CPU Fail? Asus Investigates Issue With Its Motherboards And Ryzen 7 9800X3D

CPU Fail? Asus Investigates Issue With Its Motherboards and Ryzen 7 9800X3D

Last updated: 2026/01/25 at 5:06 AM

News Room Published 25 January 2026

Following user complaints, Asus is investigating potential issues with AMD’s Ryzen 7 9800X3D desktop processor and its own motherboards.

“We are aware of recent reports concerning AMD Ryzen 7 9800X3D CPUs and Asus AMD 800-series motherboards, and we have initiated an immediate internal review,” Asus said today.

Several users on Reddit running the 9800X3D chip on an Asus motherboard reported that their desktops suddenly failed to boot up. “Last night I put it to sleep, this morning I wake up and it’s black screen. Shows error code 00 and the DRAM light under it is lit yellow,” wrote one person. “Called local repair center, they said 100% CPU dead, they’ve seen it happen on 9800X3D over 20 times.”

For now, Asus recommends that users install the latest BIOS version on their motherboards. “Our teams are conducting preventive checks on product compatibility and performance, working closely with AMD to validate reported cases and ensure ongoing stability and quality,” it says. “We are looking to provide timely solutions to ensure our products and services meet expected standards.”

AMD’s X3D chips have been a hit among PC builders and gamers, with the Ryzen 9800X3D achieving record sales after its November 2024 launch. But they’ve also faced quality-control concerns, with more than 150 reported cases of dead 9800X3Ds, mainly for owners of ASRock motherboards, according to a Reddit thread.

ASRock says the problem appeared for a “minority proportion of AMD Ryzen 9000 series processors.” It also released a new BIOS version for ASRock motherboards to resolve the boot issues. In addition, the company told a YouTuber that the Precision Boost Overdrive or PBO settings on the motherboards were placed too aggressively for what the Ryzen chips could handle, forcing ASRock to dial them back via BIOS releases.

Recommended by Our Editors

However, ASRock’s response has received criticism. In Sept. GamersNexus pointed out that the CPU failure issue seemed to persist, despite the new BIOS releases, and questioned the PBO settings as the culprit. The problem can also leave burn marks on affected processors, but the root cause remains a mystery.

AMD didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment. In the meantime, some Asus customers report no issue with the 9800X3D chip and their motherboards. But others worry their own PCs could face the same problems over time.