Windows 11 requires VBS (Virtualization-Based Security) for features like Hyper-V and Memory Integrity. However, VBS can degrade gaming performance by 5-10% if not configured correctly.
Crucially, modern CPUs include specialized hardware features — Intel VT-x and AMD-V — designed specifically to accelerate virtualization. When enabled, these features allow virtual machines to execute instructions directly on the physical processor, bypassing inefficient software emulation. As PConline's tests show, enabling VT on Windows 11 reduces virtual machine startup time by approximately 35%, boosts Linux container (Docker) image builds by 22%, and increases WSL2 filesystem I/O throughput by nearly 40%.
Certain hardware features, particularly USB device passthrough, can be more challenging with Hyper-V compared to VirtualBox. VirtualBox excels in this area with simpler USB device management. hardware virtualization windows 11 better
Once hardware virtualization is enabled in BIOS, you can activate Windows' virtualization features through (Settings → System → Advanced → Virtual Workspaces) or via the legacy Control Panel (Turn Windows features on or off). Check the boxes for:
Hardware virtualization is a technology that allows multiple virtual machines (VMs) to run on a single physical host machine. This is achieved by creating a layer of abstraction between the physical hardware and the operating system, allowing multiple VMs to share the same physical resources. Each VM is a self-contained environment that can run its own operating system and applications, independent of the others. When enabled, these features allow virtual machines to
🛡️ Ironclad Security via Virtualization-Based Security (VBS)
Windows 11 uses VBS to create an isolated, secure region of memory away from the standard operating system. By treating the core OS as a potential target, VBS ensures that even if malware gains administrative privileges, it cannot access your most sensitive cryptographic keys or credentials. Memory Integrity (HVCI) VirtualBox excels in this area with simpler USB
Hyper-V operates fundamentally differently. Because Windows 11 runs on top of the hypervisor rather than the hypervisor running on top of Windows, virtual machines achieve near-native performance and significantly better responsiveness. When comparing Hyper-V directly against VirtualBox on the same hardware, Hyper-V-powered VMs feel "a lot more responsive" even when VirtualBox is assigned half of the CPU cores and 16GB of memory.
Windows 11 popularized the and the Windows Subsystem for Android (WSA) —both of which run inside a lightweight, managed Hyper-V virtual machine. Because hardware virtualization is so well-optimized:
Hardware virtualization on Windows 11 is better because of the perfect storm of architectural advantages, security features, and user-friendly improvements that Microsoft has delivered: