Does reinstalling Windows really boost performance? Let's bust a PC myth

Will did some testing on a year-old “dirty” Windows 11 installation versus a fresh one. The results will shock you, for real.

- BY MICHAEL CRIDER

If you've been using Windows for a long time, you've probably been told to periodically reinstall the operating system (fave.co/4lmpl4R) to keep it fresh. I remember I used to reinstall Windows XP every few months back in the day to keep it zippy. But is this necessary in 2025? Will Smith ran the numbers in a deep dive investigation—and they might just shock you.

In short, the answer is no. Based on Will's personal Windows 11 video editing and gaming desktop, a Ryzen 9800X3D machine with 64GB of RAM, there was almost no F1 2024 showed dramatic improvements on a fresh machine.

difference between a PC that's heavily customized and running for over a year versus a clean installation. He also tested it on the even more powerful 9950X3D.