[SOLVED] Ryzen 5 1600 + MSI B350M PRO-VDH | Bios

[JustPeterinanutshell]

Hello lovely hardware comm,

im currently using a Ryzen 5 1600 and a MSI B350M VDH PRO together with CL 16-18-18-38 2666Mhz Ram(not fast for ryzen i know, but years a go ram prices were insane).
I mainly play CS and Valorant. Lately i got some performance issues and i believe its time for OC to get a littly more performance out of my system. First i want OC CPU and maybe later push my RAM a more but i need to see how the MB temps are and if the voltage converter can handle it.
Now to my main question, im currently sitting on BIOS Version 7A38vA6, which includes AGESA 1.0.0.6b. There are 8(9 with Beta) newer versions to go and i heard it is worth updating the Bios to get better AGESA code updates and ram updates which resulted in better performance of the overall System.
What would u guys suggest? Bios Update and OC or just OC? For me the important thing is FPS so thats the main goal!

Hope u can help : )

 

[Lutfij]

Welcome to the forums, newcomer!

Very likely you don't need to overclock the CPU but you should overclock the ram. Manually input the timings, frequency and voltages in BIOS(as shown on the ram's stickered side) and then save and exit. As for your IOS updates,. exclude the Beta version and take note of all the BIOS versions from what you have and what the latest is. Gradually work your way to the latest BIOS version, then apply the overclock to your ram.

Mind sharing the make and model of your PSU and it's age? Chassis make and model and it's airflow?

 

[JustPeterinanutshell]

BeQuiet Pure Power 10 500W ~3,5 years.
Why u think i should not OC the CPU? I mean CS and Valorant rely heavy on CPU single core performance?!
My chassi is a cheap sharkoon, but im thinking going for a better one but the airflow seems fine in prime95 it gets kinda hot but i mean thats when its 100%.
Why i shouldnt straight update to newest bios version(exclude beta)? What u think my ram can handle at the max oc?

 

[drea.drechsler]

Hello lovely hardware comm,

im currently using a Ryzen 5 1600 and a MSI B350M VDH PRO together with CL 16-18-18-38 2666Mhz Ram(not fast for ryzen i know, but years a go ram prices were insane).
I mainly play CS and Valorant. Lately i got some performance issues and i believe its time for OC to get a littly more performance out of my system. First i want OC CPU and maybe later push my RAM a more but i need to see how the MB temps are and if the voltage converter can handle it.
Now to my main question, im currently sitting on BIOS Version 7A38vA6, which includes AGESA 1.0.0.6b. There are 8(9 with Beta) newer versions to go and i heard it is worth updating the Bios to get better AGESA code updates and ram updates which resulted in better performance of the overall System.
What would u guys suggest? Bios Update and OC or just OC? For me the important thing is FPS so thats the main goal!

Hope u can help : )

I think overclocking your CPU might help, just don't expect a whole lot. Probably 3.8 or 3.9Ghz, maybe as high as 4.0Ghz for gaming (only) if you put a fan blowing on the VRM. Be sure to watch VRM temperatures.

When overclocking, always strive for lowest voltage but keep it stable. General rules for 1st gen is 1.375V max with CPU temps upwards of 90C, 1.425V max with CPU temps below 70C.

That motherboard will have a lousy LLC but that's OK: as you can tell from the voltge guidance, VDroop is desireable for Ryzen. What's more important is to avoid high LLC settings as it can reduce stability with excessive undershoot and overshoot during core load transitions.

Don't expect much for memory; 3200 would be a dream on 1st gen Ryzen even with Samsung B-die and you can't get those easily anymore. I'd take what you have and bump it up to 3000 with a heavy bump in voltage, setting timings at 18 across the board. You can set other timings with the help of Ryzen DRAM Calculator.

And yes, you're right that your VRM will be a problem. As I said, keep an eye on it's temperatures. It's good up to about 115-125C but I wouldn't expect that while just gaming, only in heavy all-core work. You can always put a fan blowing on the heatsink to keep it cooler.

Don't update BIOS into the versions for Matisse CPU's. I don't really think that will help with a summit ridge CPU.

 

[JustPeterinanutshell]

I think overclocking your CPU might help, just don't expect a whole lot. Probably 3.8 or 3.9Ghz, maybe as high as 4.0Ghz for gaming (only) if you put a fan blowing on the VRM. Be sure to watch VRM temperatures.

When overclocking, always strive for lowest voltage but keep it stable. General rules for 1st gen is 1.375V max with CPU temps upwards of 90C, 1.425V max with CPU temps below 70C. That motherboard will have a lousy LLC but that's OK: VDroop is desireable for Ryzen.

Don't expect much for memory; 3200 would be a dream on 1st gen Ryzen even with Samsung B-die and you can't get those easily anymore. I'd take what you have and bump it up to 3000 with a heavy bump in voltage, setting timings at 18 across the board. You can set other timings with the help of Ryzen DRAM Calculator.

And yes, you're right that your VRM will be a problem. As I said, keep an eye on it's temperatures. It's good up to about 115-125C but I wouldn't expect that while just gaming, only in heavy all-core work. You can always put a fan blowing on the heatsink to keep it cooler.

Don't update BIOS into the versions for Matisse CPU's. I don't really think that will help with a summit ridge CPU.

So you would suggest just leave the bios. Pump my CPU a bit(i mean i cant go to much cuz of stock cooler) and my RAM just with voltage but keep the timings? did i understand that the right way?
And what u mean a fan on the VRM? is there a trick i dont know to cool the VRM directly?

I have the Crucial Technology BLS8G4D26BFSBK.8FBD 2x8gb btw. if this is important for ya

 

[drea.drechsler]

So you would suggest just leave the bios. Pump my CPU a bit and my RAM just with voltage but keep the timings? did i understand that the right way?
....

The version AGESA you're on is what I'm on for my 1700. There's nothing to be gained going to a Matisse AGESA version but the BIOS will change considerably as MSI had to cut out all the Red Dragon stuff (including graphical fan curves and saving BIOS settings) to make it fit.

I'd start with the CPU, do one thing at a time. So first things first: if you're still using the stock Wraithe cooler you're not ready. Dump it. There are plenty of good ones, you won't need monster dual tower but it won't hurt to push to the max. Get a Hyper 212 cooler (fairly cheap these days and still capable) if nothing else.

Set a fixed clock speed and use off-set's only for voltage. Set LLC mid-range: about 4 or 5 for MSI. Start with something easy, like 3.6Ghz. Find the lowest offset value that leaves it stable with a couple minutes of Cinebench20.

Once you're stable for a couple minutes at the lowest offset possible run it for at least 30 minutes. If stable now you can start bumping it up: go to 3.7Ghz, increase the offset like 4 bumps and try CB20 again. If it holds bump up clocks to 3.8 and CB20 again.

By now you best be looking closely at temps...cpu and vrm. CPU less than 90C under CB20, VRM line in the sand 100C for now.

Get HWINfo64 and look at the CPU V Core (SVI2 TFN) sensor reading; that's the one to watch. Watch how it moves at low load (should be less than 1.425) and at high load (less than 1.375).

Keep increasing the clocks and adjusting offset and looking for those metrics as you test with CB20. Once you're at 90C and less than 1.375 and a couple minutes steady with CB20 run it 30 minutes at least.

Check the SVI2 VCore when idle: it has to be less than 1.425V. It's OK to jump over it occasionaly, but if it's going over that consistently (create a chart to watch it) or especially if it averages higher than it then you should reduce voltage, and clocks accordingly to remain stable. It's a bit of a balancing job.

Watch temps during the test: CPU and VRM. If they start going crazy (over90C, over 110C on VRM) stop it. You need more cooling.

Yes, rigging a fan to blow on the VRM is a thing; it doesn't need to be large, 40 or 50mm will do. People suspend one with tie-straps between the CPU cooler and the rear fan. I made an angled bracket out of a rear slot cover by drilling a few holes then mounted it to the rear case fan. The idea is to move air out of the dead-air zone beneath the rear case fan. If you happen to have a CPU cooler with a rear mounted fan that may provide enough stirring action to keep it cool on it's own.

BTW: when you take clocks off of AUTO it should disable AMD Cool n Quiet. If not disable it and leave it disabled as it's not compatible with manual overclocking.

Notice I'm not using Prime95 as it's a completely unrealistic processing load, in the extreme. Especially for someone just wishing to optimize a gaming rig. It's only good use is to de-rate a system for equally extreme or ultra high availability operation. CB20(or 23) is perfectly realistic even including a mix of AVX instructions that represents real-world maximum work loads. If it's CB20 stable it should be stable for gaming.

EDIT add: one thing, if you bought this CPU fairly recently (kinda doubtful if sitting on a B350m board) and happen to have one of the 1600's based on 12nm Pinnacle ridge die then voltage guidance will change. Need to know that; check your box model number so we know.