A new statement from ASUS is directing users to update their BIOS while it works with AMD to investigate reports of damaged CPUs. As troubling as it is, folks may’ve become accustomed to reports of damaged processors used with ASRock motherboards (Reddit totals now up to 157), but thanks to multiple postings within the span of two weeks, ASUS is now on the radar of 9800X3D owners, hoping they will not have a failure on the horizon. As covered by VideoCardz, five different incidents were reported by users on Reddit of having their systems post Q-Code 00 during startup and failing to boot.
No amount of troubleshooting was able to resolve the issue. Details regarding configuration settings have been inconsistent, and not all cases have indicated a dead CPU, while motherboard models appear to be linked to B850 and X870 chipsets. The reported motherboards from these cases are: ASUS TUF B850M-PLUS WIFI, ROG STRIX X870-E, ROG Crosshair X870E, ROG Strix X870E Gaming, and ROG Crosshair X870E Hero. At least one user has said they received a replacement CPU from AMD, which is working on the same motherboard used with the previously failed processor. Meanwhile, ASUS is looking into the matter but advises owners of 800-series motherboards to update their BIOS to avoid potential issues.
Per ASUS Press Release:
“We are aware of recent reports concerning AMD Ryzen™ 7 9800X3D CPUs and ASUS AMD 800-series motherboards, and we have initiated an immediate internal review. Our teams are conducting preventive checks on product compatibility and performance, working closely with AMD to validate reported cases and ensure ongoing stability and quality. We are looking to provide timely solutions to ensure our products and services meet expected standards.
Users are also advised to update their ASUS AMD 800-series motherboard to the latest BIOS via ASUS EZ Flash or BIOS Flashback to help ensure system stability; we provide an official technical support FAQ with detailed instructions.
Customers who are affected or have concerns are encouraged to contact ASUS customer service for direct assistance. We take this matter seriously and value our customers’ trust, and we remain committed to transparency and to ensuring our products can be used with confidence.“
Troubling times indeed for owners of what is widely considered one of the best gaming CPUs to be released in the last decade. Owners of the Ryzen 9 9950X3D have expressed concern as well since that processor can draw higher amounts of power with its two CCD configuration, but so far, there have been no reports of failures with it while being used with an ASUS 800-series motherboard. Only time will tell since some of the above incidents took months before those systems failed.
Discussion (10 replies)
Join Discussion →At least they seem to be taking it more seriously than ASROCK.
ASRock has had... well, a lot of updates since the issue first surfaced like ten months ago.
I've got one of the boards mentioned, https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0DPLQQ7VJ/?tag=thefpsreview-20, and now a little concerned. I knew I was taking a chance given ASUS's reputation with CPU voltages, but the specs and design for this one were exactly what I was looking for.
I've got some fairly extensive cooling thanks to this AIO (https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0DLWFCVSD/?tag=thefpsreview-20, thanks for the recommendation @DrezKill ), along with a case fan in that area, and CPU temps are usually ridiculously low. That and the fact that I don't OC this have me not overly worried, but still something I'm concerned about now.
While researching this morning, I did see mention that ASUS had some similar reports ~10-12 months ago, but things got quiet, for them after that until now.
You should be fine if you have your CPU temp cutoff at 85C. I think the boosting and hitting 95C constantly in low threaded workloads takes a toll on the CPU eventually because higher frequency needs excess voltage for stability. That's why many people reported losing their CPUs while browsing or watching movies, of all things.
First thing I did was set a negative voltage curve to keep voltages down. Even picked up a couple mhz in PBO doing so. Highly recommend.
Makes sense. I remember reading that some of the unfortunate users had their CPUs at stock which means higher voltages.
I just upgraded, still need to fix my sig.
Asus 870e strix gaming wifi with 9950x3d. Wondering how worried I should be? No new bios for my board as of yesterday when I looked. Or is only 2 months old considered new?
"For those who dare" takes on a new meaning it seems.
Undervolt the cores.
Make sure Vsoc does not exceed 1.2V (fix it to that voltage or lower in BIOS).
Reduce max temp from 95C to 90 or 85C.
If possible, do not use ASUS's performance boost features in the BIOS.
Also if possible, turn off EXPO and manually overclock the RAM to the kit's rated speed.
Pray.
Personally, I've done plenty of reckless stuff with my 9950X3D on ASROCK B850 Pro RS with factory stock BIOS. But I didn't use it normally. Just for few hours of tuning and benchmarking runs every night for a week or so. I might turn it back on within a week or so and report back if any issues.
No more worried than anyone else. Only AMD has any idea about actual failure rates.