Windows 11 to get macOS-like speed boost
▼ Summary
– Microsoft is testing a new “Low Latency Profile” feature in Windows 11 that boosts CPU frequency in short bursts to improve app launch times and menu responsiveness.
– Testers have observed significant speed improvements in File Explorer, Start menu, and apps like Outlook, Microsoft Store, and Paint.
– The boost mode reportedly speeds up Microsoft’s own apps by up to 40 percent and the Start menu by up to 70 percent.
– Microsoft executive Scott Hanselman defended the feature, stating that similar CPU boosting is already used by macOS, Linux, and smartphones.
– This speed boost is part of broader Windows 11 updates focused on performance, reliability, and user experience, including removing unnecessary Copilot buttons.
Microsoft is quietly testing a new performance feature for Windows 11 that could make the operating system feel significantly snappier, borrowing a page from macOS. The feature, internally dubbed “Low Latency Profile,” temporarily boosts CPU frequency in short bursts to accelerate app launches, menu interactions, and system flyouts. Early testers have already reported noticeable improvements when opening File Explorer, the Start menu, and apps like Outlook, the Microsoft Store, and Paint.
According to Windows Central, this boost mode can deliver up to 40 percent faster load times for Microsoft’s own applications and an impressive 70 percent improvement for the Start menu and context menus across the OS. While these early benchmarks are promising, the move has sparked criticism online. Some commentators argue that relying on CPU bursts to mask performance issues is a shortcut rather than a genuine optimization.
Microsoft executive Scott Hanselman, vice president of technical staff for CoreAI, GitHub, and Windows, pushed back on that narrative over the weekend. In a post on X, he defended the approach by noting that “your smartphone already does this,” adding that dynamically scaling CPU performance for interactive tasks is a well-established technique used by both macOS and Linux. “Apple does this and y’all love it,” Hanselman wrote. “Let Windows cook.”
This speed boost is just one element of a broader overhaul Microsoft is rolling out for Windows 11. The company has also begun removing “unnecessary” Copilot buttons from the interface and has made Windows Update far less intrusive. Together, these changes signal a renewed focus on performance, reliability, and user experience as Microsoft refines its flagship operating system.
(Source: The Verge)
