In windowed (fullscreen) games, other programs and desktop effects cause significant slowdowns.
In windowed (fullscreen) games, other programs and desktop effects cause significant slowdowns.
Diablo 4 and World of Warcraft are the two games I've tested using Windowed (Fullscreen); all other pure Fullscreen games work just fine. When either aforementioned game is minimized or out of focus, the framerate on everything else suffers dramatically. Scrolling, tabbing, un/minimizing other windows such as task manager, etc. Clicking + dragging an app window has stutters. Even the minimize animation becomes a slideshow. Once either game is closed, the everything returns to normal. I want to be clear that this behavior was not present on Windows 10 with the same settings when playing WoW or playing the Diablo 4 beta(s). I've also tried setting a generous frame rate limit for the Background FPS setting in both games with no luck. My wife upgraded to Win11 the same day I did and is using the same graphics driver on an RTX 2060 @ 1080p, same game settings, without issues. Only difference seems to be our monitors and our resolutions. Windows Info Edition: Windows 11 Home Version: 22H2 Installed on: 6/3/2023 OS build: 22621.1778 Experience: Windows Feature Experience Pack 1000.22642.1000.0 System Specs: i9-10900K @ 3.70GHz PRIME Z490-P BIOS version 1602 32 GB DDR4-3600MHz Thermaltake TOUGHRAM MSI Gaming X Trio RTX 3070 @ 1440p 1TB WD Blue SN550 M.2 Corsair RM850x 850 Watts Acer XB271HU 165 Hz Monitor Currently using NVIDIA GRD version 535.98 and this is a fresh install with a driver wipe in safe mode, after the Win11 upgrade. I've since reinstalled the same driver, once again with DDU + Safe Mode, and the issue persists. Should also note that I have G-SYNC enabled for both Windowed and Fullscreen, and I have Optimizations for windowed games enabled. Neither of these settings make a difference when adjusted. Closing out of all other apps doesn't make a difference either. I'm really a wit's end with this.
Several factors influence this pattern. I've dealt with it before and resolved it quickly. The tweaks I make include turning off certain optimizations, like the Xbox game bar recording. I also disable v-sync in the control panel. Trying various Windows Power Plans might help too, ensuring no background tasks are closing. GeForce Experience hasn't been used in my experience and could be causing unusual behavior.
I've kept all the Windows-based tweaks off. Game Mode, Game Bar, etc. The windowed game optimization I activated was mainly for improving performance in some older titles. I haven't tested V-Sync settings in the NVIDIA Control Panel yet. I'll try it individually for the two games that are causing problems. Right now I stick to the performance plan to get the most out of my system. I'm not sure if reverting to balanced would help, but it's worth a try. GeForce Experience has never slowed me down before. I turned off the overlay and experimental options once the issue appeared. My main doubt isn't about NVIDIA—it's that the same hardware, drivers, and resolution can produce solid frames in other games with much better quality and higher usage. This whole situation just doesn't add up to me.
Disabling VSYNC didn't change the outcome, regrettably. I also tested it after a reboot just to be sure. Something strange happened: I attempted to capture the lag and stuttering from Streamlabs while keeping one game open and unseen, but it didn't appear in playback. At least it wasn't as noticeable. When I opened the recording in Movies & TV, it didn't show anything. With Media Player, however, the problem becomes clear. I assure you, I'm not insane—my wife watched the whole process. I'm starting to think I might be losing my mind.
Capture the moment using your phone's camera at 60 frames per second.
I could attempt to move my monitor to the iGPU when I arrive home, but that seems a bit too much considering the problem only shows up in two games. It’s unclear whether a GPU is malfunctioning specifically in Windowed (Fullscreen) or if there are other issues elsewhere. I’m not sure if a single game would indicate a broader problem or just random glitches.
It involves removing variables to pinpoint the issue, especially useful when using an iGPU during troubleshooting. If the problem remains even without the GPU, it may point to iGPU or software causes. The aim is to narrow down the cause by eliminating factors, which helps when dealing with unusual behavior. If the issue disappears after disabling the iGPU, you can check if the problem was originally tied to the UEFI or software settings.