Question Bios upgrade required for 5600x to 5800x3d for gigabyte b450i (current f61a)

[ScaryDuck2]

Hello,
As the title suggests I have a new CPU coming in that I upgraded for CPU bottlenecking on flight simulator. My old chip is a Ryzen 5600x that I did the bios update with the USB stick when I purchased my b450i 2 years or so ago. The bios I updated to was f61a on Gigabyte b450 I aorus pro wifi. This works just fine with my chip now, however I have heard some conflicting things on different places regarding compatibility. The website says that the 5800x3d for my b450i works with f60 or newer bios, and considering I have f61a I assumed that simply swapping the processors would do the trick. However on reddit and an old thread on this forum said that the user needed to update to f63 to be able to have the chip be compatible (however not sure they had the same exact motherboard as me). And so I just wanted to cross check with someone before I installed the chip, since I only have one thing of thermal paste left and I have one go at installing it. Could I please confirm that f61a bios works with the 5800x3d? Many thanks in advance.

 

[ThatVietGuy]

Believe what is provided from the manufacturer website.

However, I don't see an F61a BIOs on the website - https://www.gigabyte.com/Motherboard/B450-I-AORUS-PRO-WIFI-rev-10/support#support-dl-bios

Regardless, as long as you're on something F60 or above you'll be fine.

Don't believe everything you read on the internet, situations are very different when you don't even know if the Reddit user had the exact same motherboard.

 

[ScaryDuck2]

Believe what is provided from the manufacturer website.

However, I don't see an F61a BIOs on the website - https://www.gigabyte.com/Motherboard/B450-I-AORUS-PRO-WIFI-rev-10/support#support-dl-bios

Regardless, as long as you're on something F60 or above you'll be fine.

Don't believe everything you read on the internet, situations are very different when you don't even know if the Reddit user had the exact same motherboard.

Ah, now I'm a bit nervous as to why I have an f61a and not just f61. But yes, I suppose if I'm over f60 I should be fine in theory. Thanks.

 

[CountMike]

Ah, now I'm a bit nervous as to why I have an f61a and not just f61. But yes, I suppose if I'm over f60 I should be fine in theory. Thanks.

Upgrade to latest one anyway. it won't hurt, can only help. Most manufacturers already updated to newest AGESA code, Gigabyte was always slow with updates. Make sure to update chipset drivers from AMD site.

 

[ScaryDuck2]

Upgrade to latest one anyway. it won't hurt, can only help. Most manufacturers already updated to newest AGESA code, Gigabyte was always slow with updates. Make sure to update chipset drivers from AMD site.

Question for you: what is ASEGA code? Also you said something about chipset drivers on the AMD site? There seem to be none for the 5800x3d? Does this refer to the bios itself?

Well after a very messy install (a no post scare that ended up being a CPU seating issue), I got the 5800x3d to work on f61a. The issue though is that the clock speeds seem to be stuck at 3.6 ghz with no boost, and according to benchmark for the same chip on geek bench I should be boosting to 4.5 at least. Did CMOS reset and made sure XMP profile was on and no luck. I read up on it and seems to be that a bios update should fix the issue... so I think you were both right about just updating the bios anyway. Ahh. Off to the store tomorrow to pick up a flash drive it is I guess.

 

[CountMike]

Question for you: what is ASEGA code? Also you said something about chipset drivers on the AMD site? There seem to be none for the 5800x3d? Does this refer to the bios itself?

Well after a very messy install (a no post scare that ended up being a CPU seating issue), I got the 5800x3d to work on f61a. The issue though is that the clock speeds seem to be stuck at 3.6 ghz with no boost, and according to benchmark for the same chip on geek bench I should be boosting to 4.5 at least. Did CMOS reset and made sure XMP profile was on and no luck. I read up on it and seems to be that a bios update should fix the issue... so I think you were both right about just updating the bios anyway. Ahh. Off to the store tomorrow to pick up a flash drive it is I guess.

AGESA code is central part of any BIOS on AMD CPU platform, distributed to all MB manufacturers to write their BIOS firmware around it, It defines how each part of CPU works. It's continuously developed to make new and older CPU models compatible with each other and to fix any problems. That's why it's important to keep up with BIOS version specially when upgrading CPU. CPU consist of many parts, cores are just part of it, there's also memory controllers as well as cache etc and contains own micro code (whole small OS) which has bunch of instructions common to all processors so they can work with same operating systems. So when you upgrade/update BIOS firmware it's AGESA code that is upgraded most of the time.
Chipset, now one actual chip used to consist of several chips which controls other functions of MB is also governed by BIOS and it's drivers are connection to OS so it's important to have drivers compatible with BIOS version so everything can work in unison.
x3D processors are unique in that they have added super fast cache memory so they need BIOS/AGESA code to make use of it. (3D denotes the way it's physically connected to CPU chip itself, on top of it, not integrated in same plane).
So get your BIOS version in order first.

 

[ScaryDuck2]

AGESA code is central part of any BIOS on AMD CPU platform, distributed to all MB manufacturers to write their BIOS firmware around it, It defines how each part of CPU works. It's continuously developed to make new and older CPU models compatible with each other and to fix any problems. That's why it's important to keep up with BIOS version specially when upgrading CPU. CPU consist of many parts, cores are just part of it, there's also memory controllers as well as cache etc and contains own micro code (whole small OS) which has bunch of instructions common to all processors so they can work with same operating systems. So when you upgrade/update BIOS firmware it's AGESA code that is upgraded most of the time.
Chipset, now one actual chip used to consist of several chips which controls other functions of MB is also governed by BIOS and it's drivers are connection to OS so it's important to have drivers compatible with BIOS version so everything can work in unison.
x3D processors are unique in that they have added super fast cache memory so they need BIOS/AGESA code to make use of it. (3D denotes the way it's physically connected to CPU chip itself, on top of it, not integrated in same plane).
So get your BIOS version in order first.

Thanks for your explanation. This helps me understand a lot. of what is going on. I might have a follow up question for you in regards to the chipset if you don't mind again but let me update my bios tomorrow after I get home and see if that returns the boost clock speeds to normal first. That is definitely the first step.

 

[CountMike]

Thanks for your explanation. This helps me understand a lot. of what is going on. I might have a follow up question for you in regards to the chipset if you don't mind again but let me update my bios tomorrow after I get home and see if that returns the boost clock speeds to normal first. That is definitely the first step.

Go ahead, that is indeed first step to align firmware and software with OS. so they can work together. Once you properly update BIOS it will be in clean, factory defaults state and then you will be able to adjust it for best performance and stability.