No, this ratio isn't suitable for the B450.
No, this ratio isn't suitable for the B450.
Today I discovered 3100 and 3300X available on my PC Part retailer. I navigated to PC Building, picked 3300X, checked the Mobo section for B450 parts, and noticed B450 models. I recalled that 3100/3300X aren't compatible with B450, so I wondered if it's possible to use them there.
It works with a B450 motherboard and all MSI MAX boards are ensured to be compatible with third generation CPUs.
3300X and 3100X work with B450 boards, though an update might be necessary because the chips are newer than the boards. Unless manufacturers had the microcodes beforehand, older stock likely lacks the latest BIOS. Generally, you should plan for a BIOS upgrade. Some boards support updates without the CPU, or you can contact the retailer to get it updated (potentially free or with a small charge) or obtain the AMD bootkit through their RMA service.
Even the latest 3100 and 3300X models were unavailable when the Ryzen 3000 was launched. It seems these CPUs weren't supported on MAX boards from their initial release, and MSI likely waited until the 3100/3300X announcement to update BIOS. It's probable that older B450 MAX boards remain in stock, lacking the microcode for these newer chips.
Update notes for third generation devices are included, covering both 3100 and 3300X models.
It appears Ryzen 3000 support really covers the Ryzen 3000 series CPUs. I looked at a few boards recently and didn’t find BIOS updates mentioning 'Ryzen 3100/3300X support' or similar. For instance, the ASUS B450-F hasn’t received a BIOS update since December 2019 (version 3003), and the 3100/3300X are listed as compatible starting from that release, even though the BIOS was updated months earlier. I’ll keep an eye on things over the next weeks, but it seems most boards labeled 'Ryzen 3000 ready' should work with the Ryzen 3100/3300X.
This sounds promising yet odd because AMD mentioned incompatibility to safeguard themselves if a single supplier fails to release updates for it. It’s unusual since the older board’s lack of support for the 3100/3300 models stirred frustration among users. Likely, the motherboard maker will decide the final decision regarding bios updates. The only positive outcome would be compatibility, regardless of AMD’s statement.