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Windows 11's New App Speed-Up Feature Sparks Debate
🇬🇷 Greece /Technology

Windows 11's New App Speed-Up Feature Sparks Debate

From Ta Nea · () Greek

Translated from Greek, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Named sources Context piece
  • Microsoft is developing a new feature for Windows 11 called 'Low Latency Profile' to speed up application startup times.
  • The feature temporarily increases CPU frequency, a technique common in operating systems from Apple and Google.
  • The announcement faced criticism from some users who called it a "lazy" solution, but Microsoft's VP Scott Hanselman defended it as standard industry practice.

Microsoft is working on a new feature for Windows 11 designed to significantly improve application and menu startup speeds. Dubbed the 'Low Latency Profile,' the function aims to enhance responsiveness by temporarily boosting the processor's frequency.

This technique of temporarily increasing CPU frequency for faster response times is not new and is already employed by companies like Apple and Google in their operating systems. However, the announcement of this feature for Windows 11 sparked criticism on social media, with some users labeling it a "lazy" approach and accusing Microsoft of neglecting code optimization for better performance.

All modern operating systems do this, including macOS and Linux. It's not a 'trick,' but the way modern systems make apps feel fast: temporarily increasing CPU speed and prioritizing interactive processes to reduce latency.

— Scott HanselmanMicrosoft's VP Scott Hanselman defended the new 'Low Latency Profile' feature, explaining it as a standard and effective industry practice for improving system responsiveness.

In response to the backlash, Microsoft Vice President Scott Hanselman took to X (formerly Twitter) to explain that the Low Latency Profile is an established industry practice. He clarified that "all modern operating systems do this, including macOS and Linux." Hanselman emphasized that it's not a "trick" but rather how modern systems make applications feel fast by temporarily increasing CPU speed and prioritizing interactive processes to reduce lag.

Hanselman further noted that smartphones use a similar technique, with screen taps triggering cores and temporarily increasing operating frequency. He stated that Windows already utilizes this method to some extent, but the new profile will increase its activation frequency for enhanced responsiveness. Microsoft also affirmed its continued work on optimizing older code for stability and high performance in Windows 11. The company believes these changes positively impact the user experience, and its engineers' open communication on social media aims to build transparency and demonstrate commitment to improving the operating system.

Your phone does this constantly; every time you touch the screen, it ramps up, renders the frame, and goes back to idle in milliseconds.

— Scott HanselmanHanselman drew a parallel between the Windows 11 feature and the common practice in smartphones to illustrate how temporary CPU boosts enhance user experience.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Ta Nea in Greek. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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