Mouse lag in video games since upgrading to Windows 8.1

I'm trying the registry fix, but I don't want a solution that only works for games -- I want the whole Windows subsystem to always be running 1000Hz 24/7 from the mouse.

Add explorer.exe to the registry, or any other process that always runs, just like they said you shouldn't - as long as the process is running, the "fix" will be active and the mouse will run at the rate you want it to, it worked for my Logitech G700 (running at 500Hz because 1000 drains the battery too fast).

I did what you said and now it working on windows but will it work for all games now with out me needing to activate it individually

I'm trying the registry fix, but I don't want a solution that only works for games -- I want the whole Windows subsystem to always be running 1000Hz 24/7 from the mouse.

Add explorer.exe to the registry, or any other process that always runs, just like they said you shouldn't - as long as the process is running, the "fix" will be active and the mouse will run at the rate you want it to, it worked for my Logitech G700 (running at 500Hz because 1000 drains the battery too fast).

I just upgraded from Windows 8 to Windows 8.1

I am noticing the same problem too as well.

Even with the Microsoft's gaming mouse fix (KB 2908279 and KB 2908279), dragging windows and dragging scroll bars is NOT as smooth as before.  Knowledgeable in math, also a vision researcher, and am a display tester -- Microsoft made a miscalculation here thinking 1000Hz mice was useless at the desktop.

With a 1000Hz mouse, everything ran very smoothly and window movements was really smooth.  Now the report rate seems to be limited to 100Hz or 200Hz, and that creates some nasty framerate-aliasing effects with 120hz and 144Hz.   Microsoft should have kept Window dragging at full mouse report rate (500Hz or 1000Hz), because of less framerate-aliasing (stutter) with the monitor's refresh rate.

One could easily keep the mouse report rate at 1000Hz and take:

• At 120Hz, every 8 or 9 out of the 1000Hz mouse (1/120sec= 8.3ms)
• At 144Hz, every 7 or so out of 1000Hz mouse (1/144sec = 6.9ms)
• At 60Hz, every 16 or 17 out of 1000Hz mouse (1/60sec = 16.7ms)

In these situations, the mathematic error is only 1 millisecond worth of mouse movement.  e.g. At a mouse movement of 2000 pixels/second, 1000Hz means about 2 pixels per mouse movement. So the mouse mis-positioning error (if a mouse position "rounds-off" to the wrong refresh) is as little as only 2 pixels.

However, Microsoft messed up and chose a report rate of 100Hz or 200Hz during Windows manipulation (dragging windows, dragging scroll bar, etc) which is noticeably less clear than before.  At 200Hz, you've a math error of 5 millisecond worth of mouse movement.   e.g. At a mouse movement of 2000 pixels/second, 200Hz means about 10 pixels per mouse movement.   So the mouse mis-positioning error (if a mouse position "rounds-off" to the wrong refresh) is as huge as 10 pixels.

Big stutter (error of +/- 10 pixels) is much worse than small stutter (error of +/- 2 pixels).  The use of 1000Hz reduces stutters caused by aliasing between the mouse-rate and the refresh-rate.  That's why a 1000Hz mouse is much smoother than 200Hz mouse, even at Windows desktop.   I don't think the WIndows programmers were smart enough to figure this out.

Especially as us 120Hz users and gaming mouse users, are sensitive to stutters and are complaining about this -- even at the Windows desktop!

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P.S. This stutter problem is especially apparent when using monitors with ultra-clear CRT-like motion -- such as gaming monitors with strobe backlight LCD's.  (e.g. LightBoost blur reduction, EIZO Turbo240 strobing in FG2421, or BENQ XL2720Z Blur Reduction strobing), gaming monitors that eliminate motion blur.   

I still detect these Windows 8.1 mouse stutters even at 60Hz.   It's just that mouse fluidity is far more massively degraded for 120Hz and 144Hz users (on a relative basis), since there's some nasty aliasing between the refresh rate and mouse rate (which create microstutters when dragging windows)

Often on many of these ultraclear-motion computer monitors, text remain readable while scrolling (e.g. Internet Explorer up/down arrow key smooth scrolling).  Just like on a CRT in the old CRT days.  Dragging windows, text stayed this clear too (text remained readable while dragging window, with a 1000Hz mouse on a strobe-backlight gaming LCD)

Note: The microstutters occur so rapidly at 120Hz and 144Hz, they kind of blend into a motion blur.  Which is enough to make text unreadable when dragging window. The 200Hz mouse is 5x more stuttery than the 1000Hz mouse.  So because of this, someone at Microsoft may say "it looks fine".  So here's a more specific scenario that shows a startling dramatic difference:

Reproduction Scenario, Two separate computers, Test side by side.

1. Obtain two 120Hz or 144Hz monitor, such as one from http://www.blurbusters.com/faq/120hz-monitors/
2. Obtain two good 1000Hz mouse, configure them to run 1000Hz
3. Enable the clearest motion mode on that monitor (e.g. LightBoost, Turbo240, etc)
4. On computer #1 in Windows 8, drag browser window around briskly, while trying to read web page text in window.  Text remains fully readable (just like when dragging window on a CRT).
5. On computer #2, in Windows 8.1, drag browser window around briskly, while trying to read web page text in window.  Text is no longer readable because it looks so stuttery.  Microstutter (mouse positioning error) in window movement is about 5x worse (e.g. window position inconsistency caused by aliasing effect between mouserate and refreshrate)
6. The difference is startlingly dramatic when tested this way, especially with two people dragging a window at the same time on these two separate systems.

Yes, the above is just an extreme scenario, designed to show dramatic differences.  Others can still see the problem even at just 60Hz,, and in less demanding use cases.  One ought to realize that different people are more sensitive, so even in less dramatic use cases than the above, are still greatly bothered by the degradation of Windows 8.1 mouse fluidity.

It's possible Microsoft may think this is unimportant, but I would hope they realize gamers a valuable target audience for Microsoft, and they also speak pretty loudly, as well.   Especially when computers get higher end equipment (better monitors, better mice, etc).

Again, as of December 2013, NONE of the hotfixes fixes this.

Not KB 2908279, not KB 2908279, etc...

I'm trying the registry fix, but I don't want a solution that only works for games -- I want the whole Windows subsystem to always be running 1000Hz 24/7 from the mouse.  Just like I could with Windows 7 and 8.

Side note: Just in case someone at Microsoft think 200Hz is enough -- There are vision researchers that have found that humans can also tell imperfections that gradually disappear when going higher frame rates 250fps vs 500fps vs 1000fps indirectly via motion blur effects and stroboscopic effects.  Vendors such as vpixx.com sells scientific displays with a 500Hz refresh rate.