Performance Issues with Intel CPUs on Windows 11: What You Need to Know

A recent report highlights potential performance issues with Intel CPUs running Windows 11, particularly the Core Ultra processors. These problems appear to arise when applications are minimized, causing the operating system to throttle performance. The extent of this issue remains unclear, but it’s certainly raising concerns among users.

Windows 11 24H2 Struggles Continue

Microsoft’s Windows 11 24H2 update, released in October 2024, has faced a rocky road since launch. Compatibility issues, bugs, and performance problems have plagued users. Recent reports, such as the one shared by Günter Born on Borncity, highlight fresh concerns following the February 2025 update.

One of Born’s readers conducted tests after installing the February patch on a system running an Intel Core Ultra 9 285K processor with an ASRock Z890 Pro RD Motherboard. Using Prime 95 for stress testing and 7-Zip for benchmarking, they observed significant performance drops. Minimizing an application caused substantial throttling, and the CPU clock speeds were notably reduced. Screenshots provided by the user clearly show the issue.

Recurring Problems with Intel CPUs

This isn’t the first time Intel processors have faced performance issues with Windows 11. Similar problems have been reported in the past, where CPU workloads weren’t distributed as intended across the cores. Some users were able to resolve these issues by modifying hidden settings in the power-saving plans, as explained in this guide by Borncity.

However, these tweaks didn’t resolve the latest issue with Core Ultra CPUs. Interestingly, the problem didn’t occur on other systems tested by the same user, including setups with an Intel Core i9 12900K and an AMD Ryzen 9 9950X. This suggests that the issue may be specific to certain configurations or hardware combinations.

What Should You Do?

At this stage, it’s unclear if this is a widespread issue or an isolated incident. The fact that similar problems have been seen before with Intel’s Core Ultra processors suggests there could be a broader compatibility problem. Despite this, there haven’t been many other reports of similar cases.

If you own a Core Ultra processor, it’s a good idea to test your system’s performance using tools like Prime 95 or similar benchmarking software. If you notice significant performance drops when minimizing applications, it might be worth reporting the issue to Microsoft or Intel for further investigation.

For now, affected users will need to wait for updates or patches from Microsoft and Intel to resolve these performance concerns. Keeping your system updated and monitoring performance can help ensure your setup stays as efficient as possible.