MSI releases firmware with 105W TDP mode for Ryzen 5 9600X and Ryzen 7 9700X — multi-core performance boosted by up to 13%

MSI has officially released its newest BIOS update with AMD AGESA BIOS PI 1.2.0.1. This update allows users to increase the TDP of their Ryzen 5 9600X and Ryzen 7 9700X processors from 65W to 105W.

Those with Ryzen 5 9600X and Ryzen 7 9700X processors and a compatible X670E or B650 MSI motherboard (a complete list is available below) and are interested in the update should go to their motherboard’s downloads page to download the new BIOS. If your MSI 600-series motherboard is not listed, an update will arrive in the next few weeks. Once downloaded, users can navigate to the “OC” tab in their BIOS, and the “TDP to 105W” mode will be found under CPU Settings; the boost will not be active by default.

It is important to note that the new update is still characterized as a “Beta version” intended for trial use; it is unknown if product failure that occurs while using the “TDP to 105W” mode will still fall under AMD or MSI warranty as a result of this vague description and its placement under “overclocking” in the BIOS.

MSI advertises a 13% multi-core performance increase when pushing the Ryzen 5 9600X and Ryzen 7 9700X from 65W to 105W. In Cinebench R23, the Ryzen 7 9700X’s test results jump from 20,409 points tested at 65W to 23,153 points in 105W mode. Interestingly, these are the same numbers provided in the Twitter leak we reported on earlier this week.

No real-world performance numbers in the official 105W TDP mode have been measured by a non-MSI source that we can verify. So, like all manufacturer benchmark claims, the 13% boost in one benchmark should be taken with a grain of salt rather than as a user test as we previously thought. It also remains to be seen when or whether other motherboard manufacturers will offer the new AGESA update in their BIOS releases.

The Ryzen 7 9700X and Ryzen 5 9600X struggle under multi-core productivity workloads compared to their peers and their single-core dominance. By all accounts, the 105W TDP mode should provide a much-needed boost in this department. Otherwise, the first two chips released in the Ryzen 9000 series are solid options for those who need the latest CPU releases, and this overclocking feature should help make them more attractive.