Microsoft promised a major overhaul to improve Windows 11 performance and stability, but a TechPowerUp poll of nearly 33,000 users found that 43.4% see no noticeable improvements, while 38.1% report actual degradation in daily use. Many users cite issues like the August 2024 update resetting custom cursors and causing gameplay crashes. Only 12.6% noticed minor improvements and just 6.3% saw significant gains.

Windows 11 runs on half a billion PCs globally, each with unique configurations. Microsoft confirmed at IFA 2026 it's working on optimizations like faster boot times, Windows Hello improvements, and the Low Latency Profile for better performance on systems with 8 GB of RAM, but real-world impact remains uncertain.