Documentation / Optimization Overview

System Optimizations

Frameshift applies 6 categories of Windows registry and system tweaks to maximize gaming performance. Understand what each optimization does and how to use them safely.

Overview

Frameshift's optimization system modifies Windows registry settings, power plans, and system configurations to reduce latency, increase frame rates, and improve overall system responsiveness. All optimizations are fully reversible and automatically backed up before application.

All 6 optimization categories with Apply/Revert buttons and status indicators
The optimization panel showing all categories and their current status

The 6 Optimization Categories

Each optimization category targets a specific system component. You can apply categories individually or all at once.

Network Optimization

Reduces network latency by optimizing TCP/IP settings, disabling throttling, and configuring receive side scaling.

Expected Impact: 15ms latency reduction
Restart Required: No

GPU Optimization

Disables GPU preemption and power saving features. Auto-detects NVIDIA, AMD, or Intel and applies vendor-specific tweaks.

Expected Impact: 3-8 FPS increase, 2ms latency reduction
Restart Required: Yes

CPU Optimization

Disables CPU core parking, sets high-performance power plan, and disables security mitigations for maximum performance.

Expected Impact: 15 FPS increase, 2ms latency reduction
Restart Required: Yes

Storage Optimization

Optimizes NTFS filesystem, configures write cache, and disables storage power saving. Auto-detects SSD/HDD/NVMe.

Expected Impact: 5 FPS increase, 1ms latency reduction
Restart Required: No

Memory Optimization

Configures memory compression, clears standby list, and optimizes page file settings based on available RAM.

Expected Impact: 10 FPS increase, 2ms latency reduction
Restart Required: No

System Optimization

Optimizes Win32 priority separation, MMCSS priorities, and minimizes system-wide latency tolerance across 30+ settings.

Expected Impact: 5 FPS increase, 10ms latency reduction
Restart Required: Yes

Combined Performance Impact

When all 6 optimization categories are applied together, most users experience significant performance improvements.

Performance Metric Average Improvement Best Case
FPS Increase 15-25% 35%+
Input Latency Reduction 8-15ms 30ms+
CPU Usage Reduction 5-10% 15%+
Load Time Improvement 10-20% 40%+
1% Low FPS Improvement 20-30% 50%+
Results Vary by System
Performance improvements depend on your system configuration, existing optimizations, and hardware. Systems with more background processes and less optimization typically see the best improvements. High-end systems with clean installations may see smaller gains.

How Optimizations Work

Frameshift optimizations work by modifying Windows registry values and system settings to prioritize gaming performance over power saving and background tasks.

What Gets Modified

  • Windows Registry: Over 100 registry keys across HKLM and HKCU hives
  • Power Plans: Switches to high-performance power plan and configures processor settings
  • System Services: Adjusts service priorities and dependencies
  • Driver Settings: Modifies GPU driver priorities and networking adapter configurations
  • Filesystem Settings: Optimizes NTFS parameters and caching behavior
Learn More: Registry Modifications

All registry changes are documented and can be reviewed before application. Frameshift modifies settings in these registry locations:

  • HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\* - System-wide settings
  • HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\* - Windows configuration
  • HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Control Panel\Desktop - User interface settings
  • HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\* - Service and driver settings

Every change is logged to %APPDATA%\Frameshift\optimization.log for transparency and troubleshooting.

Safety & Reversibility

All optimizations are designed to be safe and fully reversible. Frameshift includes multiple safety mechanisms to protect your system.

Safety Features

Automatic Restore Points

Before applying optimizations for the first time, Frameshift automatically creates a Windows system restore point. This allows you to undo all changes from Windows recovery.

Registry Backups

Every registry value is backed up before modification. Backups are stored in %APPDATA%\Frameshift\registry_backups\ for manual recovery if needed.

One-Click Revert

Each optimization category has a "Revert" button that instantly restores all original settings. No need to manually undo changes or restore from backup.

Admin Privileges Required

Frameshift requires administrator access to modify system settings. This ensures changes are intentional and prevents accidental modifications.

Security Mitigations Warning
CPU optimization disables Spectre and Meltdown mitigations for maximum performance. This slightly increases vulnerability to specific CPU-level attacks. Only disable if you trust all software running on your system. You can revert this specific change at any time.

Applying Optimizations

Follow these steps to safely apply Frameshift optimizations to your system.

  1. Run Baseline Benchmark

    Before applying any optimizations, run the benchmark suite to establish baseline performance. This allows you to measure improvements later.

  2. Navigate to Optimizations Tab

    Click the "Optimizations" tab in the main Frameshift window to view all 6 categories.

  3. Review What Will Change

    Click on each category to expand details about what registry keys and settings will be modified. Read through to understand the changes.

  4. Apply All or Individual Categories

    Click "Apply All" to enable all 6 optimizations at once, or apply categories individually. Frameshift will automatically create a restore point before the first application.

  5. Restart Your System

    Some optimizations (GPU, CPU, System) require a restart to take full effect. Frameshift will notify you if a restart is needed.

  6. Test and Measure Impact

    After restarting, run the benchmark suite again and compare results. Also test your favorite games to feel the real-world improvement.

Which Optimizations Should I Apply?

Not all optimizations are necessary for every user. Here's guidance on which to apply based on your needs.

Recommended Configurations

Use Case Recommended Categories Reasoning
Competitive Gaming All 6 categories Maximum FPS and minimum latency for competitive advantage
Casual Gaming CPU, GPU, Memory Balanced performance improvement without aggressive tweaks
Online Gaming Network, CPU, GPU Prioritize latency reduction and frame rates
Laptop Gaming Memory, Storage, System Avoid power plan changes that reduce battery life
Productivity + Gaming GPU, Memory, Storage Improve gaming without affecting productivity workflows
Pro Tip
Apply optimizations one category at a time if you want to identify which provides the most benefit for your specific system. Test after each application, then combine the most effective ones.

Troubleshooting Optimizations

Most users experience no issues after applying optimizations, but here's how to resolve common problems.

System Instability After Optimization

  • Symptom: Blue screens, crashes, or freezes after applying optimizations
  • Solution: Revert the most recently applied category. If issues persist, revert all optimizations and apply one at a time to isolate the problematic category.
  • Prevention: Ensure your Windows installation is fully updated before applying optimizations

Application Won't Start After Optimization

  • Symptom: Specific applications fail to launch after system optimizations
  • Solution: Revert System optimization category, as it modifies application priorities
  • Alternative: Add the application to Frameshift's whitelist to exclude it from priority changes

Network Connectivity Issues

  • Symptom: Internet connection drops or fails after network optimization
  • Solution: Revert Network optimization. Some network adapters or drivers don't support aggressive TCP/IP tuning
  • Note: This is rare but can occur with older network adapters
Need Help?
If you encounter issues not covered here, visit the Troubleshooting page for more detailed solutions or join our Discord community for support.

System Requirements for Optimizations

All optimizations require Windows 10 build 1903 or later, or Windows 11. Administrator privileges are mandatory.

Category-Specific Requirements

  • Network: No additional requirements
  • GPU: Dedicated graphics card (NVIDIA, AMD, or Intel Arc recommended)
  • CPU: Multi-core processor recommended (2+ cores)
  • Storage: Works with all drive types (SSD/NVMe recommended for best results)
  • Memory: 8GB+ RAM recommended
  • System: No additional requirements
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