There is no single FPS penalty for Windows 11’s virtualization-based security (VBS). Its effect varies by processor, game and test setup: published results range from small differences to a more noticeable loss in a particular title. Memory Integrity, also called Hypervisor-protected Code Integrity (HVCI), is one VBS feature—not another name for VBS as a whole. For most players, the sensible default is to leave it enabled and consider a temporary change only when a repeatable, game-specific test points to a performance problem.
What VBS and Memory Integrity do
VBS uses hardware virtualization and the Windows hypervisor to create an isolated environment for security-sensitive functions. Memory Integrity, or HVCI, uses that environment to check kernel-mode code integrity, helping protect Windows against threats that target the kernel. Microsoft describes Memory Integrity as a VBS feature in its Windows setup guidance and explains the underlying architecture in its VBS overview.
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That distinction matters when interpreting gaming advice: turning off Memory Integrity is not necessarily the same as turning off every VBS capability. Check the state of each setting rather than treating “VBS” and “Memory Integrity” as interchangeable labels.
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Published tests do not support a universal percentage for the cost of VBS or the FPS gain from disabling Memory Integrity. Their results depend on the hardware, games and test conditions.
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| Test | What it measured | What the result means |
|---|---|---|
| Tom’s Hardware, 2021 | Three titles tested on a Ryzen 7 5800X showed less than 2% performance reduction with VBS enabled; Project Cars 3 had the largest reported reduction in that set, at 8.1%. | The Project Cars 3 result is a title-specific finding from that test setup, not a forecast for other games or PCs. |
| PCWorld, 2021 | Built-in benchmark modes in ten games, with three runs per game comparing Memory Integrity off and on. | The report found no drastic gaming performance drop in its setup. That does not establish that every game or PC is unaffected. |
| ComputerBase, 2023 | A further gaming comparison of VBS/HVCI configurations. | It highlighted that performance costs can be significant on CPUs without MBEC support; its results remain specific to its test configuration. |
These reports use different hardware, games, Windows builds and methods, so averaging their figures would produce a number that does not represent a typical current Windows 11 PC. A benchmark that is CPU-limited may also exaggerate a difference that is hard to notice when a system is instead limited by its graphics card.
Why the processor can change the result
HVCI’s cost depends partly on how the processor and platform implement the virtualization features it needs. Microsoft says older processors that rely on Restricted User Mode to emulate required functionality can experience a larger performance impact. Hardware features including Intel Mode-based Execution Control for EPT (MBEC) and AMD Guest-mode execute trap for NPT (GMET) reduce HVCI’s performance and power impact; the exact processor, firmware and platform matter, so a broad CPU-family label alone is not enough to predict the result. See Microsoft’s technical overview of VBS hardware support.
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How to check whether Memory Integrity is on
- Open Windows Security, then select Device security > Core isolation details. Review the Memory integrity setting. Microsoft’s Device Security guide explains the Windows Security page. Beginning with Windows 11 version 22H2, Windows Security warns when Memory Integrity is off.
- To check whether VBS is enabled and running, query
Win32_DeviceGuardin therootMicrosoftWindowsDeviceGuardnamespace. TheVirtualizationBasedSecurityStatusvalue indicates whether VBS is enabled and running. Microsoft documents this in its Memory Integrity guidance. - After changing a setting, restart if Windows requests it, then verify the state again before benchmarking. Do not assume a switch changed the active configuration until you have checked.
How to test the impact on your own PC
A useful comparison changes only the security setting—not the game, scene or other conditions. Keep the game version, resolution, graphics settings, driver, background tasks and benchmark route the same for each run.
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Outbyte Driver Updater FREEFix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesFind Drivers →Outbyte PC Repair FREERepair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →- Choose a repeatable in-game benchmark or route and record your current Memory Integrity and VBS status.
- Run the same scene several times with the current setting. Record average FPS and low-FPS or frame-time behavior separately; a similar average can still feel different if frame delivery becomes less consistent.
- If you want to investigate a performance issue, temporarily change Memory Integrity in Windows Security > Device security > Core isolation details, restarting if prompted.
- Verify the new status after the restart, repeat the same runs, and compare results. Note whether the game appears CPU-limited or GPU-limited, since that affects how much a CPU-side overhead can show up.
- Restore your preferred security setting after the comparison and confirm its status. If the game or its anti-cheat behaves differently, check the current support guidance from the game and anti-cheat vendors before deciding what to change.
Should you disable Memory Integrity for gaming?
Keep it on as the default unless you can identify a reproducible problem that matters on your system. Disabling it trades away a kernel security layer; it is not a risk-free performance tweak. If a controlled comparison shows a meaningful improvement in a game you play, weigh that measured benefit against the protection lost rather than applying a blanket recommendation to every PC.
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Compatibility is also part of the decision, not just FPS. Microsoft’s driver compatibility guidance strongly recommends thorough functional testing of anti-cheat solutions with Memory Integrity enabled. If a driver or anti-cheat issue appears, verify current vendor guidance and diagnose that specific issue instead of assuming every gamer should disable the feature.
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