AMD Ryzen 9000 series set for boost with Windows 11 24H2 update

The debut of AMD Ryzen 9000 processors did not meet the expected enthusiasm from tech media. The benchmark.pl editorial team conducted tests on the Ryzen 5 9600X and Ryzen 9 9900X models, where they noticed only a slight performance increase compared to the previous Ryzen 7000 series.

However, it turns out that the operating system is currently not always able to fully utilise the hardware potential. With a properly configured system, the new processors can perform significantly more efficiently. The processor manufacturer published a blog post addressing community concerns regarding the performance of Ryzen 9000 processors in games. It turns out that the performance of the new units may be improved by the new version of Windows 11 24H2.

During the presentation of the new processors, AMD boasted a significantly greater performance increase in games than what the editors observed. The manufacturer explains, however, that the performance results in games may vary depending on the specific titles used during testing.

AMD conducted tests of Ryzen and Intel Core processors under standard power parameters, in configurations with DDR5-6000 memory, with Windows Virtualisation-based Security (VBS) enabled. In the case of the new Ryzen 9000 processors, administrative privileges played a key role, allowing for the full optimisation of the branch prediction code in the Zen 5 architecture.

AMD points out that it has optimised the branch prediction code, which should allow the upcoming version of Windows 11 24H2 to better utilise the potential of the new processors. The performance difference will depend on the hardware specifications and specific game, but the manufacturer shared initial performance tests using the flagship AMD Ryzen 9 9950X model.

          
• Far Cry 6: increase from 162 fps to 183 fps (+13%)
• Cyberpunk 2077: increase from 188 fps to 200 fps (+7%)
• Hitman 3: increase from 347 fps to 358 fps (+3%)
• Watch Dogs: Legion: 165 fps (no change)
• Cinebench 2024: 140 points (no change)
• Procyon Office: increase from 9829 to 10,288 points (+6%)

According to data shared by AMD, the new operating system is expected to deliver a few to several percent better performance in games and programmes compared to configurations with the older Windows 11 23H2 system. The new system is also expected to improve the performance of older processors based on Zen 3 and Zen 4 architectures.