Gaming Optimizer vs PotatoBoost

Gaming Optimizer is a free, MIT-licensed Windows app for managing CPU affinity in games and background processes. It can assign games to fast cores and demote background processes, but CPU pinning is off by default and changes do not occur until it is enabled. The app says it restores altered processes and system settings when a game closes. Its dashboard shows CPU and GPU metrics, network activity, ping and jitter, bottleneck classifications and process zones. It detects game launches through WMI and scans Steam, Epic Games, GOG, Ubisoft Connect and EA App libraries. Per-game reports include average and peak CPU and GPU metrics and bottleneck breakdowns, with a cumulative sessions.csv file. An optional setting locks NVIDIA graphics clocks while a game runs and resets them afterward. The maker says there is no telemetry, analytics or update checking; the only outbound connection is a configurable latency ping. It requires Windows 10 version 1809 or Windows 11, an x64 processor and administrator rights. The README describes ZIP distribution without an installer, while the Releases page lists no releases.

PotatoBoost is a Windows performance suite for tuning, cleanup, game settings, and backups. It detects PC hardware, recommends a matching plan, and lets users preview supported changes before applying a profile. Live Boost holds supported performance settings during a session and restores the saved state afterward. Maintenance tools cover memory use, startup entries, cleanup targets, Windows privacy checks, and game configuration. Supported setting changes are saved before they are applied, and Restore is available on the free plan. The maker gives no fixed FPS increase because results depend on the hardware, game, and current settings. PotatoBoost supports Windows 10 and 11 on x64 PCs, not ARM64, macOS, or Linux. It is free to use with the Free Forever plan; Premium Flexible costs C$6.99 a month after a 7-day free period, or Premium costs C$40 a year after a 7-day free period. The current installer is unsigned, and administrator approval is needed for protected Windows changes.