Performance Insights on Windows 11 24H2 Upgrade
This week, Microsoft removed yet another upgrade block for Windows 11 24H2, following previous performance tests that we reported on last month.
While many benchmark results indicated only negligible differences attributable to margins of error, two noteworthy observations surfaced regarding gaming performance. On the positive side, we observed a remarkable enhancement in frame generation for Black Myth: Wukong, with a 17% average frame rate increase and a 15% improvement in minimum frames across three runs of 24H2.
Conversely, there was a significant decline in single-threaded performance on 24H2, as noted in several tests, both synthetic and real-world. Additionally, application startup times suffered a considerable setback according to PCMark 10 metrics.
Motivated to explore possible solutions, we decided to conduct a clean installation of Windows 11, specifically using the November 2024 Patch Tuesday (KB5046617) on top of October 2024.
Methodology for Testing
Our approach did not aim for direct comparisons; rather, we intended to simulate the experience of a typical user. All settings were kept at their default configurations while we evaluated the performance differences between a clean install of Windows 11 24H2 and an in-place upgrade. Features such as Core Isolation and Virtualization-based Security (VBS) remained enabled during the tests.
In terms of hardware, Steven and I collaborated remotely on testing, utilizing his setup featuring an Intel Core i7-14700K CPU and an AMD 7800 XT GPU (supplied by AMD for review).We ensured that the latest drivers (Adrenalin version 24.10.1) were installed at the time of testing.
Synthetic Benchmark Results
Our evaluation began with synthetic benchmarks. The results from 3DMark’s CPU/Physics test revealed immediate performance gains with the clean installation. The Core i7-14700K outperformed previous tests in both DirectX 11-based Fire Strike and DirectX 12-based Time Spy, achieving an 8.2% enhancement in Fire Strike Ultra and a 5.87% boost in Time Spy Extreme.
Continuing with the 3DMark CPU Profile—which evaluates processor scaling—the clean-installed 24H2 system demonstrated superior scaling as thread counts exceeded eight. Notably, at 16 threads, our clean-installed 14700K was approximately 6.78% faster than its upgraded counterpart.
However, GPU tests revealed mixed results for the 7800 XT. Performance was slightly lower on the clean-installed system, with a maximum differential of about 2.23%.This discrepancy is likely attributable to run-to-run variations, and no significant concerns arose from these findings.
Performance in Real-World Gaming
Turning our focus to real-world gaming, Black Myth: Wukong continued to show substantial improvements with frame generation enabled on the 24H2 clean installation, yielding results analogous to those recorded during the in-place upgrade.
In the context of frame generation off, the 95th percentile score increased marginally by 1 FPS, while the average frame rates remained consistent, suggesting that both clean and upgraded installations deliver comparable experiences.
In contrast, our tests with Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy indicated the clean-installed 24H2 underperformed in comparison to the 23H2 setup. Nevertheless, Intel’s Application Optimization (APO) proved beneficial, helping to harmonize performance discrepancies between 24H2 and 23H2.
Most other titles, such as Shadow of the Tomb Raider, produced results that fell within margin-of-error limits. Notably, the APO did not crash on 24H2 this time, indicating its reliability across both versions.
We encountered some peculiarities during our Far Cry 6 tests, where the clean-installed system did not adopt the expected graphics settings from the in-place upgrade. This pattern was similarly noted in titles like Assassin’s Creed Odyssey and Final Fantasy XV, raising questions about the 24H2 clean setup’s graphical capability.
Despite the unexpected lower presets, the Core i7-14700K consistently delivered increased frame rates across all observed games, confirming its strength even under demanding conditions.
Productivity Assessments
Exploring productivity software, Cinebench 2024 revealed identical CPU rendering performance between clean-installed 24H2 and 23H2. The GPU test demonstrated a slight uptick for the clean system but lacked excitement.
However, it was disappointing to note that the clean-installed 24H2 yielded slower results than the in-place upgrade in the 7-Zip compression test, albeit marginally faster than 23H2—reporting a performance deficit of about 3.5% compared to the upgraded system.
Application Performance Metrics
Our PCMark 10 findings indicated a continuation of poor application startup performance in 24H2, with the situation worsening compared to previous upgrades. Windows 11 23H2 recorded a score of 24, 096, whereas the 24H2 upgrade and clean installations scored 21, 376 and 20, 813, resulting in approximately 11.3% and 13.625% declines, respectively.
Moreover, productivity tasks such as photo editing, spreadsheet processing, and writing tests consistently resulted in lower performance, with the clean 24H2 scoring 9, 999 points compared to 10, 734 on 23H2 and 10, 460 on the in-place upgrade.
Memory Allocation Analysis
Lastly, we examined memory allocation in 24H2 versus 23H2, assessing system RAM requests for caching various data types. Our setup utilized a TeamGroup 32 GB DDR5-7600 kit, previously reviewed.
The clean-installed 24H2 achieved significant gains in RAM allocation efficiency, outperforming 23H2 while drastically reducing memory requirements compared to those observed in the upgraded 24H2 setup. This suggests a potential resolution of memory leak issues that could have affected the previous version.
Conclusion: Clean Install vs. In-Place Upgrade
The purpose of this clean installation evaluation was to determine whether the performance issues noted with the in-place upgrade would be resolved with a clean 24H2 setup. Although initial synthetic benchmark results were promising, these did not translate to improved performance in real-world gaming scenarios or productivity tasks. In fact, significant regressions in PCMark scores were noted.
As a result, if you’re contemplating a clean installation of Windows 11 24H2 for performance enhancements, you may end up disillusioned, unless you specifically experienced RAM inflation as evidenced in our upgraded 24H2 tests. In such cases, transitioning to a clean installation of 24H2 might be advantageous.
Ultimately, our recommendation for users deciding between Windows 11 23H2 and 24H2 remains cautious; unless significant improvements are highlighted in future updates, sticking with 23H2 often may suffice.
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