DF Weekly: AMD’s Zen 5 – why isn’t there a solid consensus in reviews?

CPU Benchmarking in Gaming: A Deep Dive

Discussing the latest tech topics, the DF Direct team delves into the Ryzen 9000/Zen 5 CPU reviews, highlighting discrepancies in results among various outlets. The complexity of CPU performance in gaming is explored, with diverse results depending on the specific scenarios being tested.

Reflecting on past benchmarking experiences, the team recalls instances where different CPUs outperformed each other in varying game environments, showcasing the intricacies of CPU testing. The importance of testing the most demanding scenes for accurate performance evaluation is emphasized, illustrating the nuances of processor benchmarks.

• 0:00:00 Introduction
• 0:00:54 News 01: PS VR2 tested on PC – without an adapter!
• 0:12:49 News 02: Zen 5 launches to mixed reviews
• 0:29:57 News 03: Space Marine 2 previewed
• 0:40:50 News 04: Half-Life 3 confirmed???!!!!
• 0:50:24 News 05: Jedi: Survivor last-gen screenshots revealed
• 1:06:32 News 06: Classic Doom games get revised port
• 1:11:07 News 07: Final Fantasy 16 PC release may be imminent
• 1:18:51 News 08: Ready at Dawn shut down
• 1:25:56 Supporter Q1: Why isn’t every new game using DirectStorage?
• 1:30:56 Supporter Q2: How could a “Stop Killing Games” directive work for online-only titles?
• 1:39:13 Supporter Q3: Should we be less judgmental about generative AI use?
• 1:48:18 Supporter Q4: Is the Ryzen 5800X3D one of the greatest ever CPUs?
• 1:55:35 Supporter Q5: Why does the PS4 refuse to die?

The Controversy of CPU Testing

Delving into the nuances of CPU testing, the debate over testing resolutions – whether higher or lower resolutions provide a more accurate representation of CPU performance – is explored. The importance of using trusted sources for hardware reviews is emphasized, given the variability in CPU-bound scenarios during testing.

As new technologies like DLSS push frame rates higher, the traditional concept of being rarely CPU limited in gaming is challenged. Games like Star Wars Jedi: Survivor and Microsoft Flight Simulator often operate at CPU limits, highlighting the evolving landscape of CPU performance in modern titles.

Exploring the performance differentials between various CPUs, the analysis reveals that while the Ryzen 7 9700X offers improvements, it does not surpass the Ryzen 7 7800X3D in gaming performance. Factors like power efficiency and memory transitions contribute to the varying performance levels observed in CPU benchmarks.

Anticipating the upcoming Intel processor releases, the competition between Zen 5 and Arrow Lake-S CPUs is eagerly awaited. With new benchmarks and gaming tests in the pipeline for titles like Starfield and Counter Strike 2, the future of CPU performance evaluations looks promising.

Joining the DF Supporter Program provides exclusive insights into the benchmarking projects at Digital Foundry, offering a deeper understanding of the intricate testing processes. Supporters play a vital role in shaping the show, suggesting topics and questions for the Q+A segment, and gaining early access to episodes.