Windows Virtualization-Based Security (VBS) May Reduce Gaming Performance by Up to 10%

Tsing

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PC gamers on Windows who are seeking the highest gaming performance may want to ensure that virtualization-based security, more succinctly known as VBS, is turned off. According to benchmarks shared online, the feature, which Microsoft describes as using hardware virtualization features to create and isolate a secure region of memory from the normal operating system, reduces frame rates by as much as 10%, even on today's flagship graphics cards, including the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090. Microsoft reportedly released an update for Windows 11 recently that turns VBS back on for those who had turned it off, and Windows 10 users may also be affected.

See full article...
 
You can make sure this is off in windows 11 pro using gpedit.msc. FYI. It's under Device guard.

Might have been nice to include how to confirm it is off in the article. :)
 
Huh. This is the first I've heard of VBS. When did they introduce it?

Article says it is in Windows 10 as well?
 
I remember it being introduced with WIn11, and at the time, people were suggesting to turn it off because it reduces game performance by about 10%.


From 2021:
mspoweruser.com

Report: Windows 11 security feature can cause nearly 30% poorer game performance

Due to utilizing modern processor features better, Windows 11 has generally offered better performance on the same hardware as Windows 11. It turns out however that a new Windows 11 security feature may reverse those gains for gamers. UL benchmarks, the creator of popular 3DMark, Computer Base...
mspoweruser.com

Everything old is new again.
 
Anyone else find it amusing that they were using hardware virtualization features for security at a time when Meltdown/Spectre was circumventing hardware virtualization isolation? :p
 
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Looks like mine was already off.

VBS.png

I don't think I did it on purpose. I don't recall ever hearing about VBS until today.
 
Brent_Justice said:
VBS was introduced in Windows 10. However, it was disabled by default. The difference is, Windows 11 enabled it by default now. So now suddenly everyone became aware of it, but it isn't new.
Click to expand...

I don't have a problem with something like VBS being enabled by default in a new OS. But once a user selects to disable it it should stay off. The OS should not be like "I know better" and countermand the user.
 
Zarathustra said:
I don't have a problem with something like VBS being enabled by default in a new OS. But once a user selects to disable it it should stay off. The OS should not be like "I know better" and countermand the user.
Click to expand...


Ehhhhh home versions... maybe they should... Pro versions or those that have unlocked 'pro like' features... agreed with you 100%.
 
Grimlakin said:
Ehhhhh home versions... maybe they should... Pro versions or those that have unlocked 'pro like' features... agreed with you 100%.
Click to expand...
No, OS can default to whatever they want, and warn/beg/plead someone not to make a change, but they should never override a conscious decision of the user. Otherwise, why even have the option for it? Should just make it mandatory with no switch if you are just going to override every new patch.
 
Brian_B said:
No, OS can default to whatever they want, and warn/beg/plead someone not to make a change, but they should never override a conscious decision of the user. Otherwise, why even have the option for it? Should just make it mandatory with no switch if you are just going to override every new patch.
Click to expand...
They already do it. Like you can't disable windows defender permanently. It will turn itself back on after 15 minutes or so, it is truly awful.
 
MadMummy76 said:
They already do it. Like you can't disable windows defender permanently. It will turn itself back on after 15 minutes or so, it is truly awful.
Click to expand...
With the pro OS I believe you can set a local policy to have it permanently disabled. Not wise unless you have a better endpoint security solution.
 
Grimlakin said:
With the pro OS I believe you can set a local policy to have it permanently disabled. Not wise unless you have a better endpoint security solution.
Click to expand...
I didn't want to permanently disable it, just for a while but it kept turning back on deleting my files that it gave false alarms for. Which was the exact reason I wanted it off.
 
MadMummy76 said:
I didn't want to permanently disable it, just for a while but it kept turning back on deleting my files that it gave false alarms for. Which was the exact reason I wanted it off.
Click to expand...
You can put in permanent file exceptions for the scan. I've done that for some single player cheats I use.
 
I have disabled Windows Defender (we do for testing), with a group policy in the Pro version. However, it doesn't always stick, sometimes it still turns itself back on, I can't tell what triggers it coming back on, maybe time? But it comes on even with a policy set. I'll reboot sometimes, and the policy has reverted back. It's annoying as crap.
 
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