AMD’s newest tweaks boost Ryzen 9000 performance and give more options

Image: Willis Lai / Foundry

Though highly anticipated, AMD’s Ryzen 9000 series of desktop processors arrived with a bit of a thud earlier this year. Since then, the company has been in damage control, blaming the initial poor performance delta on some of its own faulty testing methodology while offering a series of fixes.

AMD’s latest Ryzen update allegedly delivers even better performance and more options for desktop users.

According to a press release this morning, AMD’s newest firmware for the X870 motherboards and Ryzen 600 chipsets will give the new Ryzen 9600X and 9700X processors access to a new 105-watt TDP power profile. This has been technically possible since release, but the new BIOS options will let users push these less-expensive chips to higher performance without voiding warranties.

AMD says that they’re also addressing an increase in core-to-core latency that some reviewers spotted when comparing Ryzen 9000 chips to their 7000-series predecessors. The press release says that the 1.2.0.2 BIOS “cut[s] the number of transactions in half for this case, which helps reduce core-to-core latency in multi-CCD models.” It’s a big deal for games that are notably CPU-dependent as well as some benchmarks. (And we know PC gamers love to flex with a good benchmark!)

If you’re first in line for the newest generation of AM5-compatible motherboards, be sure to get the latest BIOS updates as soon as you can. According to AMD, the X870 and X870E boards will support new DDR5-8000 RAM with the EXPO profile for incredibly fast memory. This is the latest AMD-developed profile for RAM that can be overclocked, very similar to Intel’s XMP.

Further reading: What to know before buying a Ryzen 9000 CPU

Author: Michael Crider, Staff Writer, PCWorld

Michael is a 10-year veteran of technology journalism, covering everything from Apple to ZTE. On PCWorld he’s the resident keyboard nut, always using a new one for a review and building a new mechanical board or expanding his desktop “battlestation” in his off hours. Michael’s previous bylines include Android Police, Digital Trends, Wired, Lifehacker, and How-To Geek, and he’s covered events like CES and Mobile World Congress live. Michael lives in Pennsylvania where he’s always looking forward to his next kayaking trip.