Forum Discussion

ZacharyRodriguez's avatar
ZacharyRodriguez
Iron Contributor
Jun 25, 2026

Is there a difference between Insider's Balanced and Best Performance power modes?

For new Windows 11 laptops equipped with Modern Standby, what are the actual differences in performance test results between the Balanced and Best Performance modes in Settings?

This is what I want to figure out. What are the differences between the preview version and other versions?

 

3 Replies

  • Lamizam's avatar
    Lamizam
    Copper Contributor

    CPU frequency tends to stay higher and more consistent during tests.

  • Japoend's avatar
    Japoend
    Copper Contributor

    The main difference between Insider's Balanced and Best Performance power modes lies in their focus on energy efficiency versus maximum performance. Balanced mode aims to optimize power consumption while maintaining decent performance, whereas Best Performance mode prioritizes raw speed, often leading to higher power usage and shorter battery life.

  • Hi Zachary, Balanced and Best Performance can behave very differently depending on the laptop maker, firmware, and cooling design. Best Performance usually allows higher power use and faster responsiveness, but it often costs battery and heat. The clean way to compare is to run the same benchmark on AC and battery, with the same thermal state, and log CPU package power and temperature