Another major Windows 11 update is due out in the fall: 22H2 aka Sun Valley 2. Above all, Microsoft is focusing on greater performance and new functions. We’ve already seen a preview version for 4players and tried it out to see if the new technical features like SMB compression and efficiency mode really bring more frames.
We did benchmarks for the 22H2 with the almost final version on various PCs. In addition to noticing better performance in games, we also conducted tests to show whether there were advantages in terms of everyday performance, battery life, and network speed compared to the original version of Windows 11. Specifically, the following test points were on the list:
Gaming: Microsoft promises a performance boost with the upcoming Windows Update, especially when playing games and under high load. Turn it on, you can’t have enough frames per second. We measured how much and how much gaming performance changed on current gaming notebooks with higher-end components and other configurations.
Office and Multimedia: How does Windows 11 22H2 compare to Windows 11 when using software like Microsoft Office, Adobe Creative Suite or video conferencing tools?
battery pack: How careful is Windows 11 22H2 with notebook batteries? Do laptops last longer on the road?
Gaming performance under Windows 11 22H2 in the test: slightly faster
Frames per second: Results table for the notebook Razer Blade 17 2022.
When comparing Windows 10 and 11 in terms of gaming performance, the differences are minimal. Windows 11 comes out on top only in some cases. And even then, the performance gain is hardly noticeable and runs between 1 and 2 frames per second. Will we get more with 22H2? Testing performed on a high-end notebook from Razer (Razer Blade 17 2022) and a well-equipped, in-house desktop PC (Core i9 12900K, 32GB DDR5 RAM, GeForce 3090), spit out the following numbers, which you can be seen in the table on the right.
Frames per second: Table of results for a desktop PC with a Core i9 12900 processor.
On average, Windows 11 22H2 increased by exactly one frame per second across all benchmarks. Depending on the game, this was sometimes one or two more frames per second. The only exception was Forza Horizon 5, which ran no faster than Windows 11 at 72 fps in 4k resolution. Does this liquid play a role with values of 50 fps and more? certainly not. But we shouldn’t be too greedy and happy about promoting every little display, right?
Bro & Company: Can Windows 11 Catch Up With Windows 10?
Comparison of copy, boot and browser times for Windows 10, 11 and 11 22H2.
At IMTEST, we saw last year when benchmarking typical Office software that Windows 11 lagged behind its predecessor, not dramatically, but measurably compared to Windows 10. Overall, Windows 11 was about 4 percent slower than Windows 10. Although this is not a big issue in everyday life, we still believe that a newer operating system should not run slower than the previous version. Has anything changed with 22H2 in this regard? To find out, we ran the same tests again with the same mid-range notebook. You can see the happy result in our graphic.
Microsoft and hardware makers have apparently been busy working on drivers for the past few months. Because the performance of Windows 11 22H2 is now not only at the level of Windows 10, but sometimes even better.
Battery: Longer gaming time on the go thanks to the 22H2?
You have to give Windows 11 one thing: Notebooks last much longer with the newer operating system. For example, in a test on a mid-range notebook, we were able to stream Netflix for 20 minutes longer than on Windows 10. Can Windows 22H2 Save Even More Energy? Ultimately, customized drivers can also play a role in this area. Let’s take a look at the measurement results.
Battery performance of a mid-range laptop in various disciplines – with Windows 11 22H2.
Well, the improvements aren’t as big as the move from Windows 10 to Windows 11, but they’re still measurable. However, a few extra minutes will hardly be noticeable in everyday use. But the same applies here: sometimes a minute can be more or less important.
Network performance: 22H2 Moderately fast
For the first time ever, we also took a closer look at network performance. To do this, we repeatedly copied a 500 MB folder from one PC to another via WLAN. The folder contained photos, documents and installation files, among other things. Two identical computers with Windows 11 and then Windows 11 22H2 were used for testing. Remarkable measurement results: Windows 11 required 31 seconds for this, after the update to 22H2 it was only 27 seconds.
In fact, the network optimization promised by Microsoft ensures a decent increase in performance. On average, data zips through the WLAN 4 seconds faster. It’s certainly not a cause for concern for most of us, but those who often carry large data packets over their home networks will need to drink their tea a little faster with the 22H2. Our conclusion: We didn’t expect Windows 22H2 to connect the bolide to a lame computer. And that didn’t happen either. Still, we have to applaud Microsoft at this point: In addition to new functions like the revived Windows Media Player and a completely revamped Task Manager, Microsoft has also screwed up under the hood. While the improvements in performance and stamina are not spectacular, they are certainly measurable. Since the update ran stable in testing and we didn’t see any errors: there’s nothing wrong with installing it as soon as 22H2 appears.
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