Question About Finding the Most Up to Date vBIOS for my GPU

[SiViX]

Hello,

I have the MSI VENTUS 3X 12G OC on Windows 11 64-bit and my current vBIOS is "94.04.71.40.07". Looking around the techpowerup forum, I seem to be the ONLY user with this card using this vBIOS, everyone else seems to have a MUCH newer vBIOS version than me.

I went to MSI's support page for my card and there are no available vBIOS downloads there, so I contacted MSI support and they told me to how to use MSI Center to check for vBIOS updates but nothing appears there either...

I am curious if I should try one of the vBIOS listed here on techpowerup for my card or if I should just stick with what I have...?

Thanks for your time and any help you may be able to provide me!

 

[freeagent]

I would just enjoy the card

 

[SiViX]

I would just enjoy the card

Hello, I appreciate your reply!

So, I shouldn't be concerned that my vBIOS is 94.04.X and there appear to be newer versions that are 94.06.X...?

Am I not missing out on potential security fixes and performance gains...?

 

[freeagent]

I wouldn’t be concerned.

If there is a security fix, which I doubt, then there would almost certainly be a performance regression.

 

[Devon68]

Honestly enjoy your card. If it's not broken dont try to fix it.

 

[windwhirl]

Just leave the VBIOS alone. There are only two reasons to update it:
Glaring bug fixes
Security fixes

Unless you're sure the newer VBIOS falls in either category, I'd leave it alone. Most of the time, the newer versions are simply new versions adapted to different sets of memory chips or other stuff that doesn't have an impact on actual performance.

Too much can go wrong with a failed VBIOS update.

 

[SiViX]

Interesting, I've never had a problem flashing my vBIOS on other GPUs in the past and the general consensus I have always seen was that flashing the vBIOS was relatively safe, didn't realize it had become so dangerous...

Thanks for your input guys, guess I'll leave it alone for now...

 

[Laurijan]

GPU bios updated arent like mobo bios. They are not as important. From my experience the manufacturer often doesnt even list them on the support page. If there is one there it usually comes with an easy to use installer

 

[Shrek]

Updating the vBIOS can be a risky endeavor if not done right.

 

[ty_ger]

I went to MSI's support page for my card and there are no available vBIOS downloads there, so I contacted MSI support and they told me to how to use MSI Center to check for vBIOS updates but nothing appears there either...

You got your answer.

You'll often see "newer" VBIOS versions appear during a product's life cycle which add support for difference VRM components or VRAM. Trying to "update" to such "newer" version often provides no benefit and sometimes causes your card to stop working.

Don't do it. Don't force it. If what you have works, leave it alone. If there is a critical update, you should find it. If you don't find it, it doesn't exist. There is no reason to keep searching and forcing an "update" to something which may not be totally compatible.

 

[StViolenceDay]

Hello, I appreciate your reply!

So, I shouldn't be concerned that my vBIOS is 94.04.X and there appear to be newer versions that are 94.06.X...?

Am I not missing out on potential security fixes and performance gains...?

The difference in 2nd pair of digits in Nvidia VBIOS version 94.04 vs 94.06 for 3060 is NOT a fiwmware update difference.
Its corresponds to a difference in a chip soldered on board - GA104 vs GA106.

3060s are manufactured with both chip variants even on identical boards since while the chip dies has different physical size - square GA104 vs smaller rect GA106 - they use identical BGA pinout and are compatible.

So, boards are identically compatible with both chips, but the VBIOS version is not. And the chip variant info is even encoded in VBIOS version