In recent months, the world of PC hardware has faced numerous challenges, including Intel CPU crashes, melting RTX 50-series power cables, and the unfortunate demise of AMD Ryzen 9000-series CPUs in select motherboards. According to reports, ASRock’s Precision Boost Overdrive (PBO) settings may be pushing these CPUs beyond safe limits, leading to failures.

ASRock has stated that they are aware of the issues impacting their motherboards and the associated CPU failures. They attributed the problem to too high current limits for the CPUs, despite claiming compliance with AMD’s specified range for Electrical Design Current (EDC) and Thermal Design Current (TDC).

A BIOS update will address the excessive PBO limits. Users of high-performance ASRock boards are encouraged to apply this update.

Moreover, ASRock revealed that this high amperage might be responsible for the chip failures, suggesting adjustments to their motherboards could align them better with competitors like MSI and Asus. They highlighted the robust testing demand from consumers in light of these incidents, leading to a reconsideration of current limits in their designs.

The long-term impact on CPUs run under these conditions remains uncertain. Clarification from both ASRock and AMD about customer liabilities in the event of CPU damage is highly anticipated.