branch prediction

AMD's Zen 5 desktop processors, specifically the Ryzen 9000 series, have received a lukewarm reception despite offering improved speed over the previous generation. The Ryzen 9 9950X is noted for its multi-threaded performance, while the Ryzen 7 9700X and Ryzen 5 9600X are considered solid mainstream options. The Ryzen 7 7700X is priced below 0, while the 9700X is priced at 0 but does not deliver a corresponding performance increase. Testing revealed discrepancies in performance claims, attributed to AMD's use of a 'full admin' account during testing. Following the KB5041587 Windows update and BIOS adjustments, a retest showed negligible performance differences in common CPU benchmarks. The testing setup included a fresh installation of Windows 11 and adherence to AMD's protocols. Core parking was enabled for dual CCD processors, but its necessity for Zen 5 chips remains unclear. The Ryzen 5 9600X and Ryzen 7 9700X showed minimal gains in gaming performance under a 105 W TDP limit, with significant improvements only in heavy multi-threaded applications. Dual CCD processors, such as the Ryzen 9 9900X and 9950X, did not receive a new power limit but benefited from the Windows update, although branch prediction optimizations did not impact gaming performance. Core parking negatively affected performance in some titles, and the Windows update did not yield significant improvements for content creation or multi-threaded benchmarks. Users on the older AM4 platform are awaiting 3D V-Cache variants, while those on AM5 are satisfied with current performance. Future releases, like the Ryzen 7 9800X3D, may show only marginal gains.