Windows 11 bug slows AMD Ryzen CPU gaming performance - but a hidden admin account may offer a boost

AMD unveiled two CPUs, the Ryzen 5 9600X and Ryzen 7 9700X, from its upcoming Zen 5 Ryzen 9000 series last week. Reviews indicated that while the CPUs may not be the best for gaming, they perform well for other tasks.

Hardware Unboxed, a well-known tech YouTube channel, has stated that a Windows 11 bug is causing slight gaming performance issues with the Ryzen 7 9700X and also affecting Zen 4 CPUs based on benchmark tests.

In a recent video, Hardware Unboxed reviewed the Ryzen 7 9700X, and AMD noticed that the performance was slightly lower than expected. Further investigation revealed that a Windows 11 bug was causing this difference in performance.

Allegedly, the performance loss on the Ryzen 9000 series desktop CPUs is due to a Windows bug related to Account privileges. When re-testing with the Administrator Account, the Ryzen 7 9700X saw an increase of close to 4% in average frame rates and just over 3.5% in percentile lows.

For example, in Cyberpunk 2077 Phantom Liberty, the 9700X was able to deliver 10 more FPS and a 7% performance improvement with the admin account. Additionally, Steve tested the Zen 4 chip 7700X for comparison. Both CPUs were tested on various games, and it seems that the bug has a greater impact on the Zen 5 chip compared to the Zen 4 equivalent from the previous generation.

Interestingly, although AMD initially mentioned that the issue only affects Zen 5, the Zen 4-based 7700X also saw improved performance, indicating that the bug could be impacting the entire Socket AM5 lineup. It will be intriguing to see if the problem extends to Socket AM4 chips as well. Fortunately, AMD has confirmed that a Windows patch is being developed to address these Ryzen CPU performance issues. While waiting for the fix, you can also check out our comparator to find the best deal on your next favorite game.