Microsoft testing fix for AMD performance issues on Windows 11

AMD Ryzen 9 5950X (Image credit: Rich Edmonds / Windows Central)

What you need to know

The latest Insider build of Windows 11 addresses performance issues affecting AMD processors running Windows 11.
Some AMD chips see a performance drop of 3-5% when running Windows 11 due to an L3 caching issue.
The fix rolled out to Insiders in the Release Preview and Beta Channels on October 15, 2021.

Microsoft released Windows 11 Build 22000.282 to Insiders in the Release Preview and Beta Channels on October 15, 2021. That update includes a fix for an L3 caching issue that can affect the performance of Windows 11 PCs with AMD CPUs. The bug can cause performance drops of up to 5% on affected systems. An earlier report indicates that a fix for the L3 caching issue could roll out to general users on October 19, 2021.

"We fixed an L3 caching issue that might affect performance in some applications on devices that have AMD Ryzen processors after upgrading to Windows 11 (original release)," says Microsoft in the release notes of Build 22000.282.

Microsoft's release notes only specifically mention AMD's Ryzen processors. Some other CPUs from AMD officially support Windows 11, including a handful of Threadripper chips, but it appears that the L3 caching issue only affects Ryzen chips.

A fix for a separate issue affecting Windows 11 systems with AMD CPUs could roll out later this week. The bug is related to AMD's preferred core technology, which shifts threads to the fastest core on a processor. It can cause performance drops of 10-15%. A cumulative update to Windows 11 reportedly made the issue worse. The fix for that problem is expected in a patch from AMD on October 21, 2021.

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Sean Endicott is a news writer and apps editor for Windows Central with 11+ years of experience. A Nottingham Trent journalism graduate, Sean has covered the industry’s arc from the Lumia era to the launch of Windows 11 and generative AI. Having started at Thrifter, he uses his expertise in price tracking to help readers find genuine hardware value.

Beyond tech news, Sean is a UK sports media pioneer. In 2017, he became one of the first to stream via smartphone and is an expert in AP Capture systems. A tech-forward coach, he was named 2024 BAFA Youth Coach of the Year. He is focused on using technology—from AI to Clipchamp—to gain a practical edge.