From what I could find out it clears out old files Windows files, defragments hard disks, and turns off non key window process during games. Rather or not it will help much I guess depends on how much RAM you have. (I not used cortex but I left the links I used to get the information above) Sources https://www.razer.com/cortex/system-booster https://www.techradar.com/uk/reviews/razer-cortex Edit: to what you were asking about if its shake oil. the process being turned off would free up some RAM but if you knew what you are doing you could turn them off yourself like the video Alex did on the windows 10 video (although you probably want need to go that extreme) Answer from _tommar_ on reddit.com
Reddit
reddit.com › r/lowspecgamer › is razer cortex good for optimisation, or just snake oil?
r/lowspecgamer on Reddit: Is Razer Cortex good for optimisation, or just snake oil?
April 9, 2018 -
Ive been playing modded mc for a while now and have noticed some hate towards game boosters/optimisers on this subreddit, but I have noticed something (at least with my system):
Razer Cortex actually does a very good job of boosting performance by allowing for my game to use more RAM (around 1GB extra RAM to use)
So my question: is Razer Cortex actually any good? Or is something else behind my performance increase?
SPECS:
Type: Laptop
CPU: i3-4005U
GPU: Intel HD 4400
RAM: 4GB DDR3
OS: Windows 7 Pro
Top answer 1 of 17
7
From what I could find out it clears out old files Windows files, defragments hard disks, and turns off non key window process during games. Rather or not it will help much I guess depends on how much RAM you have.
(I not used cortex but I left the links I used to get the information above)
Sources
https://www.razer.com/cortex/system-booster
https://www.techradar.com/uk/reviews/razer-cortex
Edit: to what you were asking about if its shake oil. the process being turned off would free up some RAM but if you knew what you are doing you could turn them off yourself like the video Alex did on the windows 10 video (although you probably want need to go that extreme)
2 of 17
5
Probably a stupid question but do you use optifine?
Steam Community
steamcommunity.com › discussions › forum › 11 › 3183488224894755636
Should i get RAZER CORTEX GAME BOOSTER? :: Hardware and Operating Systems
March 20, 2022 - On a well maintained system? Unnecessary bloatware. On a system that actualy benefits from that? Well, why don't optimize it properly so the system runs better all the time · I wouldn't. But I don't need it. Never used it. I did check it out ages ago and it just sounded a bit meh to me
Discussion - Razer Cortex Game Booster | Tom's Hardware Forum
Beem seeing a lot pof talk lately aboy L3 cache and its importance in gaming. since the onmly qwaty to really increase it is with a new cpu, i started looking at optimization software. Razer Cortex popped up so i ownloaded it to try out. i was surprised at how much it helped. i was averaging... More on forums.tomshardware.com
Razer cortex - good or bad?
hey guys so i discovered this program that supposingly "boosts" your fps but it sounds too good to be true called razer cortex. I just wanted to ask anyone who really has gotten a boost from it? I've tried it myself and see no differences and I dont know if it's just me. More on forums.tomshardware.com
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January 20, 2019Does Razer Cortex/Game/System "Booster" actually work? | guru3D Forums
It seems with Razer Cortex you can sort of automate closing certain processes and it claims to free up resources/help clean the system and improve performance. Online I've read mixed reports -- some users claim it does indeed help while others say it doesn't do anything at all. I thought I'd... More on forums.guru3d.com
Which one is more effective, Gaming Mode or Razer Cortex? | Windows Central Forum
My laptop is not a monster when it comes to badass performance, I'm a gamer either but I do have some games that I play once in a while. I use cortex to improve games performance, after Creators update we got Game Mode, should I uninstall Cortex and stick to the latter? Thank you :) More on forums.windowscentral.com
Videos
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Razer Synapse / Cortex - Review - YouTube
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Razer
razer.com › cortex
Game Booster For PC and Laptops | Razer Cortex | Razer United States
Streamlined✅ Game booster✅ Power performance✅ Game with faster load times and higher framerates. Download Razer Cortex today.
Tom's Hardware Forum
forums.tomshardware.com › home › software › pc gaming
Discussion - Razer Cortex Game Booster | Tom's Hardware Forum
April 27, 2025 - Many times, such applications actually cause more harm than good. Your experience confirms YMMV. Click to expand... indeed. often these programs in an effortr to free up memory can urn off somwething important and reduxce stabuility. but Razer has a goof rep with gamers, so i waswilling to try it and was pleasantly surprised
Quora
quora.com › Can-I-trust-Razer-Cortex-Game-Booster
Can I trust 'Razer Cortex' Game Booster? - Quora
Any game booster which includes Razer cortex kills any background processes which take up memory and allocates that memory to the game that you are playing. Since the game has more memory to work on it feels as if the...
TechRadar
techradar.com › pro › software & services
Razer Cortex review | TechRadar
Razer Cortex review
Indeed, Razer Cortex is an ideal tool to help improve your gaming experience, but it’s not very versatile. You can do many other things to enhance your experience even as you run Razer Cortex. Though, being entirely free is a good perk. Can Razer Cortex help improve your gaming rig’s performance?
YouTube
youtube.com › watch
Razer Cortex Review: Boost FPS and Optimize Graphics Settings? - YouTube
How to increase framerates in games: Razer Cortex promises to boost FPS in games, as well as optimize graphics settings using machine learning AI algorithms....
Published July 3, 2021
Tom's Hardware Forum
forums.tomshardware.com › home › software › pc gaming
[SOLVED] - Razer cortex - good or bad? | Tom's Hardware Forum
January 20, 2019 - Overall, Razer Cortex is just one of those software that promise to make your PC run times faster but ends up making it run slower in the process.
guru3D Forums
forums.guru3d.com › home › hardware › general hardware
Does Razer Cortex/Game/System "Booster" actually work? | guru3D Forums
September 17, 2019 - It seems with Razer Cortex you can sort of automate closing certain processes and it claims to free up resources/help clean the system and improve performance. Online I've read mixed reports -- some users claim it does indeed help while others say it doesn't do anything at all. I thought I'd...
Windows Central Forum
forums.windowscentral.com › home › the os, software & ai hub › windows discussion
Which one is more effective, Gaming Mode or Razer Cortex? | Windows Central Forum
June 18, 2017 - (ps.: you CAN play games on a laptop) ... Benchmarking on gaming mode show that it only bumps a few fps (which can make the difference when the game would otherwise be unplayable, but otherwise not a big deal). It does however also increase consistency, so you don't get as much sudden sporadic lag.
Malwarebytes Forums
forums.malwarebytes.com › home › malware removal help › windows malware removal help & support › resolved malware removal logs › popup health-smooth-eu2
popup health-smooth-eu2 - Resolved Malware Removal Logs - Malwarebytes Forums
December 1, 2025 - Hello everyone,a friend of mine noticed a popup on his computer named ''health-smooth-eu2''. He was hacked just a week ago on discord, we didn't think much about it but turns out it is a result of a popup he was unaware of. We already made a scan with Malwarebytes, but we're worried that the malw...
TUX Forums
tuxforums.com › gaming › pc gaming
Razer Cortex Game booster - PC Gaming - TUX Forums
May 7, 2020 - Works very well and will even clean your temp files and recycle bin manually or on a schedule. I have noticed compared to other “game booster” software it stops ALOT more system processes and gives back more ram at game start!
MakeUseOf
makeuseof.com › home › gaming › what is razer cortex and does it actually work?
What Is Razer Cortex and Does It Actually Work?
July 15, 2021 - If you have a really low-end machine and you're comfortable playing at 25-30 FPS, then you might just about get some use out of the software. However, the chances are that any improvements you see will be so small as to be completely negligible. If your PC cannot run a game, then Razer Cortex won't make it run properly. Related: What Is Nvidia's Resizable BAR?
Hyper-casual
hyper-casual.games › blog › razer-cortex-fps-boost-how-it-works-and-who-should-use-it
Razer Cortex FPS Boost: Improve Gaming Performance in 2025
June 20, 2025 - So, now that you understand how Razer Cortex works, when does it truly shine? Here are common scenarios where this tool can make a noticeable difference: If your gaming PC or laptop isn’t brand new or you don’t have the latest hardware, Razer Cortex can help free up system resources that might otherwise be clinging onto unnecessary processes.
XDA Developers
xda-developers.com › home › software and services › i tested multiple pc 'game modes'—here's what works best
I tested multiple PC 'game modes'—here's what works best
November 18, 2025 - MSI Game Boost excels in CPU-intensive workloads while leveraging PBO features, and can offer double-digit FPS gains in those scenarios without needing any manual tweaking. The Razer Cortex is your go-to when running titles that crave more memory.
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EarlyGame
earlygame.com › homepage › gaming
Is Razer Cortex worthwhile if you don’t have their hardware?
October 22, 2024 - As a gamer (who is painfully aware of how much upgrading hardware can cost), I'm always on the lookout for tools like this, so decided to give it a try. The short story? It's hard not to recommend Razer Cortex to most users, especially as it's ...
TikTok
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Is Razer Cortex Good
September 16, 2023 - TikTok Shop is now available on web · Browse your favorite items · TikTok · Log in · Search · For You · Explore · Following · Upload
Razer
razer.com › cortex › booster-prime
PC Settings Optimizer For Gaming | Razer Cortex: Booster Prime✔️ | Razer United States
Optimisable✅ Enhanced visuals✅ Predictive FPS✅ Make Razer Cortex's Booster Prime part of your gaming gear today. Play like the pros do.
Toolify
toolify.ai › hardware › is-razer-cortex-worth-it-full-analysis-revealed-3270132
Is Razer Cortex Worth It? Full Analysis Revealed!
June 28, 2024 - Razor Cortex claims to improve system performance, visuals, frame rate, and load times, but is it really effective? Let's delve into the features and analyze its functionalities to determine whether it lives up to its promises. ... The user interface of Razor Cortex is visually appealing and offers various deals and rewards, making it an attractive option at first glance.