[SOLVED] CPU Upgrade - ROG Strix 370-E Gaming Mobo

Aug 22, 2021
9
0
10
I have a ROG Strix Z370-E Gaming motherboard which I will be installing an Intel Core i9-9900KF CPU on to. The mobo in its current state only supports up to 8th gen CPUs (which I have), but I know the i9 CPU is compatible once I update the mobo bios. Here are my questions:

1) Can I install the i9 CPU onto the board, fire everything up, and then upgrade the bios-- that is, will the mobo see the i9 CPU and start up normally? Is there any chance of bricking the board or damaging the CPU by doing this?

2) If answer to #1 is "No," then should I install the i7-8700k CPU that I also have (which I know the Z370-E is fully compatible with), fire up the computer, THEN upgrade the bios, THEN replace the i7 with the i9 CPU?

3) Or is this option possible: The Z370-E does NOT have the "Flash BIOS/BIOS Flashback" button option available where I could upgrade the mobo bios without hooking up a CPU. As a workaround, could I take the Z370-E mobo out of the box with NO CPU in it, connect a power supply, keyboard, and monitor to it, and then power everything up, enter the bios setup, and using a thumb drive with the bios update on it, upgrade the bios using the onboard bios setup procedure, then once the bios is update, INSTALL the i9 CPU on the mobo, and go on my merry way?

I truly appreciate (in advance) all the advice! Thanks!
 
Solution
  1. The motherboard will brick if the bios flash fail, you still have Warranty covered.
  2. To be more budget efficient just buy a cheaper 8th gen pentiums.
  3. No, you still need a processor to process everything.

Did you just bought the motherboard?

Honestly a B560/B560M or Z490 motherboard is more promising since they're lowest i3 model have 4 cores and 8 threads, with the following i5 to i9 and up to 10 cores 20 (10900) thread or 8 cores 12 thread (i9 11900)
Aug 22, 2021
9
0
10
I have a ROG Strix Z370-E Gaming motherboard which I will be installing an Intel Core i9-9900KF CPU on to. The mobo in its current state only supports up to 8th gen CPUs (which I have), but I know the i9 CPU is compatible once I update the mobo bios. Here are my questions:

1) Can I install the i9 CPU onto the board, fire everything up, and then upgrade the bios-- that is, will the mobo see the i9 CPU and start up normally? Is there any chance of bricking the board or damaging the CPU by doing this?

2) If answer to #1 is "No," then should I install the i7-8700k CPU that I also have (which I know the Z370-E is fully compatible with), fire up the computer, THEN upgrade the bios, THEN replace the i7 with the i9 CPU?

3) Or is this option possible: The Z370-E does NOT have the "Flash BIOS/BIOS Flashback" button option available where I could upgrade the mobo bios without hooking up a CPU. As a workaround, could I take the Z370-E mobo out of the box with NO CPU in it, connect a power supply, keyboard, and monitor to it, and then power everything up, enter the bios setup, and using a thumb drive with the bios update on it, upgrade the bios using the onboard bios setup procedure, then once the bios is update, INSTALL the i9 CPU on the mobo, and go on my merry way?

I truly appreciate (in advance) all the advice! Thanks!
 
  1. The motherboard will brick if the bios flash fail, you still have Warranty covered.
  2. To be more budget efficient just buy a cheaper 8th gen pentiums.
  3. No, you still need a processor to process everything.

Did you just bought the motherboard?

Honestly a B560/B560M or Z490 motherboard is more promising since they're lowest i3 model have 4 cores and 8 threads, with the following i5 to i9 and up to 10 cores 20 (10900) thread or 8 cores 12 thread (i9 11900)
 
Solution
Aug 22, 2021
9
0
10
  1. The motherboard will brick if the bios flash fail, you still have Warranty covered.
  2. To be more budget efficient just buy a cheaper 8th gen pentiums.
  3. No, you still need a processor to process everything.
Did you just bought the motherboard?

Honestly a B560/B560M or Z490 motherboard is more promising since they're lowest i3 model have 4 cores and 8 threads, with the following i5 to i9 and up to 10 cores 20 (10900) thread or 8 cores 12 thread (i9 11900)

No, I bought the board several years ago, so returning it isn't an option, and whatever warranty there was , is long gone by now.
As for the processor, I did just buy that (it hasn't shown up yet) so if this whole solution would be WAY easier and safer by just buying another i7 CPU and send the i9 back, I could certainly do that.
 
No, I bought the board several years ago, so returning it isn't an option, and whatever warranty there was , is long gone by now.
As for the processor, I did just buy that (it hasn't shown up yet) so if this whole solution would be WAY easier and safer by just buying another i7 CPU and send the i9 back, I could certainly do that.
you must use i7 8700k? i tought you could just buy a cheap or even used 8th gen Celeron (Celeron G4900) for that motherboard. Well to be budget efficient and have cpu spares if somthing is up.
 
Aug 22, 2021
9
0
10
you must use i7 8700k? i tought you could just buy a cheap or even used 8th gen Celeron (Celeron G4900) for that motherboard. Well to be budget efficient and have cpu spares if somthing is up.
No, I don't have to use an i7 8700k. I can buy another one that is more easily compatible, if that's what I need to do. It does seem, however, that the i9 is perfectly compatible, one the bios is flashed. So if I install the i7 that I already have, update the bios, and then switch out the i7 for the (new) i9, wouldn't hat work fine?
 
No, I don't have to use an i7 8700k. I can buy another one that is more easily compatible, if that's what I need to do. It does seem, however, that the i9 is perfectly compatible, one the bios is flashed. So if I install the i7 that I already have, update the bios, and then switch out the i7 for the (new) i9, wouldn't hat work fine?
yep, i just tought you didn't have a cpu yet so thats why i recommending the cheapest working cpu
 
Aug 22, 2021
9
0
10
yep, i just tought you didn't have a cpu yet so thats why i recommending the cheapest working cpu
Well, pardon my ignorance, but why not just update the bios on the Z370, and use the i9? The mobo is still in its box and never been used. My assumption was at this point, no matter what CPU I put in it, I would run an update on the bios. Is your position that I should avoid updating the bios altogether, and just install a CPU that works right away, and call it a day?
 
Aug 22, 2021
9
0
10
what do you use this for?
why the new motherboard? did you have issue with the last build?
The highest use is gaming, and video editing-- all other activities are normal business related stuff. I have another machine with a Z370A-Pro mobo that I'm upgrading from, so I can SLI the two GPUs that I have. That's the board that has the current i7-8700k in it. So I'm left with a pretty good rig as a backup, which is why I wanted to see if it made any sense to slug the i9 into the Z370-E. The more I consider everything, however, I'm thinking maybe I send the i9 back, buy another i7-8700k, slap that into the Z370-E (without having to mess with the bios), and call it a day! I will have accomplished my SLI goal, and I won't have to mess with any bios issues, which to be candid, isn't something that I want to get engaged with, knowing that one mistake could frag the mobo, and cost me $$$ I don't need to spend.
 
Well, pardon my ignorance, but why not just update the bios on the Z370, and use the i9? The mobo is still in its box and never been used. My assumption was at this point, no matter what CPU I put in it, I would run an update on the bios. Is your position that I should avoid updating the bios altogether, and just install a CPU that works right away, and call it a day?
Well yup, just put in the i7, update the bios, switch to i9, youre good to go. Flashing bios these days isn't that much a risk.
 
  • Like
Reactions: rgd1101