iTechGuides is reader-supported. When you buy through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Learn more
You cannot make Windows add CPU capacity with a setting. It already schedules a game’s threads across available logical processors. To help a game, first reduce competing background work and check whether the game is actually CPU-limited. Task Manager’s CPU affinity option can restrict where a game runs; it does not add processing power or reserve cores for the game.
What “allocate more CPU” means in Windows
A CPU runs work through threads, and Windows schedules those threads across logical processors. Scheduling takes account of factors such as thread priority, affinity, processor availability, and power management. Windows may also adjust processor power states to balance responsiveness and energy use. There is no general Windows slider that assigns a larger share of the installed CPU to one game.
In practice, the phrase usually means one of two things: reduce other work competing for the processor, or change which logical processors the game is allowed to use. The first is the safer place to start. The second is an experiment, not a guaranteed optimization.
What’s actually slowing this PC down?
Pick the symptom - the matching free tool is one click away.
Start with checks that do not restrict the scheduler
Check that the game is CPU-limited
If the graphics processor is the limiting component, changing CPU affinity is unlikely to solve the bottleneck. Compare CPU and GPU load while playing, and look for the component that is consistently near its practical limit during the slow scene. Also compare frame-time consistency, not only an average frame rate. A game can be limited by a particular engine thread even when total CPU usage does not look high.
#1 Best Overall
- POWERHOUSE 8-CORE GAMING PERFORMANCE — Driven by the AMD Ryzen 7 8700F with 8 cores and 16 threads, boosting up to 5.0 GHz for smooth, responsive gameplay and the ability to handle AAA titles, streaming, and background tasks all at once
- NEXT-GEN BLACKWELL ARCHITECTURE — The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5070 is powered by NVIDIA's cutting-edge Blackwell GPU architecture, delivering a massive generational leap in rasterization and ray tracing performance so you can experience your games the way they were meant to be played.
- Simplistic Design: Enjoy the latest generation of Windows 11 Home for your everyday needs. *MSI recommends Windows 11 Pro for business use.
- Cool While Gaming: In conjunction with an ARGB fan Air Cooler, the Codex R2 features four system cooling fans; three in the front and one in the rear to pull in cool air and push heat out of the PC.
- Turn on the Bright Lights: With the built-in RGB lighting, take your gaming experience to the next level by pressing the MSI LED button to cycle through lighting options. Customize lighting even further with MSI Center software.
Reduce competing background work
Close or pause unnecessary CPU-heavy applications and tasks while testing. Keep essential security and system processes running; ending unfamiliar processes can cause problems. If the improvement appears only after background work stops, the issue was competition for available resources rather than a missing CPU allocation setting.
Check Game Mode and power conditions
Game Mode is intended to prioritize a focused game or give it access to some resources. Microsoft says it works by default for most Windows games and that its benefit depends on what else is running. It does not add cores or guarantee a frame-rate increase. See Microsoft’s Game Mode documentation for the resource behavior described there; the page covers APIs deprecated in Windows 10 version 1809 and later, so it is not a definitive guide to every current Windows interface.
Rank #2
- Legend perfected: Modern design with a matte basalt black finish in an optimized chassis with customizable AlienFX lighting zones, including the striking stadium lighting.
- Game changing graphics: Step into the future of gaming and creation with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5070 graphics, powered by NVIDIA Blackwell architecture.
- Marathon gaming unlocked: This high-performance technology ensures clean energy is consistently available, unleashing the top-level power of Intel Core Ultra 7 265F processor as you game, livestream, and multi-task for hours on end.
- Total command: Alienware Command Center software allows you to create and edit AlienFX lighting across the ecosystem, choose and monitor your performance mode across distinct power states, and create custom gaming profiles for your whole library.
- Dell Services: 1 Year Onsite Service provides support when and where you need it. Dell will come to your home, office, or location of choice, if an issue covered by Limited Hardware Warranty cannot be resolved remotely.
Check Windows power mode as well, particularly on a laptop. Test with the laptop plugged in if appropriate, and be aware that more performance-oriented power behavior can increase heat, fan noise, or battery use. Windows and device manufacturers also manage processor power and core parking, so changing affinity is not the same as forcing a processor to run at full speed.
What CPU affinity does—and does not do
Affinity determines which logical processors a process may run on. A restrictive affinity mask narrows the scheduler’s choices; it does not make those processors exclusive to the game, reserve them, or guarantee the game more CPU time. Windows CPU Sets offer a softer way for applications to express affinity that remains compatible with operating-system power management. When a restrictive affinity mask conflicts with CPU Set assignments, the mask takes precedence.
Rank #3
- Processor specifications: Adopting AMD Ryzen 5 5600 processor, with a basic clock speed of 3.5GHz and a turbo frequency of 4.4GHz, it can achieve fast response computing performance
- Graphics Card: Features GeForce RTX 3050 graphics card with 6GB dedicated video memory for gaming and multimedia applications
- Memory configuration: Equipped with 32GB DDR4 RAM (16GB * 2), providing sufficient memory capacity for multitasking and demanding applications
- Gaming Performance: Designed to handle modern gaming titles and graphics-intensive tasks with smooth frame rates and visual quality
- Desktop System: Complete gaming desktop computer system ready for setup and use out of the box
Microsoft cautions that hard thread affinity can hurt desktop performance: other work may compete for pinned processors, while the scheduler loses flexibility to move threads. Affinity can be useful for particular application or hardware configurations, but it is not a general-purpose “more CPU” control. Microsoft’s explanation of CPU Sets describes the soft-affinity model.
Try Task Manager affinity only as a reversible test
On Windows, Task Manager may expose Set affinity for a running game process. Availability and behavior can vary with the Windows build, permissions, launcher, and anti-cheat protections. The control may not be available for every game, and Windows’ official documentation does not establish a universal workflow or guarantee that a change will persist after relaunching.
Rank #4
- POWERED BY RTX 5070 12GB + RYZEN 7 9700X - The GeForce RTX 5070 12GB GDDR7 graphics card pairs with an 8-core AMD Ryzen 7 9700X processor to drive smooth 1440p and 4K gameplay, giving this gaming PC the headroom for modern titles, streaming, and creative work.
- 32GB DDR5 6000MHz MEMORY & 1TB NVMe SSD - 32GB of high-speed DDR5 memory and a 1TB PCIe 4.0 NVMe solid state drive deliver quick load times, smooth multitasking, and generous storage, keeping this prebuilt gaming desktop responsive under heavy workloads.
- BUILT-IN 11.3-INCH Smart DISPLAY - An integrated smart screen shows real-time CPU and GPU temperatures, usage, and weather while you play, adding a distinctive and functional touch to your battlestation.
- 850W 80+ GOLD POWER SUPPLY, 360MM LIQUID COOLING & WiFi 7 - An 850W 80 Plus Gold certified power supply provides stable, efficient power with headroom for future upgrades, while a 360mm AIO liquid cooler, WiFi 7, and an ARGB mid-tower case keep the Ryzen 7 CPU cool and connected in a clean build.
- READY TO PLAY OUT OF THE BOX - Arrives fully assembled and tested with Windows 11 Home pre-installed, so your prebuilt gaming computer is ready to set up in minutes. Assembled in the USA, and backed by a one-year limited warranty and lifetime free technical support.
- Start the game, then open Task Manager with Ctrl+Shift+Esc.
- Open Details and identify the game’s running process. Be careful to select the game itself rather than its launcher or an unrelated process.
- Right-click the process and choose Set affinity, if the option is available. Note which logical processors are currently selected before changing anything.
- Change only one setting for the test. Selecting fewer processors restricts where the game can run; it does not assign those processors exclusively to it.
- Apply the change and compare the same game scene under similar conditions. If frame times or performance worsen, restore the original selection or restart the game.
Do not treat “High” or “Realtime” process priority as a generic fix. Priority affects scheduling, but raising it indiscriminately does not establish that a game will perform better and can interfere with other work.
Do these 3 things before closing this tab:
1Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitches2Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errors3Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteWhy hybrid CPUs need special care
Some processors combine higher-performance cores with more energy-efficient cores. Windows may use efficient cores to save energy and bring higher-performance cores into use as needed. A blanket rule such as “use only P-cores” or “use only E-cores” ignores the game engine, thread importance, processor topology, and other active work.
Best Value
- CPU: AMD Ryzen7 5700X (up to 4.6GHz) 8-Core 16-Thread to easily handle multi-line tasks
- Main board: MSI B550M-A PRO motherboard provides reliable performance and stability
- GPU: Geforce RTX 5060 8GB GDDR7 Graphics Cards (Brand may vary) Support DLSS 4 multi frame generation, ray tracing, and Reflex 2 delay optimization
- RAM: 32GB DDR4 3200MHz (16GB*2) SSD: 1TB M.2 NVMe PCIe
- Power supply: 650W (80plus bronze) certified for energy efficiency and stable performance
Microsoft’s game-development guidance explains that critical threads may benefit from performant cores in some configurations, while broad restrictions can remove useful scheduling options. The right behavior is specific to the game and CPU; see Game Performance in Hybrid CPU Environments.
Do not confuse graphics settings with CPU allocation
In Windows 11, Settings > System > Display > Graphics provides per-app graphics options, including GPU preference on systems with multiple GPUs and options for windowed games. These settings concern graphics and presentation, not CPU affinity. Microsoft says to restart the game after changing a graphics setting. See Optimizations for windowed games in Windows 11.
How to tell whether an affinity change helped
- Record the original affinity setting before changing it.
- Use the same game scene, graphics settings, and background conditions for each comparison.
- Change one variable at a time and compare frame-time consistency as well as performance.
- Restore the default if results are worse, less consistent, or unchanged.
- Do not assume a change will carry over after closing and reopening the game.
If ordinary checks and a controlled test do not help, the remaining limit may be the game’s engine, the CPU’s hardware capacity, or the processor’s thermal and power conditions. No Windows setting can make a CPU execute more work than those limits allow. Microsoft’s documentation on CPU analysis and processor power management describes the scheduling and power-management context.
PC Slower Than It Used to Be?
A free scan shows the junk files, broken settings and background clutter dragging Windows down - then fixes them in one click.Free scan · Windows 10 & 11Outdated Drivers Are Slowing You Down
One free scan finds every outdated or missing driver and matches the right update for your exact hardware.Free scan · exact hardware matchQuick Recap
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
