The Compy Blackbook

191 entries, every verdict on the record — none invented. 30 full write-ups are published below as the public sample; the complete graded book ships inside the app, next to your own rig's measurements.

Real wins — measured, not promised

Real

Disable Fullscreen Optimizations

Turns off Windows' hybrid fullscreen compositor for a specific game's .exe.

Read the verdict → Real

Windows Game Mode

Prioritizes the foreground game for CPU/GPU scheduling and holds back background interruptions.

Read the verdict → Real

Resizable BAR / Smart Access Memory

Lets the CPU access the GPU's whole VRAM in one mapping instead of small chunks (BIOS + driver).

Read the verdict → Real

Hardware-Accelerated GPU Scheduling (HAGS)

Moves GPU scheduling from the OS to the GPU itself (reboot required).

Read the verdict → Real

NVIDIA Reflex

In-game toggle that syncs rendering to input to genuinely cut click-to-display latency.

Read the verdict → Real

XMP / EXPO memory profile

Enables your RAM's rated speed profile in BIOS (it runs slower out of the box).

Read the verdict → Real

FPS cap below refresh rate

Caps frames ~3 below your monitor's refresh (e.g. 141 on a 144 Hz panel).

Read the verdict → Real

High / Ultimate Performance power plan

Stops Windows from downclocking/parking CPU cores at light load.

Read the verdict → Real

Disable Game Bar background recording (Game DVR)

Turns off Windows' always-on gameplay capture buffer.

Read the verdict → Real

Frame Generation (DLSS FG / FSR / AFMF)

GPU generates extra in-between frames for higher displayed FPS.

Read the verdict → Real

Upscaling (DLSS / FSR / XeSS quality modes)

Renders at lower resolution and AI-upscales to native.

Read the verdict →

How Compy grades things

Real: It actually does something. A measurable or well-proven effect on your games — worth doing.
Placebo: All hype, no effect. Popular online, but it changes nothing you can measure. We skip these so you don't waste time chasing them.
Risky — refused: Not worth the downside. It might do something, but it brings real tradeoffs — instability, a security hole, or things breaking — so Compy refuses it, or lets you decide with eyes open.

Tweaks — graded honestly (84)

Disable Fullscreen OptimizationsReal Sample
Windows Game ModeReal Sample
MSI Mode (Message-Signaled Interrupts)Real
Force HPET / useplatformclockRisky — refused Sample
Disable Core Isolation / VBSRisky — refused
Random registry "FPS boost" hacksPlacebo Sample
XMP / EXPO memory profileReal Sample
Resizable BAR / Smart Access MemoryReal Sample
Custom fan curves / better coolingReal
NVIDIA ReflexReal Sample
Low Latency Mode (driver setting)Real
AMD Anti-Lag+ (old driver-level version)Risky — refused
VRR + V-Sync + frame cap (the sync stack)Real
FPS cap below refresh rateReal Sample
Frame Generation (DLSS FG / FSR / AFMF)Real Sample
Upscaling (DLSS / FSR / XeSS quality modes)Real Sample
Shader cache size (unlimited / 10 GB)Real
High / Ultimate Performance power planReal Sample
Disable Game Bar background recording (Game DVR)Real Sample
Hardware-Accelerated GPU Scheduling (HAGS)Real Sample
Disable MPO (Multi-Plane Overlay)Real
Disable telemetry services (DiagTrack etc.)Real
Disable SysMain (Superfetch)Real
Disabling startup appsReal
Disable Windows Search indexingPlacebo
Visual effects → best performancePlacebo
MMCSS SystemResponsiveness=0 / GPU Priority 8Placebo
Win32PrioritySeparation foreground boostPlacebo
Forcing 0.5 ms global timer resolutionRisky — refused Sample
Core unparking / force all cores activePlacebo Sample
Disable C-States in BIOSRisky — refused
Disable / fix the pagefileRisky — refused Sample
Disable Windows DefenderRisky — refused Sample
Disable Windows Update entirelyRisky — refused
Disable CPU security mitigations (Spectre/Meltdown)Risky — refused Sample
All-in-one debloat scripts / stripped ISOsRisky — refused Sample
Network 'mega-pack' tweaks (Nagle, RSS/RSC, netsh stacks)Placebo Sample
IRQ priority / interrupt affinity hacksRisky — refused
PBO / Curve Optimizer (AMD CPU tuning)Risky — refused
Toggling Secure Boot / CSMRisky — refused
Kernel tweak tools / DLL injectors / 'FPS unlocker' appsRisky — refused
Keeping GPU drivers currentReal
Registry "aim" tweaksPlacebo
Disabling SMT / Hyper-Threading for gamingPlacebo Sample
NVIDIA "Prefer Maximum Performance" power modeReal
Pinning a game to specific CPU cores (affinity)Placebo
Disable memory compressionPlacebo
Game booster apps (Razer Cortex etc.)Placebo Sample
RAM cleaners / standby-list purgers (ISLC)Placebo Sample
Turning off hardware acceleration in Discord / ChromePlacebo
Changing DNS for lower pingPlacebo Sample
Running games as administrator for FPSPlacebo
Setting a game to High priority in Task ManagerPlacebo
Defragging an SSD for speedRisky — refused Sample
GPU overclocking for FPSRisky — refused
Reinstalling Windows every few months for FPSPlacebo Sample
Forcing exclusive fullscreen for FPSPlacebo
Running MSI Afterburner / an overlay to boost FPSPlacebo
Overclocking your monitor for more FPSPlacebo
Closing every background app for more FPSPlacebo Sample
Disabling audio enhancements for FPSPlacebo
Lowering render scale / resolution for FPSReal
Turning off HDR for more FPSPlacebo
Disabling mouse acceleration for FPSPlacebo
Running RAM in dual-channel (two sticks)Real
Disabling Nagle's algorithm for lower lagPlacebo
Disabling Fast Startup for FPSPlacebo
Switching to Ethernet for more FPSPlacebo
Turning off background recording (Instant Replay) for FPSReal
Setting Windows to your monitor's full refresh rateReal
Buying a bigger power supply for more FPSPlacebo
Running a registry cleaner for FPSRisky — refused
Chasing a lower monitor response time for FPSPlacebo
Buying more RAM for more FPSPlacebo
Needing PCIe 4.0/5.0 for more FPSPlacebo
Turning down the heaviest graphics settingsReal
Disabling integrated graphics for more FPSPlacebo
Buying a pricier motherboard for more FPSPlacebo
Updating your BIOS for more FPSPlacebo
Manually overclocking your CPU for more FPSRisky — refused
Putting a game on an SSD for more FPSPlacebo
Plugging in your laptop for more FPSReal
Switching between Windows 11 and 10 for FPSPlacebo
Raising your mouse DPI for more FPSPlacebo

Terms — plain English (85)

XMP / EXPO / DOCPTerm
VRR (variable refresh rate)Term
G-Sync / FreeSyncTerm Sample
V-Sync (vertical sync)Term Sample
FrametimeTerm
1% lows / 0.1% lowsTerm
Input latency (click-to-pixel)Term
Hz vs FPSTerm
Frame generationTerm
Upscaling (DLSS / FSR / XeSS)Term
Native resolutionTerm
HAGS (Hardware-Accelerated GPU Scheduling)Term
MPO (Multi-Plane Overlay)Term
HPET (High Precision Event Timer)Term
C-statesTerm
PBO / Curve OptimizerTerm
UndervoltingTerm
AMD undervolting — Radeon GPU vs Ryzen CPUTerm
Thermal throttlingTerm
VRAM (video memory)Term
Resizable BAR / SAMTerm Sample
NVMe vs SSD vs HDDTerm
RAIDTerm
Pagefile (virtual memory)Term
Secure BootTerm
TPM / fTPMTerm
UEFI vs BIOSTerm
CSM (Compatibility Support Module)Term
Kernel vs user spaceTerm
Kernel driverTerm
DLL injectionTerm
Anti-cheat (Vanguard / EAC / BattlEye)Term
ETW (Event Tracing for Windows)Term
OverlayTerm
Exclusive fullscreen vs borderlessTerm
DPC latencyTerm
Interrupts / MSI modeTerm
Polling rateTerm
DPI / PPITerm
Effective sensitivity (eDPI) — the number that actually mattersTerm
Actuation point (how far a key travels to register)Term
N-key rollover (NKRO) & key ghostingTerm
Rapid Trigger (Hall-effect / magnetic keyboards)Term
Shader compilationTerm
Traversal stutterTerm
Unreal Engine 5 (UE5)Term
Drivers / driver ageTerm
DDU (Display Driver Uninstaller)Term
TelemetryTerm
DebloatingTerm
RegistryTerm
Restore pointTerm
Power plansTerm
Core parkingTerm
Noise floorTerm
BenchmarkTerm
Run-to-run varianceTerm
Placebo effectTerm
Clear CMOSTerm
Cheat codes (and the "FPS cheat code" myth)Term
Optimization Cleanup (old tweaks on this PC)Term
Bottleneck (CPU-bound vs GPU-bound)Term
Frame pacingTerm
Pre-rendered frames (the render queue)Term
Screen tearingTerm
CPU core count (for gaming)Term
Anti-aliasing (AA)Term
Power limit (TDP)Term
Boost clock (dynamic clocks)Term
DirectStorageTerm
Auto HDRTerm
DisplayPort vs HDMI (for gaming)Term
sRGB mode (gamut clamp)Term
Gamma vs HDRTerm
Chroma subsampling (4:4:4 vs 4:2:0)Term
Can your eye see past 60 fps?Term
Backlight strobing (ULMB / motion blur reduction)Term
Pixel overdrive (ghosting & overshoot)Term
Response time: GtG vs MPRTTerm
Powerline adapters (Ethernet over your power lines)Term
MoCA (Ethernet over coax / TV cable)Term
How Compy grades thingsTerm
FreeSync vs blur reduction (you usually pick one)Term
Monitor settings by brand (FreeSync, G-SYNC, HDR)Term
Your monitor: Acer XFA253Q / XFA253QZ (Nitro)Term

Tricks — patterns to watch for (14)

The fake deep scanTrick
The invented issue counterTrick
The fake optimization scoreTrick
Scareware fear-toneTrick
The RAM cleaner sold as a boosterTrick
The paid driver-updater subscriptionTrick
The tweak mega-pack with no undoTrick
The "+40% FPS" claim with no methodTrick
The mismatched before/afterTrick
The subscription trap on local-only workTrick
"Secret settings Microsoft hides from you"Trick
The bundled-bloat installerTrick
The testimonial wallTrick
Paid one-click "PC optimizers"Trick

Guides — safe, with the undo attached (8)

Set up the VRR sync stackGuide
Cap your frame rate the right wayGuide
Clean up startup appsGuide
Set a generous shader cacheGuide
Update graphics drivers the right wayGuide
Set a sane fan curveGuide
Turn on your RAM's rated speed (XMP / EXPO)Guide
Undervolt your Radeon — cooler and quieter, usually for freeGuide