Boost your WSL 2 performance using Microsoft instead of Intel CPU drivers

The Windows Resource Monitor shows only 50% load at full load of the WSL, with the standard driver from Microsoft for CPUs is at 100%. Accordingly, a benchmark in the WSL 2 also shows differences. (using a 12 core CPU and Debian)

Using the Microsoft driver sound like a bad idea, as Boost mode and even more features might not work anymore. This is true and it depends on the way you are working with the computer if this is suitable for you or not.

Does anyone know why Intel is limiting WSL 2 here?

Let’s deep dive a bit:

I have switched the processor driver using MS Registry Key:

Computer\HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\intelppm\Start with value 4 instead of 3

This will force Windows to use their own drivers after restart, will look like this in device manager:

Here we have the sysbench results from Debian WSL 2:

As you can see it really makes a difference!

As I’m using Microsoft only for Office products and Chrome and all of the other stuff happens in my WSL 2 — this seems to be a good solution for me.

In addition I’m using a laptop with a Core i7 CPU, so performance is more important than battery lifetime.

Screenshots Intel Driver:

Screenshots Microsoft Driver: