Through the looking glass: Recent Windows 11 releases have plagued AMD users with several documented performance issues. A blog post from the Windows Insider Program Team indicates that a fix for L3 cache performance and other performance-related flaws is on the horizon and already distributed via the Beta and Release Preview Channels.
Microsoft added insult to injury during last Patch Tuesday’s release. The Windows 11 update patch designed to resolve issues in the new operating system instead further hampered the already degraded performance experienced by many AMD users. Fortunately, a recent announcement by the Insider Program Team indicates that relief is in sight.
On Friday, the team stated that the Windows 11 Build 22000.282 was released to participating Insiders with access to the Beta and Release Preview channels. This build includes many fixes to the new OS, with a resolution for the Ryzen-based Level 3 (L3) caching issue at the top of the list. If successful, this fix can restore up to 15 percent of lost performance in some gaming tasks and esports titles.
L3 cache is one of three specialized memory caches working together to improve computing performance and ensure multi-core processors have access to adequate and timely data and instruction. Microsoft and AMD acknowledged the initial L3 caching problem shortly after the first Insider Preview build was released. The issue increases L3 cache latency across all supported AMD Ryzen processors resulting in a 10- to 20-percent drop in frames per second.
With the update’s test build currently under evaluation, it is reasonable to believe that the larger user population could see the update released as early as next week.
While the update will potentially fix the L3 cache issue, it does not address concerns related to multi-core CPUs and single-threaded workloads. These additional problems will be tackled by an updated chipset driver package from AMD.