# How many branches can your CPU predict?

DevFeed: [How many branches can your CPU predict?](<https://devfeed.tech/articles/how-many-branches-can-your-cpu-predict-29396.md>)

Original publisher: [Read original article](<https://lemire.me/blog/2026/03/18/how-many-branches-can-your-cpu-predict/>)

Author: Daniel Lemire

Published: 2026-03-18T21:52:53Z

Content type: opinion

Language: en

Sources: [Daniel Lemire](<https://devfeed.tech/sources/daniel-lemire.md>)

Topics: [cpu](<https://devfeed.tech/topics/cpu.md>), [benchmarking](<https://devfeed.tech/topics/benchmarking.md>), [Benchmark](<https://devfeed.tech/topics/benchmark.md>)

Tags: [amd](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/amd.md>), [apple](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/apple.md>), [benchmark](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/benchmark.md>), [benchmarking](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/benchmarking.md>), [cpu](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/cpu.md>), [intel](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/intel.md>), [processors](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/processors.md>), [test](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/test.md>)

## AI overview

A benchmark examines how many branch outcomes recent processors can learn when the same random values are repeated. AMD Zen 5 predicts 30,000 branches, Apple M4 predicts 10,000, and Intel Emerald Rapids predicts 5,000 in the reported test.

## Source excerpt

Modern processors have the ability to execute many instructions per cycle, on a single core. To be able to execute many instructions per cycle in practice, processors predict branches. I have made the point over the years that modern CPUs have an incredible ability to predict branches. It makes benchmarking difficult because if you test ... Continue reading How many branches can your CPU predict?