How to Ensure Your Motherboard Will Support a Ryzen 3000 CPU
(Image credit: AMD)
If you’re looking at Black Friday deals for your next build and find a good Ryzen 3000 deal, you may notice that not every motherboard with AMD’s AM4 CPU socket will work out of the box. So when you’re mixing and matching motherboards and processors, it’s important to ensure that the two will work together.
The issue is that while AMD is supporting its AM4 socket for the latest processors, some older motherboards need a BIOS update. Sometimes, to do that, you need another AM4-processor, creating an odd chicken and egg problem. And it’s not fun to rip open your parts only to find out that you can’t use them together right away.
Look for a Ryzen Ready badge
When buying a new motherboard, look for a badge that says “AMD Ryzen Desktop 3000 Ready” on it. These motherboards will work with the latest AMD Ryzen processors out of the box, no updates needed.
(Image credit: AMD)
AMD has a matrix that shows which of its processors work with which motherboards, and which platforms definitely need an update. If you’re getting a Ryzen 3000-series processor, X570 motherboards should all just work. Older X470 and B450 as well as X370 and B350 motherboards will probably need BIOS updates, and A320 motherboards won’t work at all.
(Image credit: AMD)
The stores selling the motherboard should list compatibility. (If they don’t, the matrix above is a good start). Local stores may open boxes and perform the upgrades, but it’s possible that online stores aren’t doing that. Many online stores will list a motherboard as “Ryzen 3000 compatible” but that doesn’t necessarily mean that it has been updated to the necessary BIOS version to enable that compatibility. So unless the description is crystal clear, user reviews may help.
If you check the user reviews, you may see users talking about whether the motherboard they bought needed a BIOS update to use Ryzen 3000 series CPUs.
Of course, it’s possible that if a user said they needed a BIOS update in a comment from several weeks ago, that you won’t need one on a unit you buy today, but it’s safer to assume that the situation hasn’t changed.
Use BIOS Flashback
Some motherboards have the ability to update from a USB stick, which is called BIOS Flashback. You’ll have to check the instruction manual for your motherboard to see if this works. Others have an update button on the back, though you won’t find this on cheaper motherboards. But in either case, some motherboards don’t even need a CPU to update.
Consider AMD’s Short Term Loan Program
If you buy a motherboard and it hasn’t been updated, doesn’t support BIOS flashback or have a button to update without a chip, you’re not out of luck. AMD has a “short term processor loan boot kit.” That consists of a Athlon 200GE processor and a cooler for 10 days so that you can make the update and install your own CPU. You can find out more details, including how to sign up for the program, here.
This is the most complicated option, as it requires filling out a warranty claim, serial numbers and receipts. You’ll also lose some time on your build waiting for it to come in the mail. But it’s free, so it’s a good last-ditch option.
Andrew E. Freedman is a senior editor at Tom’s Hardware focusing on laptops, desktops and gaming. He also keeps up with the latest news. A lover of all things gaming and tech, his previous work has shown up in Tom’s Guide, Laptop Mag, Kotaku, PCMag and Complex, among others. Follow him on Twitter: @FreedmanAE
AMD Ryzen 3000 questions answered: Compatible motherboards, Intel comparison, streaming, gaming, and more
AMD has had a particularly busy summer. Amid the many hardware releases they’ve pushed in the last couple of months are the brand-new Ryzen 3000 CPUs.
These processors have enamored PC and AMD enthusiasts alike for their immense core count and raw power. For the months leading up to their release, enough hype was built up by very excited PC builders everywhere, that the processors actually completely sold out on most platforms.
Now that they’re returning to stock on most platforms, like Newegg, more and more PC builders are getting in on the excitement, too. And that means there are also a lot more questions floating around the PC hardware sphere.
What motherboards work with the Ryzen 3000? Are the new CPUs good for gaming? Do they beat Intel’s current offerings? All that and more in this FAQ guide to AMD’s new Ryzen 3000 processors.
What motherboards are compatible with Ryzen 3000 CPUs?
Perhaps the most commonly asked question with this new release is, “Will this CPU work with my motherboard?” That, or some variation of it, is a great question, because why waste your money on a CPU that doesn’t even fit in your computer? To answer it simply, the Ryzen 3000 processors are AM4 socket CPUs, which means any motherboard with an AM4 socket will work. This includes the new X570 chipset motherboards, X470 boards, and B450 as the three most common.
Be warned, though, that the older your board, the more reliant you’ll be on a BIOS update to make your motherboard work with the CPU.
If your particular board hasn’t had once since before the Ryzen 3000’s release, it’s possible it won’t work despite the socket being correct.
Is the Ryzen 3000 series good for gaming?
Yes, some of them. The Ryzen 7 and Ryzen 9 will be your best bets for running powerful, modern games at high graphical settings, as those are the most powerful. These are the 3700X, the 3800X, the 3900X, and the 3950X, in order of power. After that, you have the Ryzen 5, the 3600X, which will do well in gaming, but might struggle with multitasking.
This goes without saying, but obviously your other components, such as the graphics card and RAM, need to all be up to snuff for gaming, too.
Do the Ryzen 3000 CPUs beat Intel’s?
The answer to questions like this will almost always be, “Sort of.” Why? Because both manufacturers build their processors in different ways, and they each focus on different things to best the other. AMD’s new processors outperform Intel’s in certain areas, but neither one can be declared a clear winner over the other, as usual.
This answer may change depending on the bias of the person you ask.
What RAM is compatible with AMD Ryzen 3000?
We’ve been seeing this question around quite a bit, but RAM compatibility actually relies on your motherboard, not your CPU. So we’ll say this: If you get a Ryzen 3000, you’ll need a motherboard with an AM4 socket. Modern motherboards with that socket typically recommend DDR4 RAM.
Does the AMD Ryzen 3000 include integrated graphics?
Yes, it sure does. And honestly, it’s passable with the right game, but you won’t be able to pull off anything great, or even good, in a modern AAA game unless you have a graphics card.
Is the AMD Ryzen 3000 good for streaming, editing, VR, etc?
Yes, yes, and yes. The top-level Ryzen processors are great chips with great capabilities. They have their limits, sure. If you want to multitask like a madman you’ll be better off with a Threadripper, but the Ryzen can be a good tool for all three of the tasks mentioned in the question.
Which Ryzen 3000 should I buy?
That’s one of the hardest questions to answer, just like “which graphics card is better?” The answer will always be to simply buy what you afford. The best one, the Ryzen 3950X, is undoubtedly the best of the bunch, but if you can’t afford it, you should look at the other options. If you want to game, aim high, but again, your budget is law in a case like this.
How much does a Ryzen 3000 processor cost, and where can I buy one?
You can buy all the Ryzen 3000 CPUs on Newegg. As for costs, those vary per CPU.
- Ryzen 3950X: TBA
- Ryzen 3900X: $499.99
- Ryzen 3800X: $399.99
- Ryzen 3700X: $329.99
- Ryzen 3600X: $249.99
- Ryzen 3600: $199.99
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3DNews Technologies and IT market. News AMD processors clarified the issue of compatibility . The most interesting in the reviews
05/27/2019 [11:26], Ilya Gavrichenkov Along with the formal announcement of the Ryzen 3000 series of desktop chips and their accompanying X570 chipset, AMD found it necessary to clarify the compatibility of new processors with older motherboards and new motherboards with older Ryzen models. As it turns out, certain restrictions still exist, but it cannot be said that they can cause serious inconvenience.
When AMD launched the Socket AM4 platform in 2016, it promised to remain committed to this socket through 2020. And now, after the announcement of new processors and chipset, we can definitely say that in general this obligation continues to be fulfilled. Ryzen 3000 will indeed fit into many Socket AM4 motherboards. Compatible boards based on the X570, X470 or B450 logic sets, the company promises to mark with a special label « AMD Ryzen Desktop 3000 Ready . The general rule is that all X570-based boards will be able to run Ryzen 3000 without any additional conditions, while X470 or B450-based boards will be able to accept new processors after a firmware update performed either by the manufacturer at the factory or by the end user. As for the earlier boards based on the X370 and B350 chipsets, AMD also promises selective compatibility for them, provided that some special beta versions of the BIOS are used. At the same time, the existence of such firmware is not guaranteed, but depends on the will of a particular manufacturer. In other words, owners of boards based on X370 and B350, if they want to upgrade the system, are advised to check the list of compatible processors and beta BIOS versions on the manufacturer’s website in advance.
Budget platforms based on the A320 chipset, in the understanding of AMD, should not receive compatibility with the new Ryzen 3000 processors. Besides, there is one more interesting nuance concerning the new boards based on X570. As follows from the documents submitted by AMD, they are formally not compatible with older first-generation Ryzen processors. And this is an essential point that must be kept in mind for those who are going to gradually move from 14nm Ryzen 1000 processors to a more modern platform. Of course, some manufacturers can fix this limitation on their own, but there are no guarantees, and users can only be advised to check the list of compatible processors in advance. Source:
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” The presence of this label will allow buyers to figure out which board will be able to work with the new processor out of the box. 
However, as we know, there are exceptions to this rule, and some manufacturers add Matisse compatibility in their entry-level products privately. |
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