AMD improves Zen 5 CPU latency and performance with BIOS updates

AMD is releasing caller BIOS updates that volition boost show for its Ryzen 9600X / 9700X processors and code immoderate latency issues. The show improvements and latency reductions get astir a period aft disappointing Zen 5 desktop CPU reviews and look alongside updates to Windows 11 that see optimized AMD-specific subdivision prediction for some Zen 4 and Zen 5 chips.

CPU reviewers person been reporting a higher-than-expected core-to-core latency crossed the Ryzen 9000-series of desktop processors, and present AMD has addressed this with a caller BIOS optimization.

The latest AMD updates for AM5 motherboards see AGESA PI 1.2.0.2 firmware, which AMD says volition code immoderate “corner cases” wherever it takes 2 transactions to work and constitute erstwhile accusation is shared crossed antithetic parts of a Ryzen 9 9000 processor. “We’ve managed to chopped the fig of transactions successful fractional for this usage case, which helps trim core-to-core latency successful multi-CCD models,” says AMD.

This BIOS update besides includes a caller 105-watt cTDP enactment to propulsion the thermal plan powerfulness of the Ryzen 9600X and 9700X. “These processors person been validated astatine 105W since their release, truthful you won’t beryllium pushing them beyond their plan limits,” says AMD. “This boost is particularly beneficial for multithreaded workloads, but you mightiness spot immoderate gains successful less-threaded apps too.”

You’ll request to marque definite you person due cooling to alteration the 105-watt mode, but AMD says it should effect successful astir 10 percent much show connected the Ryzen 9600X and 9700X. This caller mode won’t void your warranty, either.

AMD is besides launching its adjacent circular of AM5 motherboards this week, with the X870 and X870E boards some disposable astatine retailers. You don’t request these caller boards for AMD’s latest Ryzen 9000-series CPUs, but they bash travel with USB 4.0 arsenic standard, and they besides see PCIe 5 Gen 5 connected the graphics and NVMe sides that tin beryllium utilized simultaneously. There are rumors that the upcoming RTX 5090 volition beryllium a PCIe Gen 5 card, and AMD teases it’s “more important than ever present that we are connected the cusp of a caller procreation of graphics cards” to person afloat PCIe Gen 5 support.

The X870 and X870E boards besides see enactment for higher-clocked memory. AMD has present enabled DDR5-8000 EXPO enactment connected these caller boards, which includes astir 1 to 2ns of latency improvements implicit DDR5-6000.