AMD’s latest flagship CPU, the Ryzen 9 9950X3D, has generated waves in the enthusiast PC building community, and not merely due to its impressive all-rounder performance. The chip, released alongside updates to AMD’s chipset drivers, has reignited the perennially relevant debate: does Windows 10 still hold practical advantages for gamers and power users, even in the age of Windows 11? Recent benchmark results, layered with nuanced insights from both corporate and community testers, suggest the answer isn’t as clear as Microsoft might hope.
The Ryzen 9 9950X3D, the X3D SKU at the pinnacle of AMD’s modern desktop lineup, isn’t just about numbers on a chart. The combination of high single-thread performance and the intelligent application of 3D V-Cache technology results in a processor that has impressed across productivity and gaming workloads. When tested by reviewers, the chip scored highly—not only providing raw power but also exhibiting the versatility that’s become essential for users who refuse to compromise. Its nine out of ten review score reflects this balance, establishing the 9950X3D as a compelling option for anyone in search of a “do-it-all” CPU.
What’s notable is that AMD’s launch didn’t stop at hardware. Bundled with the release was a new chipset driver package. Among minor fixes and additions, one update in particular stood out: users no longer need to reinstall Windows when swapping CPUs within the same generation. While a convenience benefit, it also subtly signals AMD’s intent to remove friction from hardware upgrades—a pointed nod to DIY enthusiasts who expect seamless transitions rather than time-consuming OS reinstalls.
Yet, the most impactful discussion stemming from this launch centers on software—specifically, how Microsoft’s operating system choices and built-in security features impact the flagship CPU’s real-world performance.
That’s the theory. The reality, however, is thornier for gamers and performance purists. AMD, in its reviewer guidance, aligned itself with Microsoft’s recommendation: run benchmarks with VBS enabled, at least on Windows 11 (23H2 or newer). This approach ensures results match what most users will actually experience and speaks to the growing role of security-by-default in desktop computing.
Yet, there’s a catch—VBS is notorious for dampening performance in latency-sensitive applications, including modern games. By introducing an additional abstraction layer and siphoning system resources for hypervisor use, VBS can create a measurable drag on frame rates, responsiveness, and sometimes even system stability.
The results are hard to ignore: in titles like Fortnite, Windows 10 outpaced Windows 11 (VBS-enabled) by a staggering 18% at the same hardware configuration. When testers switched off VBS in Windows 11, the performance delta shrunk, but Windows 10 still maintained a 9.25% lead—suggesting core efficiency differences remain even outside the security feature’s influence.
Similar outcomes were observed in other demanding titles such as Kingdom Come Deliverance 2. The pattern is consistent if not always as dramatic: disabling VBS reduces the performance penalty, but Windows 10, unburdened by the additional security overheads, still delivers higher gaming frame rates on the latest AMD silicon.
These data points echo sentiment from previous hardware generations and affirm what many power users have suspected: Windows 10 remains a performance powerhouse, particularly when unencumbered by new security defaults.
AMD’s official stance—backed by their own benchmarking numbers—reflects the broader trend among hardware vendors: future performance comparisons must account for the evolving security baseline. The days of running a stripped-back, unpatched OS to eke out synthetic wins are behind us.
Still, Microsoft’s decision to make VBS the default only on fresh Windows 11 installations (and not retroactively on Windows 10) complicates expectations. Many upgraders find themselves in murky territory—running Windows 11 with incomplete security coverage, an amalgam of old and new settings. For those installing Windows 11 from scratch, the experience is more rigid, with additional overhead but improved protection.
None of this answers the burning question for gamers and PC builders: should they prioritize security, or stick to the proven performance of Windows 10 until new CPUs and GPUs make the VBS penalty irrelevant?
Enterprise customers, especially, value this protection—system integrity and resistance to privilege escalation attacks take precedence over absolute speed. Microsoft’s guidance reflects the needs of its biggest customers, where security breaches cost orders of magnitude more than a few lost frames per second. For home users, especially competitive gamers or prosumers, that calculation looks different. Here, every ounce of latency matters, and features added in the name of safety quickly become suspect if they impose significant slowdowns.
The debate isn’t trivial. Even within enthusiast communities, opinions split along professional and personal lines: is a safer but slightly slower system a net benefit, or a series of tradeoffs users should make themselves?
AMD’s chipset updates smoothing the OS transition when swapping CPUs is an acknowledgment that users expect, and deserve, a hassle-free upgrade path. But the bigger story is that, for at least one more CPU generation, the “Windows 10 vs. Windows 11” debate remains unsettled, and highly contextual.
Gamers running the latest Ryzen CPUs—whether 9950X3D or the slightly older 9800X3D—are especially attuned to these differences. When hardware is expensive and state-of-the-art, yet simple software toggles or OS changes produce double-digit gains or losses in popular games, frustration is understandable.
Notably, these performance gaps aren’t universal. Some games, particularly those optimized for the latest DirectX 12 or Vulkan APIs, narrow the differences. But legacy titles, or those with complex, CPU-dependent workloads, consistently highlight Windows 10’s leanness.
For power users, keeping every layer of the software stack current—Windows updates, chipset drivers, graphics card drivers, BIOS/UEFI versions—is all but mandatory to maximize gains and minimize headaches. The positive news: AMD’s approach increasingly prioritizes backward compatibility and the reduction of upgrade friction, a quality longtime PC builders appreciate.
But even the most up-to-date system can’t entirely avoid the tradeoff between robust security (VBS, firmware TPM, secure boot) and unencumbered speed. Users who make a full leap to Windows 11 must weigh these elements with eyes wide open.
For home users, particularly those building high-end gaming rigs, this means choosing between maximal performance and “good enough” security. AMD’s suggestion to leave VBS enabled for Windows 11 benchmarking—while not recommended or enabled on Windows 10—underscores the bifurcation happening in real time. Microsoft, for its part, has to cater to both audiences simultaneously, an unenviable challenge in an ecosystem as diverse as Windows.
Whether this is the “right” approach depends on perspective. As threats continue to evolve, and as attackers find new ways to compromise even the best-defended systems, it’s inevitable that more security will be pushed down to the end-user—sometimes at the expense of the last few percentage points of speed. Enthusiasts and performance chasers will find ways to tune, tweak, and optimize, searching for every last frame; everyday users, meanwhile, adopt the defaults and benefit from invisibly stronger protection.
For AMD, the challenge is to keep delivering CPUs that excel, regardless of the underlying OS state. That they continue to provide tools to ease the upgrade and migration experience is a positive, and speaks to a user-first approach that doesn’t always align with pure corporate interests.
For now, Windows 10 remains the “go-to” for users who demand the fastest gaming experience and are willing to accept the risks of running a less “hardened” OS. Windows 11, increasingly characterized by its security-first approach—especially for clean installs—delivers a safer, if marginally slower, experience. As AMD and Microsoft continue to refine their respective offerings, these lines may blur, but the essential tension will remain: every security improvement comes at a cost, and every speed gain potentially opens new vulnerabilities.
The savvy PC builder in 2024 has more choices—and complexity—than ever. Whether chasing the absolute fastest FPS or balancing the intricate dance of security, compatibility, and performance, it is clear only one thing is constant in the Windows world: change itself. As we look to future Ryzen generations and evolving Windows versions, the balance of power between OS and silicon will remain the ultimate battleground for every PC enthusiast.
Source: www.neowin.net AMD's Ryzen 9950X3D/9800X3D on Windows 10 beats Windows 11 on Microsoft recommended settings
AMD’s 9950X3D: A Flagship Built for Both Worlds
The Ryzen 9 9950X3D, the X3D SKU at the pinnacle of AMD’s modern desktop lineup, isn’t just about numbers on a chart. The combination of high single-thread performance and the intelligent application of 3D V-Cache technology results in a processor that has impressed across productivity and gaming workloads. When tested by reviewers, the chip scored highly—not only providing raw power but also exhibiting the versatility that’s become essential for users who refuse to compromise. Its nine out of ten review score reflects this balance, establishing the 9950X3D as a compelling option for anyone in search of a “do-it-all” CPU.What’s notable is that AMD’s launch didn’t stop at hardware. Bundled with the release was a new chipset driver package. Among minor fixes and additions, one update in particular stood out: users no longer need to reinstall Windows when swapping CPUs within the same generation. While a convenience benefit, it also subtly signals AMD’s intent to remove friction from hardware upgrades—a pointed nod to DIY enthusiasts who expect seamless transitions rather than time-consuming OS reinstalls.
Yet, the most impactful discussion stemming from this launch centers on software—specifically, how Microsoft’s operating system choices and built-in security features impact the flagship CPU’s real-world performance.
The VBS Conundrum: Security vs. Performance
Virtualization-based Security (VBS)—marketed as Core Isolation within Windows—represents Microsoft’s ongoing effort to harden the platform against modern attack vectors. VBS leverages hardware virtualization to create secure enclaves designed to shield the Windows kernel from malicious code. Out of the box, Windows 11 enables VBS (especially on fresh installs), reflecting Microsoft’s stance that security should not be optional in a post-Spectre, ransomware-laden world.That’s the theory. The reality, however, is thornier for gamers and performance purists. AMD, in its reviewer guidance, aligned itself with Microsoft’s recommendation: run benchmarks with VBS enabled, at least on Windows 11 (23H2 or newer). This approach ensures results match what most users will actually experience and speaks to the growing role of security-by-default in desktop computing.
Yet, there’s a catch—VBS is notorious for dampening performance in latency-sensitive applications, including modern games. By introducing an additional abstraction layer and siphoning system resources for hypervisor use, VBS can create a measurable drag on frame rates, responsiveness, and sometimes even system stability.
Benchmarking Reality: Windows 10 Still Outpaces 11 in Gaming
Seeking clarity on the matter, Tech YES City—a staple in the enthusiast benchmarking scene—put AMD’s latest and last-generation X3D processors through a battery of real-world tests. The twist? The same hardware, contrasting Windows 10 (VBS off by default, no Core Isolation) and Windows 11 with Microsoft’s recommended VBS settings active.The results are hard to ignore: in titles like Fortnite, Windows 10 outpaced Windows 11 (VBS-enabled) by a staggering 18% at the same hardware configuration. When testers switched off VBS in Windows 11, the performance delta shrunk, but Windows 10 still maintained a 9.25% lead—suggesting core efficiency differences remain even outside the security feature’s influence.
Similar outcomes were observed in other demanding titles such as Kingdom Come Deliverance 2. The pattern is consistent if not always as dramatic: disabling VBS reduces the performance penalty, but Windows 10, unburdened by the additional security overheads, still delivers higher gaming frame rates on the latest AMD silicon.
These data points echo sentiment from previous hardware generations and affirm what many power users have suspected: Windows 10 remains a performance powerhouse, particularly when unencumbered by new security defaults.
AMD’s Messaging and Microsoft’s Balancing Act
While it’s easy to frame this as a failure of Windows 11 or Microsoft’s security strategy, the reality is more complex. AMD, by urging reviewers to keep VBS on, isn’t simply towing Microsoft’s line. Instead, it underscores a tension at the heart of modern desktop computing—a balancing act between raw speed and necessary security.AMD’s official stance—backed by their own benchmarking numbers—reflects the broader trend among hardware vendors: future performance comparisons must account for the evolving security baseline. The days of running a stripped-back, unpatched OS to eke out synthetic wins are behind us.
Still, Microsoft’s decision to make VBS the default only on fresh Windows 11 installations (and not retroactively on Windows 10) complicates expectations. Many upgraders find themselves in murky territory—running Windows 11 with incomplete security coverage, an amalgam of old and new settings. For those installing Windows 11 from scratch, the experience is more rigid, with additional overhead but improved protection.
None of this answers the burning question for gamers and PC builders: should they prioritize security, or stick to the proven performance of Windows 10 until new CPUs and GPUs make the VBS penalty irrelevant?
Core Isolation: What Does VBS Really Do?
For non-enterprise users, the specifics of VBS can seem arcane. Virtualization-based Security, or Core Isolation, is designed to defend against advanced malware by walling off the sensitive parts of the kernel. It uses hardware features like Intel VT-x and AMD-V to create a mini-operating system within which only the most essential components of Windows run. While the intention is to block attackers from exploiting vulnerabilities in kernel-mode code, the collateral effect is measurable CPU and memory overhead.Enterprise customers, especially, value this protection—system integrity and resistance to privilege escalation attacks take precedence over absolute speed. Microsoft’s guidance reflects the needs of its biggest customers, where security breaches cost orders of magnitude more than a few lost frames per second. For home users, especially competitive gamers or prosumers, that calculation looks different. Here, every ounce of latency matters, and features added in the name of safety quickly become suspect if they impose significant slowdowns.
The debate isn’t trivial. Even within enthusiast communities, opinions split along professional and personal lines: is a safer but slightly slower system a net benefit, or a series of tradeoffs users should make themselves?
The Upgrade Path: Clean Install vs. In-Place Upgrade
Microsoft, throughout the Windows 11 rollout, has pushed for clean installs—wiping the slate, ensuring modern features like VBS are active by default. Many users, for reasons of convenience or necessity, choose in-place upgrades from Windows 10. The upshot is a fragmented experience: some users get the full “secured-core PC” setup, others inherit a messy mixture of old settings and new features. This lack of clarity directly influences benchmarking outcomes and user expectations.AMD’s chipset updates smoothing the OS transition when swapping CPUs is an acknowledgment that users expect, and deserve, a hassle-free upgrade path. But the bigger story is that, for at least one more CPU generation, the “Windows 10 vs. Windows 11” debate remains unsettled, and highly contextual.
Real-World Gaming Metrics: The Current State of Play
Fortnite’s 18% performance win for Windows 10 isn’t an outlier. Many fast-paced shooters, real-time strategy games, and esports titles see similar advantages—not just raw FPS, but also in frame pacing, input latency, and overall system “feel.” Even when VBS is switched off on Windows 11, Windows 10 tends to eke out a few extra percentage points of performance; enough to matter to serious gamers, but less so for the average user browsing the web or streaming Netflix.Gamers running the latest Ryzen CPUs—whether 9950X3D or the slightly older 9800X3D—are especially attuned to these differences. When hardware is expensive and state-of-the-art, yet simple software toggles or OS changes produce double-digit gains or losses in popular games, frustration is understandable.
Notably, these performance gaps aren’t universal. Some games, particularly those optimized for the latest DirectX 12 or Vulkan APIs, narrow the differences. But legacy titles, or those with complex, CPU-dependent workloads, consistently highlight Windows 10’s leanness.
Drivers, BIOS, and the Hidden Layer of Complexity
Part of this performance story rests not on Windows alone, but on the tangled interplay between chipset drivers, BIOS updates, and system firmware. AMD’s recent chipset driver packages do more than add features—they patch lingering issues, like the VBS bug some users encountered on Windows 10, and ensure smooth operation as CPUs become more advanced.For power users, keeping every layer of the software stack current—Windows updates, chipset drivers, graphics card drivers, BIOS/UEFI versions—is all but mandatory to maximize gains and minimize headaches. The positive news: AMD’s approach increasingly prioritizes backward compatibility and the reduction of upgrade friction, a quality longtime PC builders appreciate.
But even the most up-to-date system can’t entirely avoid the tradeoff between robust security (VBS, firmware TPM, secure boot) and unencumbered speed. Users who make a full leap to Windows 11 must weigh these elements with eyes wide open.
Security’s New Normal: Accepting Measured Losses for Greater Good?
It’s tempting to frame the VBS debate as a simple “off vs. on” scenario, but the reality of modern threat landscapes calls for a more nuanced view. Microsoft, understandably, wants its flagship OS to be “hardened,” and this means leaning into virtualization-based protections. In the enterprise, this is a non-negotiable baseline—a requirement of cyber insurance, many compliance regulations, and practical security.For home users, particularly those building high-end gaming rigs, this means choosing between maximal performance and “good enough” security. AMD’s suggestion to leave VBS enabled for Windows 11 benchmarking—while not recommended or enabled on Windows 10—underscores the bifurcation happening in real time. Microsoft, for its part, has to cater to both audiences simultaneously, an unenviable challenge in an ecosystem as diverse as Windows.
Looking Ahead: Ryzen, Windows, and the Future of PC Gaming
The competitive landscape for desktop CPUs and operating systems is more intricate than ever. AMD’s 9950X3D, when run on an OS unburdened by newer security defaults, can operate at its full potential, delivering unprecedented framerates and minimal bottlenecking. Yet the “default” Windows experience, particularly for new users, now bakes in settings that temper this power in the name of digital safety.Whether this is the “right” approach depends on perspective. As threats continue to evolve, and as attackers find new ways to compromise even the best-defended systems, it’s inevitable that more security will be pushed down to the end-user—sometimes at the expense of the last few percentage points of speed. Enthusiasts and performance chasers will find ways to tune, tweak, and optimize, searching for every last frame; everyday users, meanwhile, adopt the defaults and benefit from invisibly stronger protection.
For AMD, the challenge is to keep delivering CPUs that excel, regardless of the underlying OS state. That they continue to provide tools to ease the upgrade and migration experience is a positive, and speaks to a user-first approach that doesn’t always align with pure corporate interests.
Final Thoughts: The Modern Power User’s Dilemma
AMD’s Ryzen 9 9950X3D confirms what enthusiasts have always known: hardware only tells half the story. The other half, shaped by chipset drivers, OS defaults, and the ever-shifting sands of Windows security, determines how much performance you can actually realize in day-to-day use.For now, Windows 10 remains the “go-to” for users who demand the fastest gaming experience and are willing to accept the risks of running a less “hardened” OS. Windows 11, increasingly characterized by its security-first approach—especially for clean installs—delivers a safer, if marginally slower, experience. As AMD and Microsoft continue to refine their respective offerings, these lines may blur, but the essential tension will remain: every security improvement comes at a cost, and every speed gain potentially opens new vulnerabilities.
The savvy PC builder in 2024 has more choices—and complexity—than ever. Whether chasing the absolute fastest FPS or balancing the intricate dance of security, compatibility, and performance, it is clear only one thing is constant in the Windows world: change itself. As we look to future Ryzen generations and evolving Windows versions, the balance of power between OS and silicon will remain the ultimate battleground for every PC enthusiast.
Source: www.neowin.net AMD's Ryzen 9950X3D/9800X3D on Windows 10 beats Windows 11 on Microsoft recommended settings
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