
Low Latency Profile is currently only available via the Windows Insider Program. Microsoft will eventually make it available to everyone.
How useful is Low Latency Profile?
The feature is still in testing phase so it may still undergo changes before Microsoft releases it to the general public. Even so, Windows Latest already sees it as a groundbreaking innovation for budget PCs and a long overdue measure that Windows 11 has sorely lacked.
In the past, Windows’ task scheduling simply reacted too slowly when higher CPU clock speeds were needed for launching applications. As a result, users repeatedly experience stuttering and perceive Windows 11 as significantly slower than it ought to be.
The new Low Latency Profile responds much faster. And with the processor returning to its energy-saving state within a short time, the impact on heat and battery life is minimal. It’s a welcome step forward for an operating system that still has a long way to go.
Further reading: Microsoft’s secret Windows K2 project
By the way: If you’re using Windows 11 Home, you’re missing out on the many benefits of Windows 11 Pro. To learn more, see our comparison of Windows 11 Home and Pro. If you want to upgrade, snag it for cheap in the PCWorld Software Store: now just $59 instead of $99.
