Testing AMD's Zen 5 Performance Update: Ryzen 7 9700X, Windows 24H2, AGESA Update

AMD has been moving difficult to boost income of Zen 5 CPUs since their motorboat 2 months ago. After respective generations of breathtaking Ryzen CPU launches, this 1 has been overmuch much disappointing. Since Zen 5's debut, we've received a caller type of Windows pinch AMD-specific optimizations, countless BIOS updates, caller powerfulness profiles, alleged representation improvements, and value cuts. All of this has travel together to make Zen 5 better… aliases has it?

Earlier this month, we compared nan Zen 5-based Ryzen 7 9700X pinch nan 2.5-year-old Ryzen 7 5800X3D crossed a scope of games utilizing Windows 11 24H2, on pinch nan latest AGESA codification from AMD.

In summary, nan 5800X3D was only somewhat slower than nan 9700X, which is awesome for a Zen 3 processor. However, this isn't precisely a buying proposal since nan 5800X3D is nary longer wide available.

You tin still find nan 5700X3D for astir $200, which is an exceptional deal, though it only makes consciousness if you're already connected nan AM4 platform. Otherwise, nan newer Ryzen 7 7700X, which tin still beryllium recovered for arsenic debased arsenic $245, presents a much applicable option.

The 7700X and its non-X version person posed a important situation to nan 9700X, mostly owed to fierce discounting and, of course, nan underwhelming Zen 5 performance.

The 9700X launched pinch an MSRP of $360, which astatine first glimpse seems for illustration a bully discount from nan $400 MSRP of nan 7700X – until you recognize nan 9700X really should person been called nan 9700, being a 65W part, it should person been priced astatine $330, particularly considering it doesn't see a cooler for illustration nan 7700 did.

Nevertheless, arsenic accustomed AMD sewage location successful nan end, discounting nan 9700X soon aft reviews went live. You'd deliberation they would person led pinch that, particularly aft several akin missteps successful nan past, but okay. Even pinch nan discount, nan 7700X remains disposable for betwixt $245 and $290, making it a beardown competitor, but astatine $330, nan 9700X becomes much appealing.

Helping nan attractiveness of nan 9700X would beryllium amended gaming performance, and AMD is hoping nan Windows branch prediction optimizations will present conscionable that. So coming we're comparing nan 9700X pinch nan 7700X and 7700 non-X successful a assortment of games utilizing nan latest Windows build (24H2) and nan latest AGESA 1.2.0.2 BIOS revision.

We won't beryllium enabling nan optional 105W TDP mode for nan 9700X, arsenic that's akin to enabling PBO. Instead, we've included nan 7700 for a 65W Zen 4 vs. 65W Zen 5 comparison. We're besides not testing connected an X870E motherboard since X870E and X670E are fundamentally identical – X870E conscionable mandates USB4 support via a third-party controller. So, for each applicable purposes, X870E and X670E are the aforesaid chipsets, conscionable pinch different labels.

Additionally, DDR5-8000 support isn't exclusive to Zen 5; it tin besides tally connected Zen 4, provided you person a motherboard that supports it. Despite AMD's declare that X870 motherboards are perfect for DDR5-8000 memory, galore can't grip it reliably, failing accent tests wrong an hour. We'll beryllium releasing a elaborate reappraisal connected this successful nan coming weeks, erstwhile we've completed testing each X870 and X870E motherboard.

So, pinch a mini value cut, BIOS updates, and a caller type of Windows 11, really does nan gaming capacity of nan 9700X stack up against nan 7700 and 7700X?

Test System Specs

To find out, we've updated our reappraisal data. While this isn't a 40+ crippled benchmark, we've focused connected a 14-game benchmark, based connected titles we'll beryllium utilizing for our upcoming Zen 5 X3D and Intel Arrow Lake reviews. Let's dive in.

Benchmarks

Star Wars Jedi: Survivor

First up, we person Star Wars Jedi: Survivor, wherever nan 9700X averaged 161 fps, making it 4% faster than nan 7700X and 7% faster than nan 7700. While this isn't an bonzer result, it's amended than what we've travel to expect from Zen 5. This capacity is besides akin to nan 5800X3D, though it's a small complete 20% slower than nan 7800X3D.

The Last of Us Part 1

Testing pinch The Last of Us Part 1 shows nan 9700X starring nan 7700X by a specified 2%, while being little than 1% faster than nan 7700. We're talking astir a quality of less than 3 frames astatine complete 170 fps, truthful it's safe to reason that nan 9700X, 7700X, and 7700 each present fundamentally nan aforesaid capacity successful this case.

Cyberpunk 2077: Phantom Liberty

Although Windows 11 24H2 dramatically boosts capacity successful Cyberpunk 2077: Phantom Liberty, we find that Zen 4 and Zen 5 standard reasonably evenly. In fact, pinch nan charismatic merchandise of this operating system, Zen 4 parts were a fewer frames faster. Overall, nan capacity is adjacent capable to beryllium considered identical.

Hogwarts Legacy

The 24H2 update besides improved capacity successful Hogwarts Legacy, pinch nan 9700X averaging 125 fps, conscionable a azygous framework faster than nan 7700X and 4 frames up of nan 7700, marking a 3% improvement.

Assetto Corsa Competizione

Assetto Corsa Competizione remains a awesome outlier, arsenic it was successful our original review. Here, nan 9700X is capable to lucifer nan 5800X3D much intimately acknowledgment to nan larger L1 cache, resulting successful a capacity boost of astir 20% compared to nan Zen 4 models without 3D V-Cache. However, this important uplift is an outlier and isn't reflected successful astir different games we've tested.

Remnant II

In Remnant II, nan 9700X performs well, averaging 126 fps, beating nan 7700 by 13% and nan 7700X by 10%. This is simply a coagulated consequence and stands retired compared to astir of nan different titles tested truthful far.

Homeworld 3

Next, successful Homeworld 3, nan 9700X delivers capacity comparable to nan 7700X, averaging 93 fps. This is conscionable a 3% betterment complete nan 7700 non-X and akin to nan 5800X3D. Nothing peculiarly breathtaking here.

A Plague Tale: Requiem

In A Plague Tale: Requiem, we again spot very akin capacity crossed nan 9700X, 7700X, and 7700, pinch nan 9700X conscionable 4% faster than nan 7700 connected average.

Counter-Strike 2

The 9700X is somewhat much awesome successful Counter-Strike 2, averaging 526 fps, which is simply a 6% betterment complete nan 7700X, though only 2% faster than nan 7700.

Starfield

As noted successful our first review, nan 9700X remains underwhelming successful Starfield, managing conscionable 102 fps, while nan 7700 achieves 111 fps, making nan Zen 4 portion 9% faster.

Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2

In nan recently added, CPU-demanding Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2, nan 9700X delivers akin capacity to nan 7700/7700X, averaging 108 fps. That's conscionable a 2% betterment complete nan 7700 non-X, successful statement pinch nan margins seen successful astir of nan different games.

Hitman 3

In Hitman 3, nan 9700X performs comparably to nan 7700. While wide capacity is strong, comparative to Zen 4, it's still somewhat underwhelming.

Watch Dogs: Legion

The 9700X was somewhat faster than some nan 7700X and 7700 successful Watch Dogs: Legion, but only by up to 3%, which intends nan results are astir identical.

Star Wars Outlaws

Finally, successful Star Wars Outlaws, nan 9700X erstwhile again delivers capacity comparable to nan 7700/7700X, averaging 128 fps successful our benchmark.

Performance Summary

Finally, here's nan mean data, calculated utilizing nan geomean. Across nan 14 games tested, nan 9700X was conscionable 2% faster than nan 7700X, which is somewhat down from nan 3% separator recovered successful our day-one reappraisal utilizing a somewhat different scope of games.

When comparing 65W parts, we spot that nan 9700X is 4% faster than nan 7700, which is beautiful adjacent to that "Zen 5%" we've each travel to expect. This is disappointing fixed each nan talk astir improved Zen 5 performance, but besides hardly surprising.

Side-by-Side: 9700X vs 7700

Here's a person look astatine really that 4% separator is derived, pinch large wins successful ACC and Remnant II. If we region nan ACC result, which we cognize to beryllium an outlier, nan 9700X ends up conscionable 2% faster than nan 7700.

But moreover astatine 4%, they are very evenly matched. The only mediocre consequence for nan 9700X tin beryllium seen successful Starfield, though 1 mightiness reason that gains of 5% aliases little are besides very mediocre for a caller CPU procreation aft 2 years.

What We Learned

So location you person it... and sadly thing has really changed, astatine slightest comparative to Zen 4. Without question, Zen 5 has improved since release. It's a small cheaper now, and acknowledgment to nan Windows optimizations, it's now faster – conscionable not faster comparative to Zen 4. In fact, we really mobility conscionable really overmuch of this uplift is owed to nan expected "Ryzen Branch Prediction" optimizations.

It seems much apt that information mitigations hastily patched into Windows 11 wounded performance, and 24H2 addresses these mitigations successful a much optimized way, which is why we've besides seen immoderate capacity improvements for Intel.

Whatever nan case, it's true: Ryzen processors person seen capacity improvements successful games pinch 24H2. Some games saw monolithic gains, others mild gains, and immoderate nary gains astatine all. But overall, they are faster – and again, we can't accent this capable – these gains besides use to Zen 4, and moreover Zen 3 successful immoderate cases.

As things guidelines today, for gaming, you tin expect anyplace from a 2% to possibly 5% capacity summation for nan 9700X complete comparable Zen 4 parts, depending connected nan games used. So if you tin snag a 7700X for $245, which is nan going complaint connected Amazon, you'd evidently spell for that, fixed it's astir 25% cheaper than nan 9700X. That said, it does look arsenic though banal is drying up complete successful nan US, arsenic awesome retailers specified arsenic Newegg are presently sold out.

In different markets for illustration Australia, you're looking astatine having to salary astir $600 AUD for nan 9700X, whereas nan 7700X tin beryllium had for conscionable nether $500 AUD. That's astir a 20% redeeming to spell pinch nan Zen 4 part, and we are, of course, quoting nan section rate present – truthful dollarydoos.

Therefore, until we scope a constituent wherever parts for illustration nan 9700X are priced astir nan existent asking prices of comparable Zen 4 models, there's not overmuch to get excited about. And moreover then, it's a business-as-usual situation. Because arsenic we've antecedently noted, if you desired this level of CPU gaming capacity and were consenting to walk $330 to get it, you could person conscionable bought nan Ryzen 7 7700 backmost successful January 2023, almost 2 years agone now, while it costs arsenic small arsenic $250 astatine nan opening of this year.

That's a wrap arsenic we get backmost to benchmarking. We person a batch of CPUs we request to get updated information for, truthful we tin usage it to gauge nan capacity of upcoming parts from some AMD and Intel. Keep an oculus retired for our upcoming Arrow Lake desktop CPU review.

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