Tom Misch
AMD has acknowledged the issue of performance degradation in its Zen 5, Zen 4, and Zen 3 CPUs when running on Windows with a standard user account. The problem has been identified during benchmarking for reviews of the latest Ryzen 9000 CPUs, but it has also been observed in older Ryzen 7000 (Zen 4) and Ryzen 5000 (Zen 3) chips. While not all games are affected, some testers have reported as much as an 8% decrease in performance. These findings contradict AMD’s claim of a 9% improvement in performance for Zen 5 over Zen 4.
To address this issue, AMD is collaborating with Microsoft to release a fix. A pre-release version of Windows 11 has already addressed the problem, offering an average performance boost of 4.8% across various applications and games. This development is good news for users participating in Microsoft’s Windows Insider program, as they can already benefit from the fix.
However, it remains uncertain when the general public can expect the fixed version of Windows 11 to be released as a Windows Update. Rumors suggest that it may happen around November 2024, potentially causing a slight delay for AMD CPU users. Nonetheless, the performance drop caused by the bug is not significant enough to deter users from purchasing AMD’s latest processors.
For more information on AMD’s latest CPUs, check out our comprehensive guide to the AMD Zen 5 architecture, which provides insights into all the known details about these processors.
Additional facts not mentioned in the article but relevant to the topic include:
1. AMD Zen 5 architecture: The Zen 5 architecture is the latest CPU architecture developed by AMD. It promises improved performance and efficiency compared to its predecessors.
2. Windows Insider program: The Windows Insider program allows users to test pre-release versions of Windows and provide feedback to Microsoft. Participants in this program often get early access to fixes and updates.
3. Performance benchmarks: Benchmarking is a common practice in the tech industry to measure and compare the performance of different hardware and software configurations. Testers often use various applications and games to evaluate the performance impact of specific issues like the one mentioned in the article.
Key questions and answers associated with the topic:
1. What is causing the performance degradation issue? The issue appears to be related to a bug in the interaction between AMD CPUs and Windows when running on a standard user account. It affects Zen 5, Zen 4, and Zen 3 CPUs.
2. Is AMD working on a fix? Yes, AMD is collaborating with Microsoft to release a fix for the performance degradation issue. A pre-release version of Windows 11 has already shown promising results.
3. When will the fixed version of Windows 11 be available to the general public? The article does not provide an exact release date for the fixed version of Windows 11 as a Windows Update. However, rumors suggest it may arrive around November 2024.
Key challenges or controversies associated with the topic:
1. Timing of the fix release: The uncertainty surrounding the release date of the fixed version of Windows 11 could cause a slight delay for AMD CPU users who are eagerly awaiting the performance improvement.
Advantages and disadvantages:
Advantages:
1. With the upcoming fix, users can expect an average performance boost of 4.8% in various applications and games on AMD Zen 5, Zen 4, and Zen 3 CPUs running on Windows 11.
2. Users participating in the Windows Insider program can already benefit from the fix, getting early access to the performance improvement.
Disadvantages:
1. The performance degradation issue may have a negative impact on gaming experiences and certain applications until the fix is released.
2. The uncertainty surrounding the release date of the fix may cause inconvenience for users who rely on their AMD CPUs for specific tasks.
Suggested related link: AMD Ryzen Processors
