"RAM boosters" promise to free memory and speed up your PC. In reality, most of them make things slower — and here's why.

Free RAM is wasted RAM

Windows deliberately keeps recently-used data cached in memory (the "standby list") so it can be reused instantly. A booster that aggressively empties working sets just forces Windows to re-read that data from disk moments later — adding latency, not removing it.

The "before/after" number is theatre

Those tools show a big "freed 2 GB!" number, then memory fills right back up within seconds. The graph looks dramatic; the experience is unchanged or worse.

When freeing memory actually helps

• Right before launching a heavy game on a low-RAM machine, clearing cached junk can reduce stutter.
• Closing genuinely idle background apps frees real memory you can use.

That's exactly what Astrix's Game Boost does — and it reports the real megabytes freed, not a number that refills 30 seconds later. No placebo.

A short, honest list of settings that actually move frame-rate and input lag — all of which Astrix can apply for you.

1. Hardware-accelerated GPU scheduling (HAGS)

Lets the GPU manage its own memory, cutting a little latency on supported drivers.

2. Game Mode + disable Game DVR

Game Mode prioritises the foreground game; the background DVR/record feature quietly costs frames — turn it off.

3. Disable mouse acceleration

Set 1:1 raw input so the same hand movement always moves the same distance — essential for consistent aim.

4. Ultimate Performance power plan

Stops the CPU dropping clocks during light moments, which can cause micro-stutter.

5. Free RAM & trim background apps before you play

Fewer background processes = more headroom for the game, especially on 8–16 GB systems.

Gains vary by hardware — don't trust anyone who promises a fixed "+50 FPS". Measure before and after on your own PC.

v2.3 is the biggest release yet:

• Live dashboard with real CPU/GPU/RAM/disk that matches Task Manager.
• 80 real tweaks across 9 categories (5 new this release).
• Installs as a real app — Start Menu, Apps & Features, and one-time license keys.
• Smoother & faster — metrics gather in the background, so no lag and no stutter when you drag the window.

See the full version history.