AMD Ryzen 7 9800X3D Fails After EXPO Activation; User Points Finger at MSI X870E Tomahawk WiFi

A recent report has surfaced regarding damage to an AMD Ryzen 7 9800X3D CPU, drawing attention to potential compatibility issues with specific motherboards, including those from MSI and ASRock.

AMD Ryzen 7 9800X3D Failure on MSI X870E Tomahawk WiFi: Implications and Insights

In recent weeks, there have been a few alarming incidents concerning the AMD Ryzen 7 9800X3D that involve damage to the CPU itself. Just last month, one user reported significant harm to their processor in the VDDCR region while using an ASRock X870E motherboard. The latest case, however, points to the MSI X870E Tomahawk Wi-Fi as the dubious component.

This particular incident was documented by the Reddit user u/Realistic_Age_718, who claimed that simply activating the AMD EXPO feature—designed to optimize memory clock speeds and timings—resulted in a system failure. Upon engaging this feature, his system would not boot, displaying a ’00’ error code.

Additional view of damaged Ryzen 9800X3D

Despite flashing the BIOS to version “E6E59AMSI. A10, ”dated December 23, 2024, the issue remained unresolved. Inspection of the CPU revealed a noticeable bulge in its center, indicating irreversible damage. Interestingly, the motherboard itself showed minimal signs of damage, with all pins appearing intact and functional.

MSI X870E Tomahawk WiFi motherboard pins — Image Credit: reddit.com

While many reports suggest that the Ryzen 9800X3D’s burning issues predominantly arise within ASRock X870/X870E motherboards, others claim a similar risk exists on the MSI X870/X870E models. The underlying cause of this recent failure remains under investigation, raising concerns about the possibility of BIOS issues or fluctuating voltage supplies.

BIOS settings related to Ryzen 9800X3D on MSI X870E Tomahawk WiFi — Image Credit: reddit.com

This incident raises critical questions about installation practices. The user confirmed correct installation, emphasizing that their system operated perfectly until EXPO was enabled. Although user error has been attributed to some previous damage cases, this situation appears distinct. Furthermore, the user successfully booted the system using a Ryzen 8500G processor post-incident.

As AMD addresses these challenges, ASRock has recently released its 3.20 Beta BIOS to tackle similar concerns, with expectations that MSI will follow suit shortly.

For further details, please refer to the discussion on Reddit.

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