Yes, but not for every Ryzen PC or every game. Microsoft’s August 27, 2024 Windows 11 preview update KB5041587 brought AMD branch-prediction optimizations to Windows 11 23H2. AMD expected the biggest gains on Ryzen 9000 (Zen 5), with benefits also possible on Zen 4 and Zen 3. In AMD’s four-game sample, results ranged from no change to 13% faster—but that was vendor testing at 1080p High, not a guaranteed uplift. In 2026, use Windows Update to install the current supported cumulative update rather than seeking out this old preview package.
What KB5041587 changed
KB5041587 was a non-security cumulative preview update released on August 27, 2024. It applied to Windows 11 version 23H2 across editions and to version 22H2 Enterprise and Education. It produced OS builds 22621.4112 and 22631.4112. Microsoft’s release notes describe quality improvements; they do not promise a Ryzen gaming-performance increase. The gaming claim came from AMD’s explanation of the processor optimization and its performance results. Microsoft’s KB5041587 notes
The update changed Windows code paths; it did not overclock a Ryzen processor or alter its clock speeds, power limits, core count, or memory frequency. At the time, Microsoft offered it as an optional update rather than requiring users to move to a Windows 11 24H2 preview build.
Why branch prediction can affect frame rates
A processor uses branch prediction to anticipate which instructions a program will execute next. A better prediction can reduce wasted work and improve instruction throughput. Because games use different engines and workloads, however, the effect varies: an optimization that helps one game may do little for another.
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AMD said Ryzen 9000 launch tests had used optimized branch-prediction code that was missing from the Windows build used by many reviewers. AMD described the expected benefit as largest for Zen 5, while also saying Zen 4 and Zen 3 could benefit. AMD’s Ryzen 9000 gaming-performance update
Which Ryzen generations were in scope?
| Architecture | Typical desktop families | What AMD established |
|---|---|---|
| Zen 5 | Ryzen 9000 | Largest expected benefit; AMD published a Ryzen 9 9950X game sample. |
| Zen 4 | Ryzen 7000 and relevant Ryzen 8000G models | AMD said the generation also benefits; a fixed model-by-model uplift is not established. |
| Zen 3 | Ryzen 5000 | AMD said the generation also benefits; it did not publish a complete model-by-model uplift table. |
| Older generations | Earlier Ryzen families | A broad, verified benefit is not established by AMD’s cited statement. |
AMD’s generational statement is not a promise of identical results across desktop and mobile processors. Model-specific testing is needed before assuming a particular laptop or older chip will gain gaming performance.
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What AMD’s game results showed
AMD compared a Ryzen 9 9950X running Windows 11 24H2 with Windows 11 23H2 in four games at 1080p High. These are AMD’s vendor-generated results, not an independent test or a guarantee for KB5041587 on every system.
| Game | AMD-reported result | Change |
|---|---|---|
| Far Cry 6 | 183 vs. 162 FPS | +13% |
| Cyberpunk 2077 | 200 vs. 188 FPS | +7% |
| Hitman 3 | 358 vs. 347 FPS | +3% |
| Watch Dogs: Legion | 165 vs. 165 FPS | No change |
AMD also reported no change in Cinebench 2024 single-thread performance in that sample. The 13% result was the highest of these four games, not an average or a typical result for all Ryzen processors. The comparison involved Windows 24H2 and 23H2; it should not be treated as an isolated measurement of KB5041587 unless the other differences between the tested builds are controlled.
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When a gamer is most likely to notice a difference
The optimization is most likely to show up when the CPU is limiting frame rates—for example, at 1080p with a powerful GPU, in high-refresh esports play, or in a CPU-heavy simulation or strategy game. At 1440p and especially 4K, the GPU more often sets the limit, so a CPU-side improvement may have little effect on the displayed frame rate.
- Game and workload: Branch-prediction behavior differs across game engines and titles, so results can range from a measurable gain to none.
- System configuration: GPU choice, memory speed and timings, BIOS and motherboard settings, Windows power configuration, background processes, and security features such as VBS can affect results.
- Test method: Game version, graphics settings, repeatability, and whether the comparison is 23H2 versus KB5041587 or versus a later 24H2 build all matter. AMD also notes configuration and methodology as sources of variation. AMD’s notes on Windows-version performance variability
A useful before-and-after test keeps BIOS, Windows power and security settings, GPU driver, game version, resolution, and preset identical. Use a repeatable benchmark or test route, run it several times, and report average FPS and 1% lows. A 1080p test with a powerful GPU can expose a CPU limit; a 4K run can show whether a game is GPU-limited. One run in one game cannot establish a general Ryzen uplift.
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What to install in 2026
Do not hunt down KB5041587 as a current gaming fix. It is an August 2024 preview package, and later cumulative updates may supersede it or include the relevant changes. The safer route is to install the current supported update offered for the Windows version on the PC.
- Open Settings → Windows Update.
- Select Check for updates.
- Install the current supported cumulative update offered for the device, following any restart prompts.
In 2024, the optional-update route was Settings → Windows Update → Advanced options → Optional updates; the exact labels can vary by Windows version and servicing state. That historical route is not a recommendation to install the old preview package now. If documenting or testing the original package, Microsoft’s Update Catalog listing is the first-party download source. Catalog packages must match the Windows release and system architecture; x64 and ARM64 packages are not interchangeable.
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How to check the Windows version and update history
- To see the installed Windows version and OS build, press Windows key + R, enter
winver, and press Enter. This identifies the Windows release and build but may not show every installed package. - To look for the KB entry, open Settings → Windows Update → Update history and check the quality-update list for KB5041587.
- For a command-line check, run
Get-HotFix | Sort-Object InstalledOn -Descendingin PowerShell. On systems where WMIC is available,wmic qfe list brief /format:tableis another option.
A later cumulative update may supersede the individual preview package. Not seeing KB5041587 by number does not, by itself, show that a newer supported Windows build lacks the optimization.
Dual-boot warning for historical installs
Windows and Linux dual-boot users: Microsoft documented an issue in the August 2024 update cycle in which some systems with customized dual-boot configurations could fail to boot Linux with an SBAT-related security-policy error. It was not a universal failure, but it matters for customized bootloaders, unusual Secure Boot configurations, and systems relying on older or modified Linux shim packages. Microsoft said later September 2024 and subsequent updates did not contain the settings that caused this issue. Review Microsoft’s known-issue guidance before installing a historical package.
Removing KB5041587 if necessary
Microsoft says the combined servicing-stack and cumulative package cannot be removed with the usual standalone-installer command wusa.exe /uninstall. The documented route is to identify the package and remove it with DISM. Back up important files or create a restore point where possible before attempting removal.
- Open Command Prompt or Windows Terminal as an administrator and run
DISM /online /get-packages. - Find the relevant package name in the output and copy it exactly; do not substitute a guessed package identifier.
- Run
DISM /online /remove-package /PackageName:<package-name>, replacing the bracketed text with the copied name.
The servicing-stack update cannot be removed separately from the combined package, according to Microsoft’s removal instructions. Avoid removing an update solely because one benchmark showed no FPS change.
Quick Recap
Practical recommendation by situation
- On a current supported Windows 11 build: Stay current through Windows Update; do not install an obsolete preview package manually.
- On an old 23H2 system with Ryzen 9000: Prioritize the current supported cumulative update rather than installing KB5041587 as a standalone fix.
- On Ryzen 5000, 7000, or relevant 8000G hardware: AMD named Zen 3 and Zen 4 as beneficiaries, but the size of any gaming gain is not fixed.
- Chasing a guaranteed FPS increase: The evidence does not support a universal or guaranteed uplift; GPU-limited games may show little change.
- Using customized Windows/Linux dual boot: Check Microsoft’s documented SBAT issue before considering any historical package.
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