Recent reports suggest that AMD's Zen 5 desktop processors may soon receive a significant power upgrade. The upcoming AGESA 1.2.0.1A Patch A is rumored to increase the default power limits (TDP) from 65 W to 105 W for certain models, specifically the 8-core Ryzen 7 9700X and the 6-core Ryzen 5 9600X. This development comes as a surprise given that the first reviews of the Ryzen 9000 series were published just last week, with lower power consumption praised as a major advantage over previous generations. The potential TDP increase, while not as high as the 120 W initially rumored for the 9700X, still represents a substantial boost in power allocation.

The rationale behind this significant TDP increase appears to be addressing the lower than expected performance of the Ryzen 7 9700X and Ryzen 5 9600X compared to their predecessors. Initial testing showed that both CPUs performed similarly to earlier models, especially in gaming scenarios, with notable improvements only visible when using Precision Boost Overdrive (PBO). Even at 65 W, the Ryzen 7 9700X struggled to outpace the 7800X3D in gaming performance, highlighting the need for improved power delivery.While users prioritizing efficiency can still opt for the default 65 W TDP mode, those seeking higher performance will have access to the new 105 W TDP mode. The performance gains from this update remain to be seen, but given the substantial increase in power allocation, expectations are high for noticeable improvements. A 105 W TDP is expected to allow the chips to reach up to 142 W in terms of Package Power Tracking (PPT).

It's worth noting that AMD has not officially confirmed these changes, and it's unclear whether they will be included in the final BIOS release. The new TDP update is expected to be provided in the official, non-beta release of the AGESA 1.2.0.1A Patch A BIOS for all AM5 motherboards.