Intel’s 0x114 Microcode hits ASRock Z890, CPU performance gains remain absent
It might take more than a little micro-code to save Arrow Lake
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Intel’s much-anticipated 0x114 microcode patch has started rolling out to Z890 motherboards despite not being released officially, and the ASRock Z890 Taichi OCF is one of the first boards to see the update. According to WCCFtech, the patch (originally developed for Arrow Lake processors to address underwhelming gaming performance) has yet to improve benchmarks significantly. But this may just be because the patch is still officially unreleased.
Early reports and first impressions of 0x114
Users on Overclock.net have already applied microcode patch 0x114 manually. For example, Nickshih, a well-known enthusiast, posted details about the patch and its compatibility with the ASRock Z890 Taichi OCF. Another user reportedly applied the update to an ASUS ROG Maximus Z890 Apex motherboard, but neither user observed any meaningful CPU performance boosts.
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If you want to try this patch for yourself, it has been posted on the same thread, as you won’t find it on any motherboard support pages just yet.
In Cinebench R23, one user noted a clock speed drop on their Intel Core Ultra 9 285K, resulting in lower multicore performance. The 285K (which typically scores around 48,000 points) managed just over 45,000 points after the patch. This decline raises questions about whether the patch is too premature for real-world use or whether its promised improvements are negligible.
Despite the lack of CPU performance gains, the patch has shown some promise in other areas. As WCCFtech reports. The ASRock Z890 Taichi OCF easily maintained over 10,000 MT/s DDR5 memory speeds in a 2R configuration—an impressive feat that matches world-record results previously reported. However, this doesn’t mask the disappointment surrounding the absence of CPU or gaming performance gains, which Intel claimed were the patch’s primary goals.
It is too early to call, but initial results are underwhelming
While Intel’s intentions with the 0x114 microcode patch are clear—boosting gaming performance to at least 14th-gen Core equivalent levels—there’s little evidence to suggest that this is happening. The patch’s impact may only become evident after official BIOS updates are released. Alternatively, the gaming performance uplift may be too small to be noticeable in synthetic benchmarks.
Final word
Unfortunately, we haven’t been able to test the 0x114 microcode ourselves. However, based on the reports, we’re left disappointed. Intel’s Arrow Lake chips already faced criticism for falling short of expectations, and this patch—at least in its current state—does little to change the narrative.
Intel’s gaming-focused promises may take longer to materialize, if at all. For now, those looking for meaningful performance improvements may need to wait for further updates or temper their expectations entirely.
