[SOLVED] Asus PRIME B450M-A and Ryzen 5 5600G - VRM issues/power throttle?

[Senn]

Hi,

I have Asus PRIME B450M-A motherboard and Arctic Freezer A35 CPU cooler.
Also, I currently have Ryzen 5 PRO 3400G and RX570 8GB graphics card.

I would like to upgrade my PC with Ryzen 5 5600G but I'm not sure if it will run without any problems on that motherboard (with that cooler)? Especially boost frequencies: it has max. boost clock up to 4.4GHz? (I do not plan to manually overclock)

I'm asking this because Asus PRIME B450M-A seems to have very bad VRMs (based on the comments I found on the internet). For example, I found this:

I actually had this same board and a ryzen 5 2600 as well, and I remember it getting hot. I was able to get 4.2ghz maximum at 1.45ish volts (Just a benchmark OC, not a long term one) and it was just barely stable enough to run the benchmark. I assume some of this is due to the extremely poor chip quality I had, but I think the VRMs also played a role in it too because I didn't have a ton of airflow on them

If true (if with Ryzen 5 2600 it was not able to use boost frequencies properly) - I guess it would be even worse with 5600G which is even "stronger" than 2600, right?

I also found this comment stating that motherboard has terrible (worst possible) VRMs: View: https://www.reddit.com/r/overclocking/comments/ktnuev/comment/gin4koy/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web2x&context=3


I'm just wondering if 5600G can work without any issues on that motherboard - if it will be able to "reach its full potential"/"boost frequencies" during CPU intensive tasks. If not, then I guess upgrading from 3400G to 5600G doesn't make any sense in my case (with that motherboard) (buying a new motherboard is not an option for me right now, I'm hoping that I can do "good quick upgrade" for a small amount of money by just buying 5600G, I don't want to spend more money).

Thanks and sorry for my bad English.

 

[Darkbreeze]

The Ryzen 5 Pro 3400G and the Ryzen 5 5600G are both 65w TDP processors. If one runs fine on a board both should, however, I will say that the B450m-A is a pretty low end, barebones, bottom of the barrel type board that lacks even heatsinks on the VRMs AND has weak VRMs to begin with.

My advice would be this. Try it. If you encounter problems, THEN get a better board. You really don't lose anything this way and if you end up having to get another board then so what? That's no different than if you just got a different board to begin with really.

But, in all honestly, it's pretty likely you might need to because that board is really just low end garbage. No offense. We sometimes have do what we have to do, and sometimes that means you have to get a part that is lower quality and not as good performance as we'd like. As long as we know that ahead of time and it isn't the power supply we're talking about, we can sometimes make due. Personally I think it will work ok if you are not pushing it very hard.

If you are pushing high FPS gaming or running higher end type applications, then you are going to want a different board for that CPU. The only real difference is that your 3400G is a four core with eight threads model and the 5600G is a six core with twelve threads model, but both have a configurable 45-65w TDP based on AMD data sheet information so it might be fine. I'd want a better board, but you can at least try it first.

If you know there is no way you are going to be able to replace the board, then don't bother with the 5600G until you can afford a better board, just in case it doesn't work out. I mean, it will work either way, but if the VRMs aren't up to the job it may throttle at times.

 

[Senn]

Thank you @Darkbreeze !

One question: On Aliexpress there are aluminum heatsinks (14x14x10) with "thermal double sided adhesive tape" that cost only around $2 (10pcs): https://www.aliexpress.com/item/32843090108.html?gatewayAdapt=4itemAdapt

Do you think it would help if I put those heat sinks in? (or if it could even be counterproductive by blocking the air flow to the chips?)

I recently saw these two videos but it's still unclear if it's producing any results?

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HcV65pDo4Is

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b1hzycWPF14

 

[Darkbreeze]

I really think it would be counterproductive unless the heatsinks were specifically made for that exact VRM configuration OR you were somebody with an expansive understanding of exactly what needs contact, where it needs contact, what kind of thermal pad material needs to be used to facilitate that contact and heat transfer AND there generally needs to be a way to fasten the heatsinks down to the board. I know there are adhesive type heatsinks with preapplied adhesive thermal interface strips but they often are worse than nothing on there.

What IS realistic is getting more direct airflow over the VRMs so if you are able to rig up a fan to blow directly on them that is always beneficial and there are plenty of tutorials online on modding up VRM fan setups if you look for them. Needs to be pretty direct though and I wouldn't worry about it anyhow unless you see that you are having issues. If you still have the stock cooler OR wanted to use the one that will come with the 5600G if you buy one, you might be able to rig something up using that to cool the VRMs but it's probably not going to be pretty. LOL.

Or, you can just get a better board if you have issues. Maybe even sell your current one afterwards to recoup some of the cost of a new board unless you want to keep it as an emergency backup for testing or temporary use in the event of a board failure down the road. I like to always have two usable motherboards for every functional system I have running. Just in case. Because obtaining replacements later is usually difficult and expensive because by the time you need one they haven't been manufacturing them for a while.