PassMark: PC CPU performance will decline for the first time since 2004 in 2025, with desktop processors down 0.5%

Recently, according to data shared by the benchmark performance testing software PassMark, the performance of PC CPUs in 2025 actually showed a downward trend, which was the first decline since 2004.

Data shows that the average test score of desktop CPUs in 2024 was 26436 points, while in the same period of 2025 it dropped to 26311 points, a decrease of 0.5%; the performance decline of notebook CPUs was even more obvious, from 14632 points in 2024 to 14130 points in 2025, a decrease of 3.4%.

In sharing the results, PassMark was also puzzled by the data, which has also led to speculation about the reasons, including possible performance degradation caused by the upgrade from Windows 10 to 11, or the addition of more potential pre-installed software in the latest systems.

Although Microsoft has tried hard to prove that Windows 11 is faster than Windows 10, even citing paid studies, the data has never found any obvious performance improvements for Window 11, whether it is an upgrade or a new installation. In fact, Windows 10 often excels in some areas.

However, the main reason may be that most users are satisfied with the current performance level and start buying cheaper computers, whether laptops or desktops.

The number of processors with 6 to 16 cores tested by PassMark has generally decreased, while the number of processors with 2 to 4 cores has increased. In terms of memory, the number of 8GB systems has also increased compared to 16 or 32GB.

Zikuai Technology