Windows 11 has come under heavy scrutiny after an unofficial performance comparison revealed that Microsoft’s latest operating system performed worse than several older Windows versions in nearly every test. The benchmark was conducted by YouTuber TrigrZolt, who installed six generations of Windows, including Windows XP, Vista, 7, 8.1, 10, and Windows 11, on the same Lenovo ThinkPad X220 laptop using identical hardware.
The results quickly became a hot topic among PC users, as Windows 11 consistently ranked at the bottom of the charts. In contrast, Windows 8.1 surprised many by delivering the fastest and most responsive overall experience on the aging hardware.
Boot time testing showed Windows 8.1 reaching the usable desktop faster than all other versions. Windows 11, despite featuring Fast Boot, recorded the slowest startup time. A major issue noted during testing was the delayed loading of the taskbar after reaching the desktop, a long standing complaint among Windows 11 users since its launch.
Memory management further highlighted the gap between generations. Windows XP consumed only around 0.8GB of RAM while idle, whereas Windows 11 used approximately 3.3GB, occasionally spiking to 3.7GB. In a stress test that involved opening browser tabs until system memory reached its 5GB limit, Windows 8.1 managed to keep 252 tabs open. Windows 11, on the other hand, struggled and capped out at just 49 tabs, largely due to its numerous background processes and telemetry services.
Performance issues continued when launching basic applications such as Paint, Calculator, and File Explorer. Windows 11 consistently placed last, with File Explorer in particular showing noticeable lag. Video rendering tests using OpenShot saw Windows 10 claim first place, while Windows 11 once again finished at the bottom among supported versions.
That said, the test environment is an important factor to consider. The Lenovo ThinkPad X220 used for testing runs on an Intel Core i5-2520M processor and a traditional HDD, hardware that does not meet Windows 11’s official system requirements. Modern versions of Windows are designed with SSD storage and newer CPUs in mind, and running them on older systems can significantly impact performance.
In his final verdict, TrigrZolt named Windows 8.1 the overall winner in terms of smoothness and stability on mid range and older hardware. Although it was heavily criticized during its original release, Windows 8.1 now appears to strike the best balance for legacy machines. As for Windows 11, its performance may improve dramatically on newer PCs that fully meet Microsoft’s recommended specifications.
