The Windows 11 24H2 update is expected to start rolling out between late September and early October. While this new update will bring many new AI-related improvements, other new features and functions have also been included. Windows 11 24H2 features a new API that is said to be focused on making application execution faster.
Microsoft is working on a large battery of new features to “force” users to switch to this new operating system. The problem for the company is that about 65% of users continue to use Windows 10, despite the fact that in just over a year they will stop supporting it.
We remind you that the company releases two large update packages annually that include many new features. In between, so to speak, they release small improvements, functions and, above all, corrections of errors and vulnerabilities.
Windows 11 will make apps run faster
There is still no official date for this major Windows 11 24H2 update, but some details are known. The support document already gives some details about what we will see. It highlights the WDDM 3.2 version and an interesting feature called “User Mode Work Submission”.
The support documentation mentions a new feature that will allow applications to run faster. According to the documentation, it seems that communication with the GPU is improved, making it faster.
The new feature allows sending small tasks to the GPU that are required to use the application. Additionally, latency is reduced and performance is improved.
An example would be using Premier to render a video. The application breaks down the work into smaller tasks that the GPU must perform. This new way of working will allow the task to be done much faster. Latency is also reduced as the software can send the request directly to the GPU.
On the other hand, the support document highlights that this will especially benefit users running applications inside a docker or virtual machine.
Microsoft explains Windows 11 24H2 uses something called GPU doorbells. These are notifications or calls to the GPU when new tasks are added to the queue. There will be two types:
- Global Ringtones: All tasks share a single notification mechanism that is constantly checked by the GPU.
- Dedicated bells: Each task queue has its own notification mechanism, letting the GPU know which tasks have priority over the rest.
You should be aware that this “small task” mechanism results in increased power consumption. User-mode work submission can be combined with the Windows engine state transition feature.
Simply put, the GPU will go into a very low power mode when idle. This is a trade-off when the GPU is under heavy load and therefore consumes a lot of power.
When the graphics card completes its tasks, if there is no more work to do, the GPU engine state switches to a low-power mode. The power transition system is not new, but its inclusion in user mode is. Without a doubt, it is an interesting innovation that we will see how it works once it is available.
