Estimated reading time: 2 min
Interrupt Moderation Rate fine-tunes how your network adapter balances CPU efficiency and latency. Should you adjust it, or leave it alone? Let’s explore what it does and the best settings for different users.
What Is Interrupt Moderation Rate?
Interrupt Moderation Rate (IMR) is a companion setting to Interrupt Moderation on Ethernet adapters. While Interrupt Moderation controls whether network interrupts are grouped, IMR decides how frequently these grouped packets generate CPU interrupts.
Think of it like a “sensitivity” setting:
- High Rate = Fewer interrupts (more packet grouping) → Lower CPU usage, but higher latency
- Low Rate = More interrupts (less grouping) → Better responsiveness, but more CPU load
Some drivers offer values like:
- Off
- Low
- Medium
- High
- Adaptive
Where to Change It
- Open Device Manager (
Win + X) - Expand Network Adapters
- Right-click your adapter > Properties
- Go to the Advanced tab
- Find IMR
- Choose from the available options (varies by driver)
Should You Enable or Disable Interrupt Moderation Rate?
This setting is only active if Interrupt Moderation is enabled. So:
✅ Use High or Adaptive IF:
- You’re on a low-power or older CPU
- Your use case involves bulk data transfers, media streaming, or file downloads
- You don’t notice latency issues in everyday use
❌ Use Low or Disable It IF:
- You are into competitive gaming
- You need real-time data, such as VoIP, live trading, or remote control
- You notice input lag, latency spikes, or micro-stuttering
Interrupt Moderation Rate Options Explained
| Setting | Best For | Impact |
|---|---|---|
| Off | Gaming / Real-time apps | Lowest latency, highest CPU load |
| Low | Latency-sensitive use (e.g., VoIP) | Low latency, moderate CPU usage |
| Medium | Balanced use | Average latency and CPU load |
| High | File transfers, media streaming | Higher latency, lowest CPU usage |
| Adaptive | Mixed or dynamic workloads | Auto-adjusts for best balance |
Real-World Scenarios
| Scenario | Suggested Setting |
|---|---|
| eSports / FPS Gaming | Off or Low |
| Video conferencing / VoIP | Low |
| General browsing and streaming | Medium or Adaptive |
| File server / NAS | High |
| Low-end system multitasking | High |
Final Verdict
Should you enable or disable Interrupt Moderation Rate?
Don’t disable it entirely unless you’re optimizing for ultra-low latency. Most users will benefit from keeping it on Adaptive or Medium, while gamers and streamers may want to drop it to Low or Off if performance demands it.
Like many networking settings, this one benefits from testing. If you’re unsure, try Adaptive first and tweak based on your system’s performance.
🏷️ Tags: interrupt moderation rate, network adapter settings, ethernet latency, gaming performance, cpu usage, low latency network, windows optimization, real-time apps, streaming tweaks, adapter configuration
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