Why is the memory manager in Windows version 1703 faster than the current Windows versions?

hi dzjorrit​  You’re not imagining it , a lot has changed in Windows after 1703, and it does affect memory-heavy workloads more than pure CPU tasks.

The main difference is that newer Windows versions introduced several security and memory management changes (especially after the Spectre/Meltdown timeframe). Even if mitigations are disabled, parts of those changes remain in how memory is handled internally. This can add some overhead, particularly in scenarios where there’s a lot of memory access or user/kernel transitions.

On top of that, newer versions of Windows are doing more in the background, things like memory compression, improved paging strategies, and additional security layers. These are great for stability and overall system responsiveness, but they can slightly impact raw benchmark performance.

That’s why you’re seeing:

No difference in CPU-only tests

~10–15% drop in memory-intensive workloads

As for reverting it , there isn’t really a way to fully go back to 1703 behavior without actually using that version of Windows. You can try reducing overhead (e.g., disabling memory compression or certain security features), but you won’t completely eliminate the difference.

So overall, it’s less about a “slower memory manager” and more about newer Windows trading a bit of raw performance for better security and system reliability.