How to check if you have latest motherboard BIOS for AMD Ryzen 3000 CPUs

AMD announced that the newest Ryzen 3000 series processors can run on specific older AM4 motherboards with nothing but a BIOS update. That means if you have one of these motherboards, you'll be able to buy a new Ryzen 3, 5, 7, or 9 3000 processor and install it without needing a new motherboard. Here's how to check if you have the right motherboard and how to update the BIOS.

Products used in this guide

• Mid-range next-gen Ryzen: AMD Ryzen 5 3600X ($249 at Amazon)
• 12-core Ryzen performance: AMD Ryzen 9 3900X ($499 at Amazon)
• USB drive if updating manually: 16GB SanDisk Cruzer CZ36 ($6 at Amazon)

Check if your motherboard supports Ryzen 3000 CPUs

We compiled a list of motherboards that support AMD Ryzen 3000 series CPUs and what BIOS version is the minimum you'll need to be running to unlock support.

X470

AM4 Motherboards

B450

AM4 Motherboards

X370

AM4 Motherboards

B350

AM4 Motherboards

A320

AM4 Motherboards

The utmost effort was poured in to get this data just right. It may not be up-to-date, so do check with your manufacturer in case your motherboard is supported.

Ensure your motherboard BIOS is up-to-date

If your motherboard is listed above, you'll be able to update the BIOS to enable support for the newer 3rd-gen AMD Ryzen processors. It's a good idea to do this before you throw away your 2nd-gen CPU since you'll need a compatible CPU to install the BIOS update — if you're building a new system, check first to see if the BIOS version is at least the version that adds Ryzen 3000 series support.

Updating the BIOS automatically (recommended)

Please note that this process may differ between motherboard manufacturers, but our steps below should still be relevant. It's best if you have your PC connected to your router via Ethernet for this automatic method. If it's using a Wi-Fi dongle, you may encounter issues with the motherboard not being able to connect to the internet directly. If so, follow our manual update method instead.

1. Install and run CPU-Z.
2. Check the BIOS version it reports against the version you need in the tables above.
3. If you need to update, reboot your PC.
4. Keep tapping the "Del" or "F2" key once you see the splash screen of the manufacturer.
5. Navigate to the BIOS update utility.
6. Follow the wizard, choosing DHCP as the connectivity method.
7. Allow the software to check for updates (it may require a reboot. If it does require a reboot, follow steps 2 - 4 again).
8. Install the latest BIOS update.
9. Follow step 2 again.
10. Confirm the BIOS version reflects at least the version you need in CPU-Z.

You'll now be able to turn off the system and insert an AMD Ryzen 3000 series processor.

Updating the BIOS manually

1. Install and run CPU-Z.
2. Check the BIOS version it reports against the version you need in the tables above.
3. If you need to update, visit your motherboard manufacturer's website:
   • ASRock.
   • ASUS.
   • GIGABYTE.
   • MSI.
4. Download the corresponding BIOS update for your motherboard.
5. Unzip the file and copy the downloaded BIOS update to a flash drive.
6. Reboot your PC.
7. Keep tapping the "Del" or "F2" key once you see the splash screen of the manufacturer.
8. Navigate to the BIOS update utility.
9. Choose to update BIOS using a flash drive.
10. Follow the wizard (it may require a reboot. If it does require a reboot, follow steps 2 - 4 again).
11. Confirm the BIOS version reflects at least the version you need in CPU-Z.

You'll now be able to turn off the system and insert an AMD Ryzen 3000 series processor.

You'll need a 3rd-gen Ryzen CPU

To take advantage of all the improvements AMD added to the 3000 series of Ryzen CPUs, you'll need to buy one.

Mid-range

AMD Ryzen 5 3600X

$249 at Amazon

Mid-range price with shocking levels of performance

The Ryzen 5 3600X shouldn't perform as well as it does when looking at just how aggressively AMD has priced the processor. You've got six cores and 12 threads, making it an amazing CPU for gaming and productivity, all at a reasonable price.

AMD's latest Ryzen 53600X is the company's new mid-range six-core processor with hyperthreading. That provides you with more than enough performance for gaming, productivity tasks, and more. You can even kickstart a streaming career with nothing more than a good GPU to accompany this CPU. For the price, it offers excellent value.

Extreme Performance

AMD Ryzen 9 3900X

$499 at Amazon

12-core CPU with insane performance

You likely don't require a Ryzen 9 3900X, but it would be nice to have one installed inside your PC. With 12 cores and 24 threads, this thing will make mince work of your games and other intensive applications.

Should a total of 12 threads not be enough for what you need your PC to do, there's always Ryzen 9, a new family of Ryzen processors from AMD to take on Intel's Core i9. The 3900X is a 12-core processor with 24 threads. We don't need to explain just how much performance is available compared to the 3600X — it has double the cores and threads.

Additional Equipment

If you can't seem to get the motherboard to update on its own, you'll need to do it manually using a USB drive.