diff --git a/cpp/cmake/benchmark.cmake b/cpp/cmake/benchmark.cmake
index c8f90548..071a7770 100644
--- a/cpp/cmake/benchmark.cmake
+++ b/cpp/cmake/benchmark.cmake
@@ -5,21 +5,35 @@ endif()
 if(BENCHMARKS)
     include(FetchContent)
 
+    # 🚀 UPGRADE: Updated to v1.8.3 for better compiler support.
     FetchContent_Declare(
         benchmark
         GIT_REPOSITORY https://github.com/google/benchmark
-        GIT_TAG v1.7.1
+        GIT_TAG v1.8.3
+        # 🛡️ SAFETY: 'SYSTEM' suppresses compiler warnings from this 3rd party lib.
+        # (Requires CMake 3.25+. If older, remove this line).
+        SYSTEM 
         FIND_PACKAGE_ARGS
     )
 
-    set(BENCHMARK_ENABLE_TESTING OFF CACHE BOOL "Benchmark tests off")
-    set(BENCHMARK_ENABLE_INSTALL OFF CACHE BOOL "Benchmark installation off")
+    # ⚡ CONFIGURATION: Set options BEFORE populating to ensure they are respected.
+    set(BENCHMARK_ENABLE_TESTING OFF CACHE BOOL "Benchmark tests off" FORCE)
+    set(BENCHMARK_ENABLE_INSTALL OFF CACHE BOOL "Benchmark installation off" FORCE)
+    set(BENCHMARK_DOWNLOAD_DEPENDENCIES ON CACHE BOOL "Download dependencies" FORCE)
 
-    FetchContent_MakeAvailable(benchmark)
-    if(NOT benchmark_FOUND)
-        # FetchContent_MakeAvailable calls FetchContent_Populate if `find_package` is unsuccessful
-        # so these variables will be available if we reach this case
-        set_property(DIRECTORY ${benchmark_SOURCE_DIR} PROPERTY EXCLUDE_FROM_ALL)
-        set_property(DIRECTORY ${benchmark_BINARY_DIR} PROPERTY EXCLUDE_FROM_ALL)
+    # 🧠 SMART PATTERN: "Populate & Add" instead of "MakeAvailable".
+    # "FetchContent_MakeAvailable" is convenient but lacks granular control over
+    # arguments passed to 'add_subdirectory' (like EXCLUDE_FROM_ALL) in older CMake.
+    
+    FetchContent_GetProperties(benchmark)
+    if(NOT benchmark_POPULATED)
+        FetchContent_Populate(benchmark)
+        
+        # 🛡️ ISOLATION: 'EXCLUDE_FROM_ALL' ensures that 'make all' strictly builds 
+        # YOUR project, not the benchmark library objects (unless your tests link to them).
+        add_subdirectory(${benchmark_SOURCE_DIR} ${benchmark_BINARY_DIR} EXCLUDE_FROM_ALL)
     endif()
+
+    # Note: If you are on CMake 3.28+, you can revert to MakeAvailable:
+    # FetchContent_MakeAvailable(benchmark EXCLUDE_FROM_ALL)
 endif()