Microsoft’s Windows 11 24H2 update has brought a significant performance uplift for users of AMD Ryzen processors, particularly those with the Ryzen 7000, 9000 series, and Zen 3 CPUs. This update addresses a previously unnoticed bug in Windows 11 that had been limiting the performance of these AMD chips, preventing them from fully utilising their branch prediction capabilities—a crucial aspect of modern CPU design.

For users of the Ryzen 9000 series, particularly those with Zen 5 architecture, recent updates have shown notable performance improvements. While specific gains may vary depending on the game and workload, titles like ‘Gears 5’ and ‘Fortnite DX11’ have demonstrated measurable enhancements in performance. Additionally, these optimizations are expected to provide benefits across other CPU-intensive tasks, contributing to a smoother overall experience.

Interestingly, these improvements are not confined to the upcoming 24H2 update alone. Microsoft has also retroactively applied some of these fixes to the 23H2 update, meaning that many users can experience these enhancements right away by ensuring their systems are up-to-date.

This update represents a significant win for AMD, as it helps their processors perform closer to their true potential on Windows 11, further enhancing the competitiveness of Ryzen CPUs against their Intel counterparts. However, it also raises questions about why these performance issues were not identified earlier, especially given the extended time Zen 4 CPUs have been on the market.

For those using AMD Ryzen CPUs, updating to the latest version of Windows 11 is strongly recommended to take full advantage of these performance gains.