Microsoft Borrows macOS-Style CPU Tricks to Make Windows 11 Up to 70% Smoother

Microsoft is trying a new way to make apps and animations feel faster on Windows 11 by boosting CPU performance during common actions. When you launch an app from the taskbar or Start (or open the Start menu itself), windows should pop up faster with a smoother UI.

The system essentially detects when an app is launched or a menu is triggered, then briefly drives one or more CPU cores to their boost clocks for one to three seconds, Ars Technica reports.

This change can make some built‑in apps like Edge and Outlook open up to 40% faster, with elements like the Start menu and context menus appearing up to 70% faster in test builds. The gains appear most obvious on slower or older hardware, but people with newer systems also report that Windows 11 feels more responsive in side‑by‑side comparisons.

Following critiques of the new feature ...