Windows 11 is getting ready for a new CPU feature that could help future Intel and AMD chips run code with less work. Microsoft has added a switch for Advanced Performance Extensions, or APX, in Insider Preview Build 29695.1001. Xeno, a Windows fan on X, spotted it in the Experimental (Future Platforms) channel.
Here's the catch. The switch lets Windows make use of APX for a speed boost, but a restart is needed first. And no, that does not mean a PC will get faster just from a quick click. The chip and the apps must support the tech as well.
Intel first came up with APX for x86-64 back in 2023. Since then, AMD has joined the effort through the x86 Ecosystem Advisory Group. Both firms want to make the old chip design do more work with less waste, which is a pretty fair goal.
The big change comes down to registers. CPUs use these small, fast spots to hold data as they work, and APX raises the count from 16 to 32. That gives a chip more room to keep data close instead of going back to slower memory all the time.
There's more under the hood, though. APX adds new ways to run tasks with three inputs, along with fresh options for tests and data handling. The aim is to cut down on extra steps that can slow a program or make the CPU work harder than it needs to.
Intel's early tests make a decent case for it. Code tuned for APX used about 10% fewer load tasks, cut store tasks by over 20%, and ran with roughly 10% fewer steps. Those stats came from test models using SPEC CPU 2017 Integer, not real PCs. Actual speed gains may vary quite a bit.
Meanwhile, Microsoft has put APX support into more than just a menu. Its Windows SDK can spot the CPU feature and track the extra state it needs, while WinDbg has gained better tools to deal with the added registers. That's quite a bit of prep for tech most people can't use yet.
On Intel's side, Nova Lake desktop chips and Diamond Rapids Xeon CPUs are set to support APX. AIDA64 has even added a SHA3 test built to use the feature on those designs. At least the tools are starting to catch up with the hardware plans.
AMD's path is less clear. GCC 16 has no listed APX support for Zen 6, which leaves Zen 7 as a possible first match. Still, AMD has yet to lock that down in public, and a lack of compiler support alone does not rule out Zen 6.
For current PC users, there's no free boost on the way. Older chips won't gain APX through an update, and apps will need code built for it. Microsoft has not set a date for a wide Windows 11 rollout, either. Right now, it's a feature meant for future hardware.
Here's the catch. The switch lets Windows make use of APX for a speed boost, but a restart is needed first. And no, that does not mean a PC will get faster just from a quick click. The chip and the apps must support the tech as well.
Intel first came up with APX for x86-64 back in 2023. Since then, AMD has joined the effort through the x86 Ecosystem Advisory Group. Both firms want to make the old chip design do more work with less waste, which is a pretty fair goal.
The big change comes down to registers. CPUs use these small, fast spots to hold data as they work, and APX raises the count from 16 to 32. That gives a chip more room to keep data close instead of going back to slower memory all the time.
There's more under the hood, though. APX adds new ways to run tasks with three inputs, along with fresh options for tests and data handling. The aim is to cut down on extra steps that can slow a program or make the CPU work harder than it needs to.
Intel's early tests make a decent case for it. Code tuned for APX used about 10% fewer load tasks, cut store tasks by over 20%, and ran with roughly 10% fewer steps. Those stats came from test models using SPEC CPU 2017 Integer, not real PCs. Actual speed gains may vary quite a bit.
Meanwhile, Microsoft has put APX support into more than just a menu. Its Windows SDK can spot the CPU feature and track the extra state it needs, while WinDbg has gained better tools to deal with the added registers. That's quite a bit of prep for tech most people can't use yet.
On Intel's side, Nova Lake desktop chips and Diamond Rapids Xeon CPUs are set to support APX. AIDA64 has even added a SHA3 test built to use the feature on those designs. At least the tools are starting to catch up with the hardware plans.
AMD's path is less clear. GCC 16 has no listed APX support for Zen 6, which leaves Zen 7 as a possible first match. Still, AMD has yet to lock that down in public, and a lack of compiler support alone does not rule out Zen 6.
For current PC users, there's no free boost on the way. Older chips won't gain APX through an update, and apps will need code built for it. Microsoft has not set a date for a wide Windows 11 rollout, either. Right now, it's a feature meant for future hardware.
