The Ryzen 7 9800X3D, a relatively new CPU based on the Zen 5 architecture that AMD has described as being the ultimate solution for the PC gaming market, coupling Zen 5 cores with second-generation AMD 3D V-Cache technology for premium performance, may spontaneously burn up under typical usage (i.e., stock settings), according to images of a damaged 9800X3D that a redditor shared to the r/pcmasterrace subreddit yesterday.
“I’m feeling a bit sad,” a user by the name of t0pli began before explaining that their PC “just turned off” one day while watching a TV series, after a mere 20 days of use, leading them to discover what is apparently now a damaged $479 CPU.
“This is a 9800x3d and a Nova x870e,” the redditor went on to clarify. “All bought and assembled within the last month. It’s been running smooth, no high temps registered at any point. I keep HWMonitor open usually and especially with new builds.”
See below for a full shot of the damage that the redditor shared, which shows a portion of a premium X870E motherboard that ASRock has described as being “the most significant energy discharge ever witnessed by mankind,” one that is “super-powerful” and represents the performance that only their motherboards can deliver.
“This has been left running exclusively at stock since installation,” t0pli added in a later reply. “I’m not really into OC at all, so I usually just set RAM profiles and get on with the gaming. This was no exception.”
It looks like Gamers Nexus’ Steve Burke has offered to buy the CPU to conduct what is presumably an in-depth investigation, but t0pli says that they already sent the chip in for RMA and that the store won’t return it to them.
“With the AMD Ryzen 7 9800X3D processor, AMD has re-engineered its cutting-edge on-chip memory solution with 2nd Gen AMD 3D V-Cache technology,” AMD said of the CPU when it was announced last year, on Halloween. “The 64MB cache memory has been relocated below the processor, which puts the core complex die (CCD) closer to the cooling solution to help keep the ‘Zen 5’ cores cooler, delivering high clock rates and providing up to an average 8% gaming performance improvement compared to our last-gen generation and up to an average 20% faster than the competition.”
“This revolutionary change in placement allows for extreme overclocking of the processor. It’s the first X3D processor to be fully unlocked, empowering enthusiasts and gamers to push its performance to new limits.”
Discussion (11 replies)
Join Discussion →I'd be curious to see a GN investigation, but I can totally understand why the guy wouldn't sell it to them
With something limited in supply like this, there is no guarantee you are going to be able to buy another one.
Was able to get the 9800X3D easily at MicroCenter - the ASRock Nova I'd been waiting for was out of stock for three months, finally got one
I'm calling stupid user trick here. There are just SHIT TONS of these out there.... and for this to hit the news circuit RIGHT after Nvidia's burning connector.... I'm thinking this is far more likely to be a wag the dog moment.
Same. But Microcenter appears to be the exception. They always seem to have a few in stock. Most people don't have a MicrCenter nearby though.
It could have had a slightly bent pin making marginal contact, and thus resistively heating up, I guess.
That is a risk with any of these modern exposed "pin in socket" designs.
I - by far - prefer the old fashioned "straight pins on the CPU" designs.
I'm curious. What about this motherboard do you like, to have made you go looking for it?
I'll be shopping for AM5 boards soon, and it just looks like a sea of sameness to me out there, to be honest.
Right now I am leaning towards an Asus ProArt simply because it has two Ethernet ports, one 10gig and one 2.5gig.
Edit:
I just searched again (I used Newegg to browse, as I can filter based on my requirements), and the Gigabyte x870E AI Top actually has dual 10gig ports, which makes it an option as well. They want $700 for it though, which is a little extreme. $200 of that price tag is probably just because it has "AI" in the name. 😅
Normally, I would just have bought whatever motherboard, and stuck a server pull fiber NIC in it, but since I can't get anything that allows for an 8x slot to be used at the same time as the main 16x slot, without degrading the main slot down to 8x, means that is off the table.
Maybe what I could do is go for a board that only has a single 10gig port, and add my own gigabit NIC to one of the 1x or 2x slots many boards offer.
The goal here is to have one at least 10Gig NIC port dedicated to the NAS storage, while having another used for internet traffic.
And since the fastest internet service I can get here is gigabit, there is no reason to go beyond gigabit for that...
I've been seeing these examples for weeks. Still unsure if there's a defect in the product or the user.
For the Nova, it's essentially perfect minus 10Gbit. With AMD being so stingy with PCIe lanes on AM5, tradeoffs for 10Gbit include chopping up the main PCIe slot, omitting M.2 slots, etc.
And the ProART lacks a second USB3 type-A connector as well as onboard power/reset and two-digit readout. Not very 'pro', IMO. Nova is also ATX as opposed to many overstuffed boards going EATX, like the Taichi boards.
I like the nova because it would allow me to use all the NVMe slots withour losing GPU lanes which is pretty common on most boards, should not be an issue if you don't intend to use more then 2-3 NVMe drives but I want 4 + some SATA ports too.
I didn't realize many boards were sacrificing main 16x slot speeds for more m.2 slots these days.
That is a bummer. I will have to look out for that.
I feel like the easiest solution to my requirements will be to find a board that has 10gig ethernet on board, either like the Asus Pro-Art or Gigabyte AI TOP where it has both the NIC's I need on board, or find one that has just the one 10gig port and add a gigabit port myself.
Because if I go the other way around, and try to add a 10gig port, I think I'll need at least 4x Gen3, which is not always going to be available. (again, without sacrificing the first slot)
Replace 'many' with 'most', even more so for later AM5 boards. Big issue with X870(E) is that four PCIe 4.0 lanes are dedicated to USB4, and those had to come from somewhere since AMD is still using the same chipset and meager number of CPU lanes.