CPU performance Archives

AppWizard

April 26, 2025

Oblivion Remastered PC: impressive modernisation blighted by dire performance problems

The Elder Scrolls 4: Oblivion Remastered utilizes an Unreal Engine 5 wrapper to enhance the original game, but it carries over some of the original's issues and suffers from significant performance challenges, including frequent stuttering. Digital Foundry analyzed the remaster against the original 2006 version, highlighting advancements in graphics but also noting that the remaster struggles with limited polygon budgets and basic effects. The remaster's performance is inconsistent, especially on mid-range CPUs, leading to poor experiences even on high-end hardware. Disabling hardware RT-based Lumen global illumination can improve performance by about 35%, but at the cost of visual quality. Lowering settings yields only marginal performance improvements, and the game fails to deliver an attractive experience compared to the original. A recent patch did not resolve the stuttering issues, indicating that fundamental CPU-related problems remain unaddressed.

BetaBeacon

March 18, 2025

AYANEO Pocket S2 is an Android handheld game console with a faster processor, bigger battery, and improved controllers

AYANEO is releasing an upgraded version of its handheld game console called the Pocket S2, which features a larger display, next-gen processor, and other improvements. The device promises better graphics and CPU performance, extended battery life, and a compact and lightweight gaming experience. Pricing and availability details have not been announced yet, but it is expected to be in line with the premium price tag of its predecessor.

Winsage

March 14, 2025

AMD’s Ryzen 9 9950X3D reportedly runs up to 20% faster on Windows 10

Recent tests by Tech YES City indicate that Windows 10 can outperform Windows 11 by up to 20% in certain gaming scenarios, particularly in Fortnite at 1080p resolution. This performance gap is attributed to Virtualization-Based Security (VBS), which, when enabled on Windows 11, can lead to a performance loss in CPU-intensive games. The performance difference diminishes at 4K resolution, where both operating systems perform similarly. Windows 10 also showed better performance in games like Counter-Strike 2, Baldur's Gate 3, and Kingdom Come Deliverance 2, although to a lesser extent. Users with high-performance CPUs like the Ryzen 9 9950X3D may benefit from staying with Windows 10 longer despite its impending end of support.

Winsage

March 3, 2025

Microsoft is fixing Windows 11 Task Manager’s quirky reporting of CPU usage, and a much-wanted change for the lock screen is coming, too

Windows 11's new preview release, build 26120.3360, addresses inconsistencies in CPU usage reporting within Task Manager. Microsoft is standardizing CPU utilization calculations across the Processes, Performance, and Users pages to provide a consistent view of CPU performance. This change will be available in upcoming Windows 11 releases, 24H2 and 23H2. Users will still have the option to revert to the old CPU measurement method in the Details tab. Additionally, the preview build allows users in the European Economic Area to select which widgets to display on the lock screen, with plans for broader rollout in the future.

Winsage

March 3, 2025

It looks like Microsoft might have broken Windows 11 24H2 again as performance plummets with Intel’s latest CPUs

Users of Windows 11 24H2 have reported issues after installing patches KB5050094 and KB5051987, particularly affecting those with Intel Core Ultra 9 285K processors, leading to game crashes and performance slowdowns. One user experienced crashes while playing The Settlers: New Allies, and others noted widespread instability across applications. An affected user with an ASRock Z890 Pro RS motherboard faced difficulties getting their system running without a beta BIOS due to an Intel microcode update. Users observed significant performance drops when applications were minimized, with CPU clock rates throttled. Performance issues were replicated across multiple applications, including 7Zip and Prime95, with benchmarks showing halved performance when minimized. A workaround involves adjusting power settings, but no definitive fix is available. Users with AMD Ryzen 9 9950X or older Intel Core i9-12900K processors have not reported similar issues, suggesting problems may be specific to Intel's LGA 1851 platform. Additional issues with Windows 11 24H2 include increased advertising in the Settings menu, high CPU utilization, and a glitch causing interface language discrepancies. The patches are optional, allowing users to revert to a more stable version or reinstall Windows 11.

Winsage

March 2, 2025

Windows 11 Task Manager update will show accurate CPU utilization, align with industry standards

Microsoft has released the Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26120.3360 for the Dev and Beta Channels, which includes enhancements to the Task Manager. The Task Manager will now use standardized metrics to present CPU workload across all pages, improving the accuracy of CPU utilization readings in the Details tab. Previously, the Task Manager reported CPU performance based on base clock speed, leading to inaccuracies, such as CPU utilization figures exceeding 100%. Additionally, Microsoft updated how Task Manager reports RAM speeds from MHz to MT/s in May 2024.

Winsage

March 2, 2025

Windows 11 Newest Update Will Change The Way CPU Utilization Is Calculated; Will Now Be Consistent With Third-Party Tools

Microsoft is enhancing Task Manager in the upcoming Windows 11 update by introducing a standardized method for calculating CPU utilization. This update aims to align Task Manager's metrics with those of third-party tools, improving its effectiveness. The new calculation method will provide consistent CPU workload displays across the Processes, Performance, and Users pages, potentially reducing the need for external applications. An optional column labeled CPU Utility will be available for users who prefer the existing calculation method. These enhancements are part of the Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26120.3360, included in the 24H2 update.

Winsage

February 13, 2025

Poor PC performance in 2025 leads to Windows 11 vs Windows 10 culprit speculation

PassMark reported a decline in average CPU performance for Windows PCs in 2025, which may be unprecedented. Possible factors for this trend include the transition from Windows 10 to Windows 11, increased bloatware, and consumers opting for cheaper or lower power hardware. The performance data is based on thousands of PerformanceTest benchmark results submitted by users and updated bi-weekly. Despite claims that Windows 11 offers better performance than Windows 10, independent evaluations suggest Windows 10 often outperforms Windows 11. Additionally, the majority of users are not upgrading to CPUs with more than eight cores, a trend consistent since 2020. In gaming, most titles do not utilize more than 16 processor threads, and the focus is shifting towards GPU capabilities due to high-resolution gaming and software designed for hardware acceleration.

Winsage

December 23, 2024

Microsoft Windows IoT for Client Systems: A Historical Journey and Today’s Latest Innovations

Microsoft's Windows Embedded and Windows IoT products began in 1999 with Windows NT Embedded, codenamed Impala. Windows XP Embedded, known as Mantis, expanded toolkit capabilities with tools like Target Designer and Component Designer. Windows Embedded POSReady 2009 catered to the point-of-sale sector, maintaining a consistent kernel across consumer and embedded versions. Windows CE supported mobile devices with various architectures and reached its end of support in 2023. Windows Embedded 7 Standard and Windows 7 for Embedded Systems required special licensing agreements. Windows Embedded Standard 8 did not succeed in the industrial market, while Windows 10 IoT Enterprise, launched in 2015, introduced LTSB/LTSC options with a decade of security updates. A tiered licensing structure was introduced for Windows 10 IoT Enterprise, accommodating different CPU performances. The Base license allowed Windows 10 IoT Enterprise on industrial Arm devices, specifically the NXP i.MX8 family. Windows 11 21H2 established the General Availability Channel for IoT, with Windows 11 IoT Enterprise 2024 LTSC set to debut in May 2024. Windows 11 IoT Enterprise LTSC supports Arm Qualcomm CPUs and introduces features like USB 4.0 and Wi-Fi 6/7 support, along with a commitment to 10 years of security updates. Windows 10 IoT Enterprise 2021 LTSC will remain supported until 2031.

Winsage

December 1, 2024

The Ultimate Mac vs Windows Battle: Can Apple’s M4 Pro Reign Supreme?

The MacBook Pro features the M4 Pro chip and excels in CPU performance, outperforming the Asus ProArt StudioBook 16 by 50% in Cinebench multicore tests. It is particularly beneficial for creative professionals in photo and video editing due to its efficient hardware-software integration. The Asus ProArt StudioBook 16, equipped with an AMD HX 370 CPU and RTX 4070 GPU, excels in GPU-intensive applications such as 3D rendering and gaming. It offers up to 64GB of RAM compared to the MacBook Pro's base configuration of 24GB, which is advantageous for memory-intensive tasks. The MacBook Pro has three Thunderbolt 5 ports, while the Asus provides a broader array of ports, including USB-A, USB-C, HDMI, and SD card slots. The MacBook Pro operates cooler and quieter under load, while the Asus tends to run hotter and louder. For gaming, the Asus ProArt StudioBook 16 delivers higher frame rates and better compatibility with modern games. The MacBook Pro is known for its premium build quality and long-term reliability, often retaining better resale value, but it comes at a higher initial cost. The Asus offers better value for users focused on gaming or GPU-intensive workflows.