Disabling Core Isolation, particularly the Memory Integrity feature, can indeed lead to noticeable improvements in CPU and memory performance. Here are the key findings from various sources:
Performance Improvements
- Gaming Performance:
- Users have reported a performance boost in gaming scenarios, with improvements ranging from 4-12% in average FPS and sometimes up to 20% in lows. Specific games like Forza Horizon 5 and Cyberpunk saw up to a 10 FPS increase when Memory Integrity was disabled.
- Benchmark Results:
- Tests conducted with high-end hardware, such as the GeForce RTX 4090, showed that disabling Virtualization-Based Security (VBS), which includes Core Isolation, improved performance by up to 5% overall. The performance gain was more pronounced at lower resolutions and settings.
- CPU and Memory Benchmarks:
- Benchmarks using AIDA64 revealed significant improvements in various metrics when Core Isolation was disabled. For example, memory read speeds increased from 43,569 to 48,432, and memory latency decreased from 57.9 ns to 50.4 ns. CPU performance also saw notable gains in tests like CPU Queen and CPU ZLib.
Reasons for Performance Impact
- Increased Resource Usage:
- Core Isolation uses virtualization to protect critical parts of the Windows kernel, which requires additional CPU and memory resources. This can slow down system performance, especially on older or less powerful hardware.
- Driver Compatibility:
- Core Isolation enforces stricter driver requirements, which can lead to performance degradation if incompatible or less optimized drivers are in use.
Disabling Core Isolation can lead to noticeable improvements in both CPU and memory performance, particularly in gaming and other high-performance scenarios. However, it is important to weigh these performance gains against the potential security risks, as Core Isolation provides important protections against certain types of attacks. For users prioritizing performance, especially in gaming, disabling Core Isolation may be beneficial, but it is advisable to re-enable it when performing less demanding tasks to maintain a higher level of security.