I'm upgrading from a Ryzen 7 5700G to a Ryzen 7 5800X3D in an MSI B550M PRO-VDH WIFI motherboard. The board supports Ryzen 5000 processors, but I'm not sure which BIOS version is currently installed. I'm also replacing the case and power supply and plan to move from an RX 6600 to an RX 9070 XT once the new GPU arrives. Should I check the BIOS version first, and is it safer to update before installing the 5800X3D?
3 Answers
A version such as 2.C0 shown by a diagnostic tool likely indicates a sufficiently recent BIOS, but Windows tools can label firmware information in confusing ways. Confirm the exact version in BIOS or through MSI’s motherboard utility, compare it with the CPU support list, and update first if you’re unsure.
Do the BIOS update before swapping CPUs. If you install the 5800X3D first and the current BIOS doesn’t support it, the system may fail to POST, forcing you to reinstall the 5700G just to flash the BIOS. Updating now avoids that extra teardown. If your exact board revision has an MSI Flash BIOS Button, you can also update from a USB drive without a CPU installed, but using the working 5700G is the simplest route.
The 5800X3D requires BIOS version 2.A or newer on this board. Check the actual BIOS version in the motherboard’s BIOS setup, not the SMBIOS version shown by Windows. If your BIOS is older than 2.A, update it while the 5700G is still installed. Versions 2.A and later should support the new CPU, although updating to the latest stable BIOS is generally a good idea for compatibility, stability, and security.
I haven’t swapped the processor yet—I’m still installing the new power supply, routing cables, and setting up the case. I’ll check the BIOS directly and update it while the 5700G is still running.