Original article from 04/25/2023, 00:15: After it first seemed that only processors from the Ryzen 7000X3D series could be affected by defects, the problem now seems to be spreading to all other socketed desktop processors from the Ryzen 7000 series as well.
Users report defective Ryzen 7000X3D
After several cases have become public in which a CPU of the AMD Ryzen 7000X3D (“Raphael-X”) series has suffered a defect due to a “blown” 3D V-Cache, the manufacturers of the AM5 mainboards are now reacting and publishing one BIOS update to prevent this issue by disabling a positive voltage offset. Several processors were previously reported on Reddit showing visible mechanical damage.
Ryzen 7000X3D and AM5 motherboards are affected
Particularly interesting is the fact that in addition to the CPU, Ryzen 9 7950X3D and Ryzen 7 7800X3D have been reported so far, the socket AM5 (“LGA 1718”) of various mainboards is also affected and is visibly mechanically damaged. The damage is said to be due to excessive voltage values, which can quickly damage the sensitive 3D V-Cache in particular. AMD itself repeatedly denied the OC suitability of the CPUs in the past.
![AMD Ryzen 7 7800X3D on an Asus ROG Strix X670E-E Gaming Wifi [Quelle: Speedrookie via r/AMD]](https://allnewspresscdn.cloudspecter.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/1682382905_427_BIOS-updates-should-prevent-a-defect-in-the-3D-V-Cache.png)
But obviously some mainboard manufacturers apply very high voltages ex works, a SoC voltage (“VSOC”) of more than 1.4 volts is suspected of favoring the death of the 3D V-Cache and thus the CPU. The YouTube channel VIK-off For example, the problem could be demonstrated with a very high-priced Asus ROG Crosshair X670E Extreme, while the slightly smaller sister model Asus ROG Strix X670E-E Gaming Wifi is also affected.
Asus and MSI release BIOS updates
After both AMD and Asus discovered the defective CPU of the Reddit user “speed rookie” and made up for it with a new processor and a new mainboard, Asus and MSI have now released the first BIOS updates that no longer allow access to the positive voltage offsets. Old BIOS versions were immediately taken offline.
BIOS as the cause of the defects?
As it currently appears, certain combinations of an AMD Ryzen 7000X3D series CPU, certain AM5 motherboards and certain BIOS versions lead to these defects. Whether the main responsibility lies with the mainboard manufacturers, who may put too much voltage on the CPU and the SoC ex works, cannot yet be said with absolute certainty. The assumption is nonetheless obvious, as BIOS updates are already available.
How Igor’s Lab reported, corresponding problems have now occurred with five motherboards from Asus, Gigabyte and ASRock, while the affected pins on the defective CPUs are all entrusted with the power supply of the Zen 4 cores and are responsible for the VDDCR (“CPU Core Supply”) .
No more positive voltage offset in the future
Not only in the new BIOS versions will access to a positive voltage offset be blocked in the future, the MSI Center, with the help of which you could previously overclock the AMD Ryzen 7 5800X3D to death, no longer has this in the latest version corresponding feature.
Both AMD and the affected mainboard manufacturers are increasingly in need of explanations, because owners of a Ryzen 7000X3D certainly have some unanswered questions at the moment. The whole topic should become very exciting in the next few days.
Ryzen 7000 without 3D V-Cache are also affected
As Roman “der8auer” Hartung demonstrates in his latest video, not only CPUs from the Ryzen 7000X3D (“Raphael-X”) series, but also Ryzen 7000 (“Raphael”) are affected by the problem. A Ryzen 9 7900X and a Ryzen 7 7700X are mentioned. Accordingly, all mainboard manufacturers are expected to be affected by the corresponding problems.
AMD EXPO is a possible trigger
As the overclocking expert goes on to explain in his video, the automatic RAM OC using AMD EXPO and the voltages raised in this context could prove to be the cause of the defects.
Asus publishes a first statement
Also visible in the video of the OC professional is a first statement from Asus, which says:
The EFI Updates posted on Friday contain some dedicated thermal monitoring mechanisms we’ve implemented to help protect the boards and CPUs. We removed older BIOSes for that reason and also because manual Vcore control was vailable on previous builds.
We’re also working with AMD on defining new rules for AMD EXPO an SoC voltage. We’ll issue new updates for that ASAP.
Please bear with us.
Rajinder Gill, Technical PR Manager (Asus)
From this it can also be deduced that the problem is currently suspected to be in the area of the voltages raised by AMD EXPO. The last word will certainly not have been spoken here and a statement from AMD is still pending anyway.
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Sources: Reddit, Igor’s Lab, der8auer via Twitter, VIK-off via YouTube