Friday, October 25th 2019

BIOSTAR Extends Ryzen 9 3950X Support to Even its A320 Chipset Motherboards

On a charm offensive, motherboard maker BIOSTAR revealed that it will extend support for the upcoming 16-core Ryzen 9 3950X even to its cheapest motherboards based on AMD's entry-level A320 chipset. Support for the processor will be added through a UEFI firmware update that should go live on the company website soon, and downloadable from the support section of each motherboard's product page. BIOSTAR's list of motherboards for the 3950X includes almost its entire socket AM4 motherboard lineup, spanning the A320, B350, X370, B450, X470, and X570 chipsets. A spokesperson for BIOSTAR confirmed to us that this wasn't a typo on the company website.
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52 Comments on BIOSTAR Extends Ryzen 9 3950X Support to Even its A320 Chipset Motherboards

#26
TheMadDutchDude
There’s a reason why low-end boards don’t offer that support...
Posted on Reply
#27
Ruru
S.T.A.R.S.
ymbajaWhy so much hate? I for one commend Biostar for this and they’ve gone up a notch in my book. Would it be the optimal solution? Probably not but it’s nice to know you can especially 2-3 years down the road when it’s not going to matter if your hitting top clocks. It would still be a significant upgrade. If they are willing to hang their ass out in the wind and stand behind and provide support for their low end products then it’s a lot more than other vendors are doing...
Like I said, there just isn't sense of using a 750 eur/usd CPU on a 50 eur/usd low-end motherboard.
Posted on Reply
#28
tony359
Chloe PriceLike I said, there just isn't sense of using a 750 eur/usd CPU on a 50 eur/usd low-end motherboard.
And why is that? I think tests have proven that there is no performance price to pay because of the ‘cheap’ board.
It may not be ideal from a power supply standpoint but I agree with the previous poster: ‘why so much hate’.

The whole 3000 lineup works ok on the A320 as well. As mentioned, it’s nice to have the chance to update to those chips at some point in the future. Get over it.
Posted on Reply
#29
EarthDog
tony359And why is that? I think tests have proven that there is no performance price to pay because of the ‘cheap’ board.
It may not be ideal from a power supply standpoint but I agree with the previous poster: ‘why so much hate’.

The whole 3000 lineup works ok on the A320 as well. As mentioned, it’s nice to have the chance to update to those chips at some point in the future. Get over it.
Wait, the 3950x is out and tested on that 3-phase no heatsinked board?

This reminds me of fx 83xx cpus... they were compatible with every supported chipset, yet 2/3 throttled the CPUs at stock...

And, it's really ok if you dont get 100% performance out of something, but you can upgrade to a flagship cpu on a potato class mobo? Well, ok...everyone is entitled to their opinions...including flat earthers. We'll agree to disagree on that sentiment.
Posted on Reply
#30
Thefumigator
TheMadDutchDudeThere’s a reason why low-end boards don’t offer that support...
But... is it for a technical reason or just strategic reason? (new products means more sales)
Posted on Reply
#31
TheMadDutchDude
A bit of both, I'd say. Cheap boards relates directly to cheap components. Cheap components are typically not up to the task of high power computing. You should be familiar with "you get what you pay for" by now in this industry.

It may run... but for how long, and how well? I wouldn't trust my $750 CPU to a $50 motherboard; would you?
Posted on Reply
#32
tony359
I guess it depends on your target. I would never replace my A320 to upgrade to a series 3 Ryzen - while I’ll probably upgrade to a Ryzen 3000 in the future now that the board supports it.
Posted on Reply
#33
candle_86
TheMadDutchDudeA bit of both, I'd say. Cheap boards relates directly to cheap components. Cheap components are typically not up to the task of high power computing. You should be familiar with "you get what you pay for" by now in this industry.

It may run... but for how long, and how well? I wouldn't trust my $750 CPU to a $50 motherboard; would you?
Yes actually I would it's about the needs of the user, with a traditional had the vrms and phases get cool air remember if that a320 board could run a 1800x reliably it will take a 1950x.

The used for such a system would be workstation or media encoding, neither need all the bells and whistles. A cad or Adobe premiere system built on a budget would be great on this board, and yes biostar certified it, the board makers already have the 1950x they get es chips to certify with before general release.
Posted on Reply
#34
EarthDog
candle_86Yes actually I would it's about the needs of the user, with a traditional had the vrms and phases get cool air remember if that a320 board could run a 1800x reliably it will take a 1950x.

The used for such a system would be workstation or media encoding, neither need all the bells and whistles. A cad or Adobe premiere system built on a budget would be great on this board, and yes biostar certified it, the board makers already have the 1950x they get es chips to certify with before general release.
?????

1950x is a THREADRIPPER based CPU from the first gen Ryzen and uses TR4 socket. It could not fit with a 1800x on AM4...also that's an 85w/85% power increase. Even if you could put a square peg in a round hole........that was a poor analogy.

The 3950x, which we are talking about here, is on the AM4 socket and a drop in. Compared to the 1800x it's a 10W increase by tdp (but we know how accurate tdp is).

You insist they have ESs on tap, and that is true...but again I point you back to the last time this happened with board partners stating support for FX 8xxx on nearly everything. 2/3 of the boards throttled at stock and literally a handful could handle them overclocked. They had ES chips to test too. I fear this can happen here again... especially on these garbage 3-phase with potatos and parts vrms... I'd love to see any boards similar to this handle 3900/3950x with all cores and threads loaded without throttling.

Contrary to some user's beliefs, if the board throttles the cpu back, it cant handle the cpu.
Posted on Reply
#35
TheMadDutchDude
Well, if you would trust your $750 CPU to a $50 board... you clearly aren't familiar with component quality.

I won't bother getting into it... seems like we are talking to a Biostar rep trying to defend their TERRIBLE decision. :D
Posted on Reply
#36
candle_86
TheMadDutchDudeWell, if you would trust your $750 CPU to a $50 board... you clearly aren't familiar with component quality.

I won't bother getting into it... seems like we are talking to a Biostar rep trying to defend their TERRIBLE decision. :D
No someone who does this professionally as a server admin and before that a sys admin and a desktop III for a fortune 500 company. Remember a few things the system life for anything built for the Enterprise segment is 3 years, after the warranty is up it's considered obsolete, and before you run and say Enterprise class hardware won't use this think again, spealized PC's sold by vendors for specific tasks often use budget off the shelf parts, I've opened plenty and seen a budget boards inside.

If the board can run the 3950x for 3 years at stock speeds then it has meet it's actual objective, things like this are never intended for enthusiasts or grandma, these type of pairings are meant for specialized pairings in vendor boxes sold with the software.
Posted on Reply
#37
TheMadDutchDude
That's the thing. I will bet you that it cannot handle it at stock speeds. That VRM is probably able to output around 80A before throttling under sustained load - that's barely 100w at 1.2v which is where the chip will be throttled to after the VRM toasts itself.

Just because it'll work doesn't mean it works PROPERLY.
Posted on Reply
#38
Ruru
S.T.A.R.S.
tony359And why is that? I think tests have proven that there is no performance price to pay because of the ‘cheap’ board.
It may not be ideal from a power supply standpoint but I agree with the previous poster: ‘why so much hate’.

The whole 3000 lineup works ok on the A320 as well. As mentioned, it’s nice to have the chance to update to those chips at some point in the future. Get over it.
Like said, those have very crappy VRM. Like said above, FX CPUs were supported on every AM3+ board, but cheap boards throttled because of crappy VRM.

I say this the third time, I wouldn't put anything over a 6c/12t 65W CPU on these cheap boards. Go on ahead if you want, but that's just something what someone who knows what he/she is doing, wouldn't do. Those A320 boards are meant for office PCs etc which doesn't need that much horsepower. I'd compare A320 to Intel's H61/H81/H110/H310, are those meant for enthusiast-class CPUs? No, they aren't.
Posted on Reply
#39
Bones
It's just a tactic to sell more boards.

They already know the board won't last too long with a larger chip, in the case of a 3950X, could be just a matter of weeks. Not that Biostar is worried, their worry ends with the sale of the board more or less and from that point on it's RMA territory.
We all know how much they LOVE doing those.
It's also to cover their ass related to those that will pop a 3950X in to one whether they say it's supported or not - Same basic thing MSI did years ago with their FX-790/890 boards concerning handling a Thuban, which BTW in many cases didn't end well.
They claimed it would, boards started dropping but because it was said "Officially" it would support them there wasn't alot that could be done, save either filing suit (Which would be a long, hard battle to win anything from them anyway) or just move on.

Biostar has always been the beyond dirt cheap Yugo of boards among board makers, there has only been a few models they made that's worth looking for and even then I'm not so sure they are worth the trouble.
Posted on Reply
#40
ZoneDymo
TheMadDutchDudeWell, if you would trust your $750 CPU to a $50 board... you clearly aren't familiar with component quality.

I won't bother getting into it... seems like we are talking to a Biostar rep trying to defend their TERRIBLE decision. :D
Im sorry but this is just an ignorant comment.
Guess putting a 50 dollar waterblock on a 2000 dollar cpu would be crazy too right? if one component is price X all other components have to be price X as well......
Oh yeah and obviously price = quality...
Posted on Reply
#41
TheMadDutchDude
Price, in this instance as well as many others, DOES dictate quality.

My oh my... I can’t do this anymore. I’m out.
Posted on Reply
#42
Apocalypsee
Whoever only have $50 for motherboard wont have enough money to buy $750 CPU, if they can afford such money you sure have sufficient IQ to know something is terribly wrong if you couple them together.

Biostar likely states its supported because its in the AGESA, just like people reported supporting Ryzen 1st gen on X570 motherboards.
Posted on Reply
#43
R-T-B
dj-electric

You wanna play a little game? sure, put a 3950X on this board, see what happens at load.
That's where you went wrong! You aren't supposed to LOAD your cpu! Just look at it idle and watch the pretty lights...

Man, that thing can idle. So awesome.
ymbajamatter if your hitting top clocks.
This has nothing to do with "top clocks."

I'm pretty sure a stock load'll pop a lot of those boards.
candle_863 years
Good luck. I bet 6 months.
ZoneDymoGuess putting a 50 dollar waterblock on a 2000 dollar cpu would be crazy too right?
No, but waterblock is not as important as well, your literal heart of your system, the motherboard.
Posted on Reply
#44
Ruru
S.T.A.R.S.
ZoneDymoGuess putting a 50 dollar waterblock on a 2000 dollar cpu would be crazy too right? if one component is price X all other components have to be price X as well......
Actually not. My Eisblock XPX is 50 euros from Alphacool's shop and I don't think that it would be a crazy idea to slap this on a 7980XE/9980XE.
Posted on Reply
#45
Bones
ZoneDymoIm sorry but this is just an ignorant comment.
Guess putting a 50 dollar waterblock on a 2000 dollar cpu would be crazy too right?
Using a pointless point to prove a point just doesn't work.

This comparison of a cheap waterblock with an expensive CPU vs an Expensive CPU with a budget-cheap board is skewed because $50 is about the average price of a useable waterblock, not a budget one.

His statement was about a rock-bottom-scraping sh!t kind of board and a $50 waterblock isn't the same thing to compare with, totally different class of hardware item with it's own price range. These two classes do not compare for price vs top to bottom end stuff within each for price or quality at a given price-range.
ZoneDymoif one component is price X all other components have to be price X as well......
Oh yeah and obviously price = quality...
And no, that's another incorrect statement.
No two items have to be the same price as you put it regardless of quality or anything else.
A seller can ask whatever price they want for it, doesn't mean it's gonna sell (Obviously) but they can still ask. Yes, you'd want prices to be inline with others but they don't have to be as an absolute. In fact you'll see them vary and it's normal to see this anyway, other wise you woudn't save a few $$'s buying here vs there......
And let's not forget that 50% off sale going on right now wherever......

Means they can be cheaper too so the term "have to be price X as well" doesn't apply either.

So nope - Not an absolute as you put it.
Posted on Reply
#46
ZoneDymo
BonesUsing a pointless point to prove a point just doesn't work.

This comparison of a cheap waterblock with an expensive CPU vs an Expensive CPU with a budget-cheap board is skewed because $50 is about the average price of a useable waterblock, not a budget one.

His statement was about a rock-bottom-scraping sh!t kind of board and a $50 waterblock isn't the same thing to compare with, totally different class of hardware item with it's own price range. These two classes do not compare for price vs top to bottom end stuff within each for price or quality at a given price-range.


And no, that's another incorrect statement.
No two items have to be the same price as you put it regardless of quality or anything else.
A seller can ask whatever price they want for it, doesn't mean it's gonna sell (Obviously) but they can still ask. Yes, you'd want prices to be inline with others but they don't have to be as an absolute. In fact you'll see them vary and it's normal to see this anyway, other wise you woudn't save a few $$'s buying here vs there......
And let's not forget that 50% off sale going on right now wherever......

Means they can be cheaper too so the term "have to be price X as well" doesn't apply either.

So nope - Not an absolute as you put it.
"rock bottom scarping sh!t kind of board".... why because its cheap? or do you actually have reviews saying this board is buggy and prone to breaking?
Because if not you are again just going off price meaning quality even though to try so hard to debunk that later which was btw my point, the "..." was to emphasis the sarcasm.

Not to mention, I think 50 dollars for a basic motherboard is a pretty darn normal price as well, sure you have them as high as that 1000 dollar X570 Aqua but then you also have those 300 dollar waterblocks.

Price =/= quality, it never has been and never will be.
This biostar board is cheap because it uses a cheap chipset and is low on features, no RGB madness on this board to jack up the pricing, that does not mean it wont function perfectly fine with an 3950X on it.
Can you get the most out of this cpu with that board in regards to overclocking potential or massive amounts of fast ram support etc? no, but if that is needed is for the buyer to decide.

Their and your attitude towards what constitutes quality in a product are just off.
Posted on Reply
#47
EarthDog
ZoneDymoThis biostar board is cheap because it uses a cheap chipset and is low on features, no RGB madness on this board to jack up the pricing, that does not mean it wont function perfectly fine with an 3950X on it.
Can you get the most out of this cpu with that board in regards to overclocking potential or massive amounts of fast ram support etc? no, but if that is needed is for the buyer to decide.

Their and your attitude towards what constitutes quality in a product are just off.
I wouldnt bet that a320 board could handle a 3900x or a 3950x at stock with all cores/threads running without some sort of throttling caused by the board.

Obviously part of it is a lack of features on the board but another part of that is the , quantity, quality, and capacity of the vrm bits used. I point you to this image and a link...... (give me 5 mins to add it)...

EDIT: If B350 rides the struggle bus, I don't imagine most A320's to be any better.....



And this........

docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1wmsTYK9Z3-jUX5LGRoFnsZYZiW1pfiDZnKCjaXyzd1o/htmlview?sle=true
Posted on Reply
#48
candle_86
EarthDogI wouldnt bet that a320 board could handle a 3900x or a 3950x at stock with all cores/threads running without some sort of throttling caused by the board.

Obviously part of it is a lack of features on the board but another part of that is the , quantity, quality, and capacity of the vrm bits used. I point you to this image and a link...... (give me 5 mins to add it)...

EDIT: If B350 rides the struggle bus, I don't imagine most A320's to be any better.....



And this........

docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1wmsTYK9Z3-jUX5LGRoFnsZYZiW1pfiDZnKCjaXyzd1o/htmlview?sle=true
Your again missing the point of this board, I'm not explaining it again, go read what i already said.
Posted on Reply
#49
EarthDog
candle_86Your again missing the point of this board, I'm not explaining it again, go read what i already said.
I'm not missing the point at all, sir. I've read your posts... and moved on from them (I mean, you tried to put a TRipper CPU in an AM4 socket for verbal comparison, that was enough to skip by the rest IMO)...

The point of this board is to throw potatos in it and run it, not flagship 16c/32t CPUs. While people CAN use it like you say, chances are you will see throttling when using it to the fullest extent (and perhaps less) WHICH SHOULD BE ABLE TO BE DONE ON ANY BOARD YOU DROP A CPU IN. I don't see the logic in buying a $750 CPU if A - the board throttles or B - you don't UTILIZE (not use) the CPU. So, yeah, I supposed you are right, but, that use case is borderline asinine. Nothing like throwing a $750 flagship CPU that you don't/can't run at its potential into a $50 board...

P.S - I was in D.C Operations, capacity planning, and server admin for over 2 decades (large pharma, large water company, and AWS). Server boards are not potatos. It appears from your posts you like things such as phase count but without knowing the controller, chokes, and MOSFETs are typically of high quality (depends on the board and such). Also, servers have several high RPM fans pumping an arseload of air through the chassis to keep the components cool... this is a 3/4 phase design and shitty budget bits bud. Use your head...
Posted on Reply
#50
candle_86
EarthDogI'm not missing the point at all, sir. I've read your posts... and moved on from them (I mean, you tried to put a TRipper CPU in an AM4 socket for verbal comparison, that was enough to skip by the rest IMO)...

The point of this board is to throw potatos in it and run it, not flagship 16c/32t CPUs. While people CAN use it like you say, chances are you will see throttling when using it to the fullest extent (and perhaps less) WHICH SHOULD BE ABLE TO BE DONE ON ANY BOARD YOU DROP A CPU IN. I don't see the logic in buying a $750 CPU if A - the board throttles or B - you don't UTILIZE (not use) the CPU. So, yeah, I supposed you are right, but, that use case is borderline asinine. Nothing like throwing a $750 flagship CPU that you don't/can't run at its potential into a $50 board...

P.S - I was in D.C Operations, capacity planning, and server admin for over 2 decades (large pharma, large water company, and AWS). Server boards are not potatos. It appears from your posts you like things such as phase count but without knowing the controller, chokes, and MOSFETs are typically of high quality (depends on the board and such). Also, servers have several high RPM fans pumping an arseload of air through the chassis to keep the components cool... this is a 3/4 phase design and shitty budget bits bud. Use your head...
did i say server no, i said Vendor OEM machines, things that come with equipment, say million dollar microscopes or similar devices, thats the purpose of this combanation its really easy to figure this out, if you worked in IT for 20 years you'd know this.
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