AMD 5800X3D Overclocked to Death in Seconds Due to New Bug: Issue Found on Gigabyte, ASRock, Asus, MSI Software

Urian B., Tech Times 30 March 2023, 11:03 pm

AMD's Ryzen 7 5800X3D has been revealed to have a major flaw caused by a malfunction in the MSI Center Windows app. Igor of Igor's Lab was the first to discover that the app bypasses all artificial voltage and clock speed limitations, which enables the 5800X3D to be overvolted and overclocked beyond its limits- far too dangerous for the uninitiated.

Potential Dangers of Overclocking a Ryzen 7 5800X3D with MSI, Asus, Gigabyte, and ASRock Software

According to the story by Tom's Hardware, this issue hasn't been exclusive to MSI Center either, as it's also been discovered on Asus, Gigabyte, and ASRock software.

Working with a Ryzen 7 5800X3D processor is a dream come true for many hardcore gamers and overclockers. However, a major glitch in the MSI Center Windows app, discovered by Igor of Igor's Lab, is forcing enthusiasts to be much more cautious regarding digital tinkering.

This software malfunction will bypass all artificial voltage and clock speed limitations, meaning users can overvolt and overclock the processor far beyond its naturally safe capabilities - an unwelcomed feature for an already hot-running CPU.

Overclocking the Ryzen 7 5800X3D: Experiments Cut Short by Platform-Wide Issues

After testing the app, Igor managed to overvolt the 5800X3D chip to 1.3v and beyond after making two manual adjustments, as also detailed in an article by Video Cardz. Unfortunately, his experiment was cut short when his PC suddenly shut down and wouldn't boot back up again.

Further investigation revealed that similar bugs had been discovered in Asus, Gigabyte, and ASRock software, marking this a platform-wide issue. It's not hard to understand why the Ryzen 7 5800X3D has been heavily limited regarding overclocking.

This is the first CPU to feature AMD's game-boosting 3D-VCache technology, which consists of a 64MB slab of L3 cache right on top of the Zen 3 die. However, this additional L3 cache obviously produces more heat than usual and forces the chip to operate at lower frequencies.

A Possible Solution to Prevent Chip Damage from Overclocking

This is why AMD previously blocked overclocking of the chip entirely and decreased the maximum core voltage to 1.35v. After verifying Igor's lab findings on his own personal rig, users can say this is a real problem.

Users may get overzealous and push the boundaries too far without any restrictions or greyed-out tabs in the app. It is advised to avoid adjusting overclocking settings and await possible solutions from AMD to prevent any real damage to the chip.

The Trust in AMD: How Users can Rely on the Company to Quickly and Properly Address Issues

Users can expect the fix to come as an AGESA microcode update, chipset update, or software-side change. For now, though, everyone is being kept in the dark and forced to look at the situation cautiously.

This is obviously a big limitation for 5800X3D owners, but AMD is a reliable company in that many people place their trust. They will address this issue quickly and properly, allowing gamers and overclockers everywhere to rediscover the thrill of pushing their CPUs to their true limits.