An obscure security setting in Windows 11 and 10 can notably impact gaming performance. We’re talking about Virtualization Based Security or VBS. Windows 11 comes with VBS enabled by default, and while it is of note for systems computers used for multiple virtual environments, it’s irrelevant to gamers. According to testing conducted by TomsHardware, the GeForce RTX 4090 can be up to 11% on average faster with VBS disabled:
The gains are most evident in CPU-bound titles like Flight Simulator, War Hammer 3, and Control. The lows see a notable boost, with TWH3 being 38% and 29% smoother at 1080p and 1440p Ultra, respectively. This can be a matter of victory and defeat in eSports titles, where stuttering in intensive scenes can be quite infuriating. The easiest way to disable VBS is as follows:
- Click on Start> Type “Core Isolation“.
- Open Core Isolation (under system settings). Uncheck memory integrity. And that’s it.
- Reboot your system and search for “System Information” under Start.
- Under system summary, look for “Virtualization-based security“. It should be disabled.
