AMD is improving Zen 5 CPU latency and performance with BIOS updates

AMD is releasing new BIOS updates that will improve the performance of the Ryzen 9600X / 9700X processors and address some latency issues. The performance improvements and latency reductions come nearly a month after the disappointing Zen 5 desktop CPU update and appear alongside updates to Windows 11 that include AMD-specific branch prediction for both Zen 4 and Zen 5 chips .

CPU reviewers have been reporting higher-than-expected average-to-expected latency across the Ryzen 9000-series desktop processors, and now AMD has addressed this with a new BIOS update.

AMD’s latest updates for AM5 motherboards include AGESA PI 1.2.0.2 firmware, which AMD says will address “still-existing issues” where it takes two transactions to read and write when information is shared between different parts of the Ryzen 9 9000 processor. We were able to cut the number of transactions in half for this use case, which helps reduce mid-to-core latency in most CCD models,” said AMD.

This BIOS update also includes a new 105-watt cTDP option to push the power of the Ryzen 9600X and 9700X thermal design. “These processors have been certified at 105W since release, so you won’t be pushing them beyond their design limits,” AMD said. “This increase is particularly beneficial for multi-tasking workloads, but you may see benefits in applications with less bandwidth.”

You’ll need to make sure you have the right cooling to enable the 105-watt mode, but AMD says it should result in 10 percent more performance on the Ryzen 9600X and 9700X. This new mod won’t void your warranty, either.

AMD is also launching its next round of AM5 motherboards this week, with the X870 and X870E boards both available from retailers. You don’t need these new boards for AMD’s latest Ryzen 9000-series CPUs, but they do come with USB 4.0 as standard, and include PCIe 5 Gen 5 for graphics and NVMe sides that can be used simultaneously. The upcoming RTX 5090 is rumored to be a PCIe Gen 5 card, and AMD teases that it’s “more important than ever now that we’re on the cusp of a new generation of graphics cards” to get full PCIe Gen 5 support.

The X870 and X870E boards also include support for overclocked memory. AMD has now enabled DDR5-8000 EXPO support for these new boards, which includes approximately 1 to 2ns of latency improvement over DDR5-6000.