Monday, April 15th 2019
MSI Betrays AMD's Socket AM4 Longevity Promise: No Zen2 for 300-series?
Greedy motherboard vendors such as MSI want you to buy a new motherboard every two generations of processor for no sound reason at all. MSI is reportedly blocking support for 3rd generation Ryzen "Matisse" processors on its AMD 300-series chipset motherboards, including those based on high-end AMD X370 and OC-capable B350 chipsets. This would also put those who own $300 motherboards such as the X370 XPower out of luck. To recap, AMD announced on numerous occasions that it doesn't want to be a greedy clique like its competitor, by forcing motherboard upgrades and promised that socket AM4 motherboards will be backwards and forwards compatible with at least four generations of Ryzen processors, running all the way up to 2020.
This normally should mean that any 300-series motherboard must support 4th generation Ryzen processors with a simple BIOS update. Most 300-series motherboards, including from MSI, even ship with USB BIOS Flashback feature to help with forwards compatibility. Unfortunately, motherboard companies such as MSI care more about their bottom-lines than the consumer. In a support e-mail to an X370 XPower Titanium owner, MSI confirmed that it will not extend Zen 2 support to AMD 300-series. Other motherboard vendors could follow MSI's suit as a representative of another motherboard vendor, on condition of anonymity, told TechPowerUp that "Zen 2" processors have steeper electrical requirements that 300-series motherboards don't meet. This is an excuse similar to the one Intel gave for the planned obsolescence of its 100-series and 200-series chipsets, even as it was repeatedly proven that those motherboards can run and overclock 9th generation processors with custom firmware just fine. Would MSI care to explain whether a B450M PRO-M2 has a stronger VRM than an X370 XPower Titanium to warrant "Zen 2" support? Will all "Zen 2" processor SKUs have steep electrical requirements? Will there not be any SKUs with double-digit-Watt TDP ratings?
Update (16/04): MSI posted a clarification on this issue.
Source:
master3553 (Reddit)
This normally should mean that any 300-series motherboard must support 4th generation Ryzen processors with a simple BIOS update. Most 300-series motherboards, including from MSI, even ship with USB BIOS Flashback feature to help with forwards compatibility. Unfortunately, motherboard companies such as MSI care more about their bottom-lines than the consumer. In a support e-mail to an X370 XPower Titanium owner, MSI confirmed that it will not extend Zen 2 support to AMD 300-series. Other motherboard vendors could follow MSI's suit as a representative of another motherboard vendor, on condition of anonymity, told TechPowerUp that "Zen 2" processors have steeper electrical requirements that 300-series motherboards don't meet. This is an excuse similar to the one Intel gave for the planned obsolescence of its 100-series and 200-series chipsets, even as it was repeatedly proven that those motherboards can run and overclock 9th generation processors with custom firmware just fine. Would MSI care to explain whether a B450M PRO-M2 has a stronger VRM than an X370 XPower Titanium to warrant "Zen 2" support? Will all "Zen 2" processor SKUs have steep electrical requirements? Will there not be any SKUs with double-digit-Watt TDP ratings?
335 Comments on MSI Betrays AMD's Socket AM4 Longevity Promise: No Zen2 for 300-series?
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When the first SSD's where introduced, everyone knew the sandforce controller of any ssd brand with it, was faster than one with a marvell controller..
But that sandforce controller had many instabillities and could be DOA or dead within 2 months.
At those days, I bought an Crucial ssd with an marvell controller.. however, if you look at the new sandforce controllers now, they are just as reliable.
So an Samsung ssd with a new sandforce controller, could be more of an upgrade, cause of their speeds and they also happen to be reliable now.
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So you can't judge them over a poor product in the past.
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As for the MSI practices talked about now, I'm fully against it and won't look at any product of them right now.
Anyway, there is plenty of reason to get Intel over AMD still. It just depends on use. ;)
As importantly, coming out in such a scathing manner before we even have official word is not the right way...Yes do point out that this is something you have been told but wait until you get official word before crucifying them!
Obviously sh*** happens with all manufacturers since fails are unavoidable no matter how good products you make but criticizing MSI on GTX 900/1000 series for example is laughable at best because they objectively had the best card/cooler !
We all agree that this is very bad move if true but please don't let your hatred speak for you .
PS: Lets see how amd will behave as soon as its cpu becomes a success. This new motherboard business practice every intel release got to a point where it was hilarious.
Offtopic, there are no sane mobo manufacturers left in the consumer segment...
P.S. spare me the whole asrock/asus godliness here, I've seen their BS firsthand too.
I really miss ABit, Albatron, DFI and QDI.
MSI pulling the same stunt Intel did with the 300 series boards is just a huge slap in the face to their customers.
Sure as hell that once I will be on the lookout for MB/GPU (which will be end of this year most likely) I will make sure to never select MSI.
Greedy shits deserve no money.
IF it turns out true i just will not buy MSI products, it's just that simple and that goes for any other company too.
Seems like more rumor and click bait atm.