The AM5 model isn't showing up on the screen even though the monitor is connected to the GPU.
The AM5 model isn't showing up on the screen even though the monitor is connected to the GPU.
Recently I purchased a 9800x3d and had to upgrade my motherboard. I chose the Gigabyte B850M Aorus Elite Ice because of its appearance and the packed rear I/O, which is always impressive. At first startup everything appeared normal—lights on, fans running, memory initializing. Then it froze at the VGA indicator. I suspected maybe the GPU wasn’t seated properly or the power cables weren’t fully connected. I attempted to re-seat it, unplugged and plugged the cables multiple times, but the VGA light remained active.
Next, I checked online and found a Reddit thread where others reported the same issue on this exact board. I tried several suggested fixes, but nothing resolved the problem. I wondered if my GPU had failed during the transfer from my old system to this new one. Fortunately, my friend’s GPU worked perfectly on his setup and on my old board and CPU after testing everything.
The only solution that worked was connecting the monitor directly to the motherboard slot, which saved me from spending more money. Eventually, I decided the board might be defective and decided to return it. I ordered two more boards—same Gigabyte model, because I love its design and features.
Now, after installing the new Gigabyte board, the same issues persist: lights on, fans spinning, RGB active, display working when connected. I’m frustrated but determined not to return the CPU. I’m not in a position to buy another GPU right now. I’ll share more details about my current hardware and previous attempts, plus what I tried with the first board.
Old setup: Ryzen 7 5800X3D, ASRock B550M Steel Legend, RX 6800X Red Dragon
New setup: Ryzen 7 9800X3D, Gigabyte B850M Aorus Elite Ice / ASUS B650M TUF Gaming Wi-Fi Plus
Recent actions: Reseated GPU, cables, NVMe drives, CPU, tested GPU on friends’ PCs and my old system.
Tried: BIOS updates, disabling GPU in BIOS, clearing CMOS, reinstalling OS and drivers.
Tried a different power supply? Maybe your PSU cables are damaged, which is why both you and your friend's GPU aren't working. Could you check their PSU in your system? And does their GPU function there? (I notice it works there, which supports the idea)
Are you relying on the displayport? I faced a problem with an AOC 27-inch VA FALD monitor from Best Buy recently. It functioned with my older AMD GPU, but on my 5070 it would cause unexpected power drops. The whole system would shut down completely. It turned out these monitors had faulty displayport connections or cables leading to power problems. Diagnosing took a long time, and I accidentally handled my new GPU too roughly because I assumed it wasn't properly seated. I didn’t realize a monitor and displayport cable could be so problematic. It seems this issue is fairly common, which left me disappointed. On RTings the monitor was listed as the best budget option, but it proved to be unreliable. The firmware also had significant bugs. Consider using HDMI instead of displayport.
I’m using dp, I don’t believe it’s the dp cable because I see an image when connecting it to the motherboard. I’ve also tested an hdmi cable but the same issue occurs.
I’m not sure if I have another spare PSU to try, but I’ve hooked everything onto my old motherboard and CPU just to check if the GPU works fine. The system started up without issues using the same PSU and GPU. Honestly, I’m not sure what to do anymore. I’m leaning toward a compatibility problem with our GPUs, since they’re older than the latest version.
That’s what I assumed too, but I’m really unsure what might be causing the issue—could it be the CPU?