There’s a new twist in the ongoing issues with ASRock motherboards and AMD’s Ryzen 9000 CPUs. Reports have surfaced about unusually high power levels causing CPUs to burn out, turning ASRock boards into somewhat of a “graveyard” for these processors. Over 200 users have experienced this problem, especially with costly models like the Ryzen 7 9800X3D.
This issue, which came into the spotlight thanks to Tech Yes City, seems linked to the way ASRock handles precision boost overdrive (PBO) settings on certain motherboards. Key models like the B650E, X670E Taichi, and B850 Steel Legend push Ryzen 9000 series CPUs to their max out-of-the-box, often surpassing the electric and thermal design currents recommended by AMD.
Such high EDC and TDC levels stress the CPUs, particularly in systems with robust cooling. And it’s not just ASRock; there may be more to this, as Ryzen Master reportedly activates PBO automatically. This happens when the software is opened, potentially misleading users as the BIOS may indicate otherwise. Disabling it requires explicit action within Ryzen Master, as BIOS settings alone won’t suffice.
In light of this, ASRock is advising users to install their latest BIOS updates to address voltage issues. However, no official statements from ASRock or AMD have been released, leaving many questions unanswered. We’ll continue to monitor the situation and provide updates as they become available.
