Yesterday we reported that MSI introduced a wave of firmware updates designed to handle and alleviate potential points with customers on AM5 utilizing AMD’s Ryzen 7000X3D processors with 3D V-Cache. One of many primary modifications with MSI’s newest UEFI firmware for AM5 included voltage restrictions when utilizing Ryzen 7000X3D collection CPUs in order that these chips could not be overvolted because the V-Cache packaging is considerably delicate to extra energy.
Additional to MSI’s announcement, ASUS has launched an announcement to skilled engineer and excessive overclocker Roman ‘Der8auer’ Hartung, which addresses the potential challenge with utilizing AMD’s EXPO reminiscence profiles along side the Ryzen 7000X3D collection chips. One of many key parts that seemingly surrounds the issue is using AMD’s EXPO reminiscence overclocking profiles.
ASUS’s Director of World Product Advertising and marketing and Technical Advertising and marketing, Rajinder Gill, mentioned in an announcement to Der8auer, “The EFI updates posted on Friday include some devoted thermal monitoring mechanisms we have applied to assist shield the boards and CPUs. We eliminated older BIOSes for that motive and likewise as a result of handbook Vcore management was out there on earlier builds.” Rajinder additionally mentioned, “We’re additionally working with AMD on defining new guidelines for AMD Expo and SoC voltage. We’ll challenge new updates for that ASAP. Please bear with us.“
ASUS ROG Crosshair X670E Hero AM5 Motherboard for AMD Ryzen 7000 Sequence CPUs
Trying on the narrative of the assertion offered to Der8uaer from Rajinder, we will affirm that ASUS has certainly eliminated older iterations of its firmware for its AM5 motherboards. Trying on the EMEA facet of issues, on the time of writing, the newest firmware replace to be posted on the ASUS product pages is dated 04/21/2023, which signifies ASUS just lately up to date the firmware, however the replace is not the newest one in query.
Roman ‘Der8auer’ Hartung’s Ryzen 9 7900X additionally has a bulge.
The one factor these points have in widespread is that AMD’s EXPO reminiscence profiles have been utilized, claims Roman ‘Der8auer’ Hartung, and even highlighted that his Ryzen 9 7900X processor additionally fell foul the the ‘bulging challenge.’ That is notably fascinating as this is not an X3D collection chip with 3D V-Cache, though we’re not conscious of some other stories of non-X3D Ryzen 7000 chips being affected presently.
Enabling EXPO reminiscence profiles on Ryzen 7000 processors does a number of issues to the processor that pushes it past the technical specification of the chip. Chief amongst these is elevating the SoC voltage and another major voltages, corresponding to VDDIO, that are used to feed the IOD. Like several ASIC, there are limits to how excessive voltages might be safely pushed, and that is one principle behind the reason for the current run of broken Ryzen stories. Although how this could be related to the difficulty being centered round Ryzen X3D chips – the place the voltage-sensitive V-Cache is on the CCDs and their separate voltage aircraft – is unclear presently.
In any case, this does underscore why AMD’s EXPO reminiscence overclocking profiles void the guarantee on these chips, as there’s extra to EXPO than simply ramping up reminiscence frequencies and making use of extra voltage to the DRAM itself.
Additional to Rajinder’s assertion given to Der8auer, ASUS’s Senior Technical Advertising and marketing Supervisor, Juan Jose Guerrero, posted the following statement on Twitter Tuesday afternoon:
“A number of AMD Ryzen 7000X3D house owners have reported CPU and motherboard failures. We acknowledge the incidents/points and have been speaking with AMD to research the potential causes. We’ve got additionally contacted affected customers to supply help and acquire extra info.
Ryzen 7000X3D processors don’t enable for CPU ratio or CPU core voltage tuning (CPU overclocking) however do enable for efficiency tuning and DRAM overclocking by way of PBO2 and EXPO reminiscence. To help EXPO and/or reminiscence overclocking at DDR5-6000 and past, SoC voltage must be sufficiently elevated to make sure compatibility and stability. The quantity of voltage required varies between CPU samples. Some processors are extra delicate to overvoltage than others, and a few are succesful at operating larger reminiscence frequencies with no need as a lot voltage.
As confirmed with AMD, any intentional manipulation of those settings can injury the processor, socket, and motherboard. To mitigate this, we have now been working with AMD to outline new guidelines for EXPO reminiscence and SoC voltage. To assist shield the CPU and motherboard, we’re issuing new EFI updates to restrict the utmost out there SoC voltage to 1.3V.
We advocate updating your motherboard UEFI BIOS to the newest launch. Please additionally make sure the CPU is cooled adequately. Our advice is to make use of at the least a 240mm AIO liquid cooler or high-performance air cooler. When you have been affected, please don’t hesitate to contact ASUS help on your area.
As we talked about in our article yesterday about MSI addressing CPU voltage on their very own AM5 motherboards, distributors want to handle any extra potential points, following a small-but-concerning variety of stories circulating on Reddit that their Ryzen 7000X3D processors are burning out and killing the motherboard within the course of. ASUS’s assertion and the abstract of the firmware on the official product web page point out that ASUS is nervous about SoC voltage, and as such, the brand new firmware locks it right down to 1.30 V. Which ASUS states is to ‘shield the CPU and motherboard.’
Screenshot of the ROG Crosshair X670E Excessive BIOS/Assist web page on the official product web page (China).
On the Chinese language product web page for the ROG Crosshair X670E Excessive, the firmware has been up to date as of right now (on the time of writing) to 04/25/2023, and the firmware model in query (1302) does seemingly handle the SoC voltage.
Additional to ASUS’s and MSI’s statements, AMD has formally responded with an announcement of their very own:
It reads, “We’re conscious of a restricted variety of stories on-line claiming that extra voltage whereas overclocking could have broken the motherboard socket and pin pads. We’re actively investigating the state of affairs and are working with our ODM companions to make sure voltages utilized to Ryzen 7000X3D CPUs by way of motherboard BIOS settings are inside product specs. Anybody whose CPU could have been impacted by this challenge ought to contact AMD buyer help.”
After all, these problems with Ryzen 7000X3D collection processors burning out aren’t simply restricted to these utilizing MSI and ASUS motherboards. Because the preliminary stories, customers have reported extra points on varied fashions and types throughout threads on Reddit. The potential for injury is among the major causes AMD locked down the X3D collection processors in order that customers could not manually overclock them. Even the primary iteration, the Ryzen 7 5800X3D, was additionally locked down.
One factor stays clear: AMD and its motherboard companions at the moment are formally investigating the matter, and customers with affected Ryzen 7000 CPUs are suggested to contact AMD buyer help immediately.
