AMD announced that branch prediction optimizations that were originally planned for the Windows 11 24H2 update are now available for the current version of Windows 11 23H2. Users of processors with Zen 3, Zen 4, Zen 5 architecture can get improvements in the performance of their systems now, without waiting for the 24H2 update.
Image source: Microsoft
The performance gains are expected to be comparable to the 24H2 update. An AMD spokesperson said, “We expect performance gains of approximately 24H2 to 23H2 with KB5041587 installed,” which could be interpreted as an opportunity to skip the Windows 11 24H2 preview but still benefit from the optimizations. Update KB5041587 is now available in Windows Update under Optional Updates.
Previously, preview builds of Windows 11 24H2, which are in pre-release stage for members of the Windows Insider program, showed noticeable performance gains in a number of games. However, some experts noted a decrease in performance in certain games.
Although the improvements will affect processors starting with Zen 3, the new AMD Ryzen 9000 processors will benefit most from the optimizations. At the same time, the Ryzen 9 9950X chips received not very good reviews due to the fact that they were unable to reproduce the performance increase claimed by AMD. However, the company explained that this was due to a number of factors, including known stability issues with 13th and 14th generation Intel processors, as well as the use of the “administrator” profile in Windows instead of the standard user account.
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However, if branch prediction optimizations in Windows 11 24H2, and now Windows 11 23H2 with optional update KB5041587, improve performance as significantly as preview builds have shown, then it could likely breathe new life into the latest AMD processors, especially in games and some work tasks. To assess the real impact of the update on performance, independent testing will be required.
AMD, in turn, has called this branch prediction optimization “AMD-specific,” so it remains to be seen whether similar code exists for Intel processors or whether Ryzen owners will get an exclusive benefit with this update.