PassMark, a well-regarded name in the benchmarking software arena, has recently unveiled some intriguing insights into the performance landscape of Windows PCs as we step into 2025. In a surprising twist, the company reported a notable decline in average CPU performance, a trend that has left many scratching their heads.
Unexpected Performance Trends
On its official X handle, PassMark expressed its bewilderment at this unexpected downturn, suggesting that such a phenomenon may be unprecedented. The firm speculated on several potential factors contributing to this trend, including the transition from Windows 10 to Windows 11, which may inadvertently be impacting performance. Additionally, the possibility of increased bloatware in newer systems has also been raised as a potential culprit.
So this is unexpected.
Average CPU performance in 2025 is going down.
Maybe first time in history?
Why, we don’t know….
Maybe people buying cheaper hardware or low (electrical) power machines?
Maybe crap bloatware? Maybe Win11 vs Win10?https://t.co/WLhmTtHV81 pic.twitter.com/AkaoJ1zB9j
— PassMark Software (@PassMarkInc) February 10, 2025
For those curious about how PassMark arrives at these figures, the company clarifies that its performance data is derived from thousands of PerformanceTest benchmark results submitted by users. This information is updated bi-weekly, providing a comprehensive view of CPU performance trends over time.
This graph showing year on year performance is made up of thousands of PerformanceTest benchmark results and is updated bi-weekly (i.e. every two weeks). The chart is composed of data from PerformanceTest V5 to the V11. PerformanceTest V8 (released 2012) was the first version to collect single thread performance.
Despite Microsoft’s assertions that Windows 11 offers superior performance compared to its predecessor, Windows 10, independent evaluations have not substantiated these claims. In fact, reports suggest that Windows 10 often outperforms Windows 11 in various scenarios, whether through in-place upgrades or clean installations.
As PassMark delved deeper into the data, it became evident that the majority of users are not venturing beyond eight cores in their CPU choices. This trend has remained consistent since 2020, indicating a level of contentment with current performance capabilities.
Seems people aren’t upgrading to CPUs with higher core counts. Percentage of people with more than 8 cores is the same today as it was in 2020. pic.twitter.com/DY9rgoobl1
— PassMark Software (@PassMarkInc) February 12, 2025
It’s worth noting that in the gaming realm, most titles still struggle to leverage more than 16 processor threads, which diminishes the urgency for higher core counts. Furthermore, the increasing prevalence of high-resolution gaming shifts the bottleneck away from the CPU, placing greater emphasis on GPU capabilities.
On the software front, many applications are now designed to take advantage of hardware acceleration provided by GPUs, further diminishing the necessity for CPUs with elevated core counts. This evolving landscape prompts a reevaluation of what constitutes optimal performance in today’s computing environment.
