AMD's latest Ryzen 9000 series processors have been making waves in the tech community, but recent findings suggest that these powerful chips may not be reaching their full potential on Windows 11. Benchmark results have revealed a surprising performance gap between Linux and Windows operating systems, with Linux taking the lead in both gaming and application performance.
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| Showcasing the powerful AMD Ryzen 9 9950X processor, central to the discussion on performance differences in gaming and applications between Linux and Windows 11 |
Linux Outperforms Windows 11
Recent tests conducted by PC Games Hardware (PCGH) compared the performance of the Ryzen 7 9700X on Nobara Linux 40 and Windows 11 24H2. The results showed that Linux consistently outperformed Windows in gaming benchmarks, with frame rate improvements ranging from 5% to 10% across various popular titles. This performance advantage wasn't limited to gaming; Linux also demonstrated superior results in application benchmarks and synthetic tests like Geekbench.
The Windows Bug
Further investigation by Hardware Unboxed (HWU) uncovered a peculiar issue affecting Windows performance. AMD confirmed that running tests from a hidden Windows system admin account with higher privileges yielded better results, more in line with their internal benchmarks. This discrepancy, which AMD refers to as a Windows bug, affects not only the Ryzen 9000 series but also the previous generation Ryzen 7000 processors.
Performance Gains and Workarounds
When using the system admin account, the Ryzen 7 9700X saw a 4% performance improvement, while the Ryzen 7 7700X gained 3%. While these gains may seem modest, they are significant in the context of generational improvements and competitive benchmarking.
For users looking to maximize their Ryzen 9000 or 7000 series performance on Windows, a temporary workaround involves activating the hidden admin account using the command:
net user administrator /active:yes
However, this solution is not ideal for everyday use and raises questions about the underlying cause of the performance discrepancy.
Looking Ahead
AMD has stated that they expect a future Windows 11 update to address this issue. However, it remains unclear whether the problem lies with Windows or AMD's processors. As the tech community awaits a permanent solution, these findings highlight the importance of thorough cross-platform testing and optimization for high-performance hardware.
The situation also underscores the potential of Linux as a gaming and productivity platform, particularly for users with cutting-edge hardware. However, it's important to note that Windows still holds significant advantages in terms of software compatibility and ease of use for most consumers.
As AMD and Microsoft work to resolve these performance inconsistencies, users of Ryzen 9000 and 7000 series processors may want to keep an eye on future Windows updates and consider exploring Linux alternatives if they're seeking to extract every last bit of performance from their systems.