The Windows 11 October 2025 update (KB5066835) has been linked to significant performance reductions in video games for certain users.
Performance Issues Observed
Digital Foundry conducted tests and reported severe frame rate drops in Assassin's Creed Shadows when using an AMD Ryzen 9800X3D and Nvidia RTX 5090. After the update, frame rates fell to about 34 fps, marking a reduction of roughly 33–50%. With the subsequent Nvidia driver hotfix, performance rose to 72 fps in the same gaming scene.
Nvidia's Hotfix Solution
Nvidia released a driver hotfix that specifically addresses reduced performance following the Windows 11 update. For users experiencing slowdowns, especially those with Nvidia GPUs, installing this hotfix is crucial to restore game performance. The hotfix claims to resolve issues for several games, although its impact on AMD GPUs remains uncertain.
Impact on Users
While comprehensive tests are limited, a user on X reported an 11% improvement in CS2's performance with the Nvidia hotfix. For users who noticed degraded performance after installing the Windows update, applying the Nvidia hotfix could significantly improve frame rates.
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