Enable Hardware-Accelerated GPU Scheduling for Better Gaming Performance
One of the most effective yet underutilized tricks to boost gaming performance on Windows is enabling Hardware-Accelerated GPU Scheduling. This feature allows your graphics card to manage its own memory more efficiently, reducing CPU overhead and potentially improving frame rates and reducing input lag.
What It Does
Hardware-Accelerated GPU Scheduling shifts the responsibility of managing GPU memory from the CPU to the GPU itself. This reduces the workload on your processor and allows the graphics card to handle scheduling tasks more directly, resulting in smoother gameplay and better overall performance.
How to Enable It
Right-click on your desktop and select Display settings
Scroll down and click on Graphics settings
Look for the option Hardware-accelerated GPU scheduling
Toggle the switch to On
Restart your computer for the changes to take effect
Requirements
Windows 10 version 2004 or newer (or Windows 11)
A compatible graphics driver (NVIDIA 451.48+ or AMD Adrenalin 20.5.1+)
A modern GPU that supports the feature
Expected Benefits
Most users report improvements in frame consistency, reduced stuttering, and lower input lag, especially in demanding games. The performance gain varies depending on your hardware configuration, but it's particularly noticeable on systems with mid-range CPUs paired with powerful graphics cards.
This simple toggle can provide measurable performance improvements without any cost or complex configuration, making it one of the best free optimizations available for Windows gaming.