AMD CPUs Just Received a Major Gaming Performance Update

Major motherboard brands are preparing for the release of AMD's upcoming Ryzen 9000X3D processors with BIOS updates adding support for the new CPUs. In addition to support, some brands, such as Gigabyte and Asus, have added an “X3D Turbo Mode,” which is said to increase performance by up to 35%.

The update is aimed at some of the best processors that include AMD's 3D V-Cache technology, but it could also give a boost to other AMD processors. An X (formerly Twitter) user tested the update on Forza Horizon 5 and I found a 5% improvement on the Ryzen 7 9700X. That's a far cry from the 35% we've seen quoted by Gigabyte, but it's a promising performance improvement considering this CPU doesn't come with 3D V-Cache.

N8t">

GIGABYTE X3D Turbo Mode
めっちゃ軽～く触ってみた

SandraとForzaで検証(9700X, D5-6000 16Gx2)
・SMTが切られた
・メモリ帯域も若干太くなった(55GB/s→約61GB/s)
・PPTは変更なし (CB R23で88W)
・CPUシミュレーション、レンダリングのFPSがかなり上昇している… KbP">pic.twitter.com/kpal0wU2A6

-York (@Yorkfield_XE) 3ou">October 20, 2024

X3D Turbo mode reportedly does a few things to improve performance on 3D V-Cache CPUs. First, and most obviously, it limits operations to a complex single-core die (CCD). CPUs like the Ryzen 9 7950X3D have two CCDs, but only one of them has access to the additional cache. By limiting tasks to a single CCD, the idea would be to reduce latency in games, thus improving performance.

Additionally, X3D Turbo mode is said to disable simultaneous multithreading or SMT. In summary, 3D V-Cache CPUs may have issues with core parking in Windows, so disabling SMT could improve performance by limiting threads to those that have close access to the additional cache. AMD has not confirmed that these are the changes that the X3D Turbo mode brings, or even that it is an official AMD specification. It's possible that Asus and Gigabyte are using the same name for different functions.

We've seen updates for the X670 and which AMD itself has said will be announced on November 7. However, the updates also bring some performance improvements for other CPUs, as evidenced by the Forza Horizon 5 try above.

However, the biggest improvements should come with the X3D processors. If AMD actually disables SMT and limits gaming to a single CCD, that could have major performance implications for any dual-CCD processor that includes 3D V-Cache.