AMD promises to fix (some) Ryzen 9000 gaming woes with the next major Windows 11 update

What you need to know

AMD’s new Ryzen 9000 processors failed to live up to certain expectations when run through benchmarks by reviewers.
AMD has shed light on why it believes the benchmarks it saw during internal testing were different than results seen by reviewers.
One key factor was that AMD’s testing was done in Admin mode, while some reviews performed benchmarks using standard accounts.
AMD’s Zen 5 architecture uses a wider branch prediction capacity than previous generations, and at the moment Admin accounts can better utilize that increased capacity.
“Optimized AMD-specific branch prediction code” will make its way to Windows 11 with the next major update of the operating system, improving Ryzen 9000 gaming performance.

As a seasoned analyst with decades of experience in the tech industry under my belt, I’ve seen my fair share of hardware launches that didn’t quite live up to the hype. The AMD Ryzen 9000 processors are no exception. Initially touted as a game-changer, they’ve left some reviewers and gamers feeling a bit let down due to underwhelming benchmark results. However, upon closer inspection, it appears that there might be more to the story than meets the eye.

AMD’s fresh Ryzen 9000 series desktop CPUs have left some critics and gamers underwhelmed, as their benchmark performances didn’t meet the high expectations set by AMD’s marketing. Initially projected to outperform Intel processors by 6%, these new AMD chips are now on par with Intel’s offerings from the ‘team blue’ camp. This disparity can be attributed to several reasons, some of which AMD is working to resolve, while others stem from differences in testing environments. Ultimately, it’s anticipated that AMD processors will deliver better performance when running on a standard account in the upcoming months.

In general, there can be minor discrepancies in performance when testing hardware. However, the disparity seen in the Ryzen 9000 processors was more pronounced than usual. AMD has disclosed a community post detailing the reasons behind these differences and their efforts to enhance the performance of these chips.

“The AMD gaming test suite includes a broad set of esports, AAA, and popular older games, which are a combination of CPU- and GPU-bound titles. Game performance conclusions can be influenced significantly by the makeup of the test suite.
AMD tested Intel configurations using comparable DDR5-6000 memory as well as Intel default settings-baseline power profile which can have a small impact on gaming performance.
AMD also tests with Windows Virtualization-based Security (VBS) enabled. This is the default Windows behavior and Microsoft recommends activating VBS to improve security, however it can affect gaming performance.
The “Zen 5” architecture incorporates a wider branch prediction capacity than prior “Zen” generations. Our automated test methodology was run in “Admin” mode which produced results that reflect branch prediction code optimizations not present in the version of Windows reviewers used to test Ryzen 9000 Series. We have a further update on accessing this performance for users below.”

1. AMD’s last two points are particularly captivating. The Variable Base Shading (VBS) enhances system security, but it may slow down performance as well. The extent of this slowdown depends on the specific chip and various other factors. Given that VBS is activated by default, there’s a high probability that some testers had this feature enabled during the assessment of Ryzen 9000 CPUs’ performance.

AMD’s benchmark results seem to differ from those of reviewers due to a key difference: AMD conducted its tests under an Administrator account. This Admin account allows for branch prediction optimizations that maximize Zen 5’s potential, which aren’t accessible when logged into a standard account. However, this is set to change as AMD and Microsoft collaborate to bring these branch predictions to regular accounts through an update. The update is currently being tested among Windows Insiders, starting with Windows 11 Build 26100. The improvements can fluctuate depending on the game but typically range between 2-3%.

AMD disclosed the following data, showing the frames-per-second (FPS) rate for gaming performance.

The update from Microsoft is primarily designed to enhance the performance of Zen 5 chips, but it will also bring improvements for both Zen 4 and Zen 3 processors. AMD has announced that they are working together with Microsoft to release this optional upgrade to all Windows 11 users in the near future.

Initially, AMD claimed that their Ryzen 9000 processors were approximately 6% faster than Intel’s equivalent chips on average. However, recent statements from AMD suggest that both Intel and AMD chips perform similarly in gaming, as indicated by the most frequently reviewed games. The discrepancy is attributed to several factors, one of which is that Intel’s processors received a microcode patch the same day Ryzen 9000 CPUs were launched.

In a more engaging and simplified way: AMD’s innovative benchmarking approach could catch people’s attention more. For instance, in their initial tests, AMD employed DDR5-6000 memory to compare its processors with Intel’s. However, it’s worth noting that Intel chips can handle even faster memory speeds. The fact that they used the same type of memory makes this comparison intriguing. In their latest tests, AMD opted for DDR5-7200 memory on the Intel systems.

During their testing, AMD adopted Intel’s pre-set power configuration. This raises some questions given that Intel’s 13th and 14th generation processors have experienced stability problems. Intel advises users to utilize the official power settings while a solution is developed, as these issues have occurred. Consequently, these problems might have influenced AMD’s initial results, as stated by the company.

AMD modified the comparison between its Ryzen 9000 and Ryzen 7000 processors in terms of 1080p gaming performance. Initially, they claimed a 9% improvement for Ryzen 9000, but this has now been revised to a range of 5-8% improvement.

We’ll need to observe the impact of the upcoming Windows 11 update on the Ryzen 9000 series, as it may address concerns raised by some critics and gamers. Given Intel’s current struggles, AMD could potentially narrow the competitive gap in the CPU market.

2024-08-22 17:39

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