Handling burning motherboards and unsupported memory causes stress and confusion.
Handling burning motherboards and unsupported memory causes stress and confusion.
Hey everyone, i could really do with some advice on my new build. So i bought a 12700k and Maximus Z690 Hero (so i could get the Asus cashback) only to read this morning that these motherboards were having trouble with a couple of the chips burning or even setting directly on fire, for an as yet unknown reason. https://wccftech.com/asus-rog-maximus-z6...urning-up/ Added to this is the fact that i have been waiting for ages for some DDR5 memory to come in stock anywhere before i can even start the build. Yesterday i was browsing Overclockers UK and happened to see some Corsair Dominator Platinum 5200mhz CL40 and 5600mhz CL36 on sale. I jumped on the 5600mhz thinking 'finally!' only to realise when i double checked this morning that the Hero doesn't have this speed on the memory QVL anyway! ARGH! Can someone first of all why neither this Corsair 5600mhz CL36 memory nor the 5200mhz CL40 is supported by this mobo? Is this some kind of hard compatibility problem or is support likely to be added via a bios update at a later date? The Hero supports other manufacturers high speed memory, but not Corsair's, it only supports the 5200mhz CL38 Dominator kit from Corsair (other than the Vengeance kits), which is unavailable EVERYWHERE. Secondly, should i just cancel my cashback claim and return the mobo and processor now, to avoid any headaches with burning motherboards, and just plump for a ridiculously priced Extreme and 12700k bundle to get the cashback on that? (For some reason Asus made the Formula white and the Apex is for overclockers) I have always bought Asus motherboards for my previous builds and i am loath to consider going with a different brand as Asus has so far been rock solid. Any advice would be much appreciated!
It should function well. A qvl just indicates which RAM is available, not whether another type can work. A qvl contains a selection of tested RAM. There are countless kinds and setups, making it impractical to check every one. Some RAM might not be listed now but could be added later.
It seems worth considering keeping the order. I saw that most Corsair RAM on the Z690 Hero QVL (and another Asus board you checked) uses Micron, while the 5600mhz is Samsung. Are there any reasons an Asus board might not support it? You probably won’t have issues at standard 4800mhz if XMP profiles are stable. Concern about the motherboard overheating is valid—stay safe.
That’s just hearsay and guesswork based on the upside-down printing. On PCBs, it’s quite typical. Unless he has a specialist or desoldering equipment and checks the printed schematic (if available), I’m not confident in his conclusion yet (more solid proof needed).
A user on the Reddit discussion also checked the polarity and discovered it was flipped. This makes sense given the lack of any official statement from Asus, as the images of the damaged boards show the capacitor labels reversed.
Half of the chips on my motherboard show reversed markings. That’s an unreliable sign. Sure, they could measure polarity, but I’d expect someone with real expertise—like an electrical engineer or a skilled technician—not just someone using a multimeter casually. Before I accept their explanation as fact, I need solid proof.
The situation seems to align more with the alternative theory. Several comments on the YouTube videos suggest it's feasible for chips to be positioned incorrectly when upside down in cartridges. For further details, refer to the Asus forum thread about capacitor polarity: https://rog.asus.com/forum/showthread.ph...post852231. We hope Asus releases an official clarification soon, but this explanation is currently the best available. Watch the video for a clearer understanding.
If anyone shared a similar experience, ASUS has acknowledged the issue. It was actually inverted capacitors that caused the problem. The labels on the caps indicated polarity, so installing them incorrectly was clearly the cause. Fortunately, my boards have the correct markings and their serial numbers aren’t among the affected units. Phew!