[SOLVED] ASRock B450M Steel Legend BIOS 3.90 and Ryzen 5 1600AF- will it work?

[Babel_SW]

I would like to update my motherboard's BIOS to the newest version and I don't know if my cpu is compatible with it. On the main page for my mobo at the ASRock website, it says it supports Ryzen 5000, 3000 and 2000 series cpus. The name 1600AF begins with a 1, so it is a 1000 series cpu, but it also is 12nm (Pinaccle Ridge). Does anyone have this setup and can tell me whether it could work? Thanks in advance

 

[logainofhades]

Why do you want to update your bios? Also there is this, on the bios download page.

*ASRock do NOT recommend updating this BIOS if you are going to use Pinnacle, Raven or Summit Ridge CPU on your system.

 

[Babel_SW]

Why do you want to update your bios?

I want to update the BIOS to achieve higher memory clocks, hopefully

Also there is this, on the bios download page.

*ASRock do NOT recommend updating this BIOS if you are going to use Pinnacle, Raven or Summit Ridge CPU on your system.

My motherboard was shipped to me with BIOS P2.90, which is not recommended as well (and is the minimum for Ryzen 1600AF).

 

[logainofhades]

How high of ram you shooting for? 2nd gen ryzen typically doesn't like speeds beyond 3200/3466. You really need a Ryzen 3000, or 5000, for 3600+

 

[Babel_SW]

How high of ram you shooting for?

I've been hoping for 3600MHz, I didn't know it was that bad. Thanks for replying

 

[drea.drechsler]

I want to update the BIOS to achieve higher memory clocks, hopefully
...

How are you clocking your memory? using XMP only?

As previously noted, 1st and 2nd gen don't have the better memory controller that comes with 3rd and 4th gen CPU's and allows the bigger overclocks so just setting an XMP for (say) a 3600 kit may not work well at all.

If you want to shoot for higher clocks you'll need to tweak the advanced timing parameters. Getting the DRAM Calculator tool will help immensely with that.

 

[Babel_SW]

How are you clocking your memory? using XMP only?

Getting the DRAM Calculator tool will help immensely with that.

I use DRAM calculator and it works well for 3000MHz CL14 only, anything else is very unstable. For example, 3533 CL16 errors only at test 8 in memtest86 USB

If you want to shoot for higher clocks you'll need to tweak the advanced timing parameters.

If by advenced timings you mean ProcODT, RTT and CAD bus then I don't mind having to fiddle with them. I have no clue what they are supposed to do but I know they do something. DRAM Calculator gives me values for them so I just try the recommended or alt values and hope for the best

 

[drea.drechsler]

.....
DRAM Calculator gives me values for them so I just try the recommended or alt values and hope for the best
....

That's really the best we can do. DRAM Calc isn't foolproof, many people have said it's overly conservative in the values it selects. But there's an awful lot to tweak and at least it's a start.

One thing is don't be afraid of raising DIMM voltage. Running Samsung 8gb B-die DRAM's, for instance, you can easily go as high as 1.45V 24/7 (some people claim higher than 1.5V but I'm cautious). Most Hynix DRAM's are OK up to 1.40.

In the end, if you're enthusiastic about this then you probably need to hang out in one of the enthusiast overclocking sites and follow their trips into the dark world of memory tweaking. www.overclock.net is a good start.

 

[Babel_SW]

One thing is don't be afraid of raising DIMM voltage. Running Samsung 8gb B-die DRAM's, for instance, you can easily go as high as 1.45V 24/7 (some people claim higher than 1.5V but I'm cautious). Most Hynix DRAM's are OK up to 1.40.

Believe me I would love raise my DRAM Voltage as high as you say, but my motherboard seems to lock at 1.4v, never allowing me to set it higher so I can either set it to 1.35v or 1.4v because I can't set it to enything inbetween as well. Buildzoid was right when saying ASRock BIOS is a mess

 

[drea.drechsler]

Believe me I would love raise my DRAM Voltage as high as you say, but my motherboard seems to lock at 1.4v...

1.4V may be enough.

Keep in mind that the 1st gen MC was only rated to 2666 and the best OC's are generally around 3200Mhz, that with b-Die. The second gen MC is rated 2933 and the best 24/7 OC's seem to be around 3400/3433. Your AF processor might be made on a 2nd gen die but you have to remember it got got binned into that product line for a reason. 3400, if you can get that stable, just might be all she's worth.

FWIW...unless it's the overclock itself that's the goal the performance uplift from 3400 to 3600 is marginal at best. And often gotten at the expense of (sometimes major) latency issues.