AMD's new BIOS improves Ryzen 9000 Series CPU performance and core-to-core latency

Outside of the efficiency gains, the overall reception from the Ryzen 9000 Series CPU launch has been lukewarm - especially regarding gaming performance and gen-on-gen improvements. Since launch, we've seen Windows updates that boost performance, and now, with the launch of AMD X870 motherboards, there's a new BIOS firmware update that aims to improve performance and latency.

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AGESA PI 1.2.0.2 has two main updates. The first is a new warranted 105W cTDP power rating for the Ryzen 7 9700X and Ryzen 5 9600X. According to AMD, the company landed on 65W for the launch because it was focused on delivering "efficient performance." However, for those wanting more performance, the 105W modes for these two CPUs will provide more performance, especially in multithreaded workloads.

AMD also confirmed that the Ryzen 7 9700X and Ryzen 5 9600X have already been validated at 105W, so switching to the new mode "won't be pushing them beyond their design limits." According to AMD's internal testing, the new 105W mode for the Ryzen 7 9700X makes it up to 10% faster.

The second update applied to the entire Ryzen 9000 Series, including the Ryzen 9 9900X and Ryzen 9 9950X, with core-to-core latency improvements. This is something raised by some after the launch, an increase in latency compared to the Ryzen 7000 Series - indicating that something was wrong and that performance was not where it should be. AMD notes that the new BIOS will improve Ryzen 9000 Series gaming performance in titles like Metro: Exodus, Starfield, and Borderlands 3.

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"In the new 1.2.0.2 BIOS update, we've managed to cut the number of transactions in half for this use case, which helps reduce core-to-core latency in multi-CCD models," AMD explains. "While this will show up on some core-to-core latency benchmarks, the real-world improvement is most noticeable in a very specific gaming scenario: in heavily threaded games that don't trigger core parking." In addition to the titles listed above, this also includes benchmarks like 3DMark Time Spy.

The good news is that the new AGESA PI 1.2.0.2 BIOS applies to all AM5 motherboards, not just the new X870 and X870E models launching this week.