Ryzen 5000 Support Comes Early to Biostar, AsRock, and Asus B450 Motherboards

AsRock B450 Motherboards
(Image credit: AsRock)

AMD has officially stated that Ryzen 5000 support for the 400 series chipset will be coming in 2021, but that doesn't appear to be the case anymore. Three companies have shared (so far) that they will support AMD's new Ryzen 5000 series CPUs before 2021, Biostar, Asrock, and Asus. With Asrock already having beta BIOS's ready for the shiny new CPUs.

To ensure compatibility, you'll need a BIOS for your specific B450 motherboard that supports AGESA 1.0.8.1 at the very minimum. This AGESA code enables Ryzen 5000 Renoir compatibility. In order to get the full performance out of your Ryzen 5000 CPU you'll need to make sure your B450 motherboard has a BIOS supporting AGESA 1.1.0.0 or greater.

Biostar has said via Twitter that they will be supporting Ryzen 5000 CPUs coming soon, whether that's before 2021 or after 2021 we are not sure. Regarding Asus, they are more straight forward with the deadline, marking a December release for AGESA 1.1.8.0 BIOS's that will be available for all its 400 series motherboards (not just B450). 

Asrock is the strangest of the three though; reportedly Asrock has released beta BIOS's for its entire B450 lineup of boards (no word on X470), but quickly withdrew them from the public eye. AnandTech covered the strange occurrence and they have no idea why the BIOS updates were pulled.

As for the remaining motherboard manufacturers like MSI, and Gigabyte (to name a few), they have kept quiet on the matter. Presumably, these remaining companies will be waiting until Q1 of 2021 -- as AMD has said (which is the official deadline) -- before releasing new BIOS's for the Ryzen 5000 CPUs.

So for now, there are still no official BIOS updates for B450 motherboards that support the new AGESA codes and thus the new Ryzen 5000 processors. But fortunately, it looks like Asrock, Asus, and presumably, Biostar will offer support before 2021.

Aaron Klotz
Contributing Writer

Aaron Klotz is a contributing writer for Tom’s Hardware, covering news related to computer hardware such as CPUs, and graphics cards.

  • mikie tim t
    There is an F60c BIOS for Gigabyte B450M DS3H motherboards that's been on the BIOS downloads for a couple of weeks now, so Gigabyte is putting the beta BIOS downloads out for B450 boards now too even if they don't have anything "official" announced. "Enhanced processor compatibility" is what all of the F60c BIOS download descriptions state, and there are reports already of some running Ryzen 5000 CPUs on them.
    Reply
  • Teeroy32
    Now all I need to know is when MSI is going to release theirs so I can upgrade the R5-2600 in my B450 Gaming plus AC Mitx board. Considering they were one of the most bullish about backwards compatibility, I'd expect it soon. Well I will when 5600x's are actually in stock.
    Reply
  • DMAN999
    Asus just added this newer Beta BIOS to their support page:
    Version 4001 Beta Version
    2020/11/24 10.68 MBytes
    ROG STRIX B450-F GAMING BIOS 4001
    Update AMD AM4 AGESA V2 PI 1.1.8.0 for new CPU support
    It’s highly recommended not to update this beta BIOS when using AMD AM4 Socket for AMD Ryzen™ 3000 Series/ 2000 Series/ 1000 Series/ A-Series Desktop Processors.
    This beta BIOS can’t be reversed.ASUS ROG STRIX B450-F GAMING | ROG - Republic Of Gamers | ASUS USA
    Reply
  • Wolfshadw
    In the same boat as @Teeroy32, but I'm looking to update to a Ryzen 7 early next year.

    -Wolf sends
    Reply
  • Teeroy32
    Wolfshadw said:
    In the same boat as @Teeroy32, but I'm looking to update to a Ryzen 7 early next year.

    -Wolf sends
    I'd love an 8 core, but between the exchange rate and the "Australia" tax that retailers apply to stuff here and the 5600x is $469, the 5800x is $699. I was only going to get a 3700x or a 3800x till I saw how well the 5600x performs in gaming which is all I do.
    Reply
  • mikie tim t
    mikie tim t said:
    There is an F60c BIOS for Gigabyte B450M DS3H motherboards that's been on the BIOS downloads for a couple of weeks now, so Gigabyte is putting the beta BIOS downloads out for B450 boards now too even if they don't have anything "official" announced. "Enhanced processor compatibility" is what all of the F60c BIOS download descriptions state, and there are reports already of some running Ryzen 5000 CPUs on them.

    The CPU support page for my Gigabyte MB listed above now has officially put the Vermeer processors in the CPU table with the F60c BIOS. CPU Support
    Reply
  • lukemancuso
    mikie tim t said:
    There is an F60c BIOS for Gigabyte B450M DS3H motherboards that's been on the BIOS downloads for a couple of weeks now, so Gigabyte is putting the beta BIOS downloads out for B450 boards now too even if they don't have anything "official" announced. "Enhanced processor compatibility" is what all of the F60c BIOS download descriptions state, and there are reports already of some running Ryzen 5000 CPUs on them.
    yep can confirm, running a 5800x on my ds3h right now after installing f60c. been running with no issues so far
    Reply
  • DMAN999
    Another new BIOS from Asus.
    Version 5809
    2020/12/04 14.52 MBytes
    ROG STRIX X470-F GAMING BIOS 5809
    "1. New CPU support
    Offer a Re-size BAR Support option to enhance GPU performance.
    Remove AMD 7th Gen A-series/ Athlon X4 Processors support"
    ROG STRIX X470-F GAMING | ROG Strix | Gaming Motherboards|ROG - Republic of Gamers|ROG Singapore (asus.com)
    Reply
  • mikie tim t
    lukemancuso said:
    yep can confirm, running a 5800x on my ds3h right now after installing f60c. been running with no issues so far
    Same here. Just got mine in from MicroCenter after a fiasco of a store visit Saturday. Just got lucky that the only 2 MicroCenters in the country that had any in stock of only 5800X's (and none of anything else Vermeer) were within 6 hours. Picked the closer one within 4 hours after their website stated that they were in-stock with 1 5800X, but was readying myself to redirect to Brentwood part way for a couple hours longer drive each way if it dropped to 0 midtrip. Got past the logical turnoff to Brentwood and was checking the stock level at Overland Park. Stayed steady at 1 remaining, so rolled the dice and continued north since it was only 2.5 hours away at that point. Pulled into the lot after refreshing the page on my phone every stoplight and was elated to see there was still 1 available. Masked and sanitized up and headed in to find out that the 1 they had was "quarantined". Asked how they could show an unavailable processor to be in stock, however the sales guy stated they wouldn't sell me the processor due to "policy". Asked to speak with the store manager, who said it would only be available at end of day, which was 10PM. Not a reasonable request to make of me due to drive time that would put me home well into the twilight morning hours, so I proposed just buying the processor from them and just have them ship it home to me so I wouldn't have to touch it until it arrived and any potential covids died off. Wouldn't do it. Policy. Told him how far I drove to get there based on the information both they and the public had, but then he had the gall to tell me someone else had driven 6 hours, like that was something for him to be proud of or something that would shame me into just going away. Asked to speak with his supervisor to attempt to work out an exception to the policy in this case due to their mistake, and he wouldn't assist me getting in touch with him, so I proceeded to let him know if things ended this way, it was a lousy way to run a business and I'd have no choice but to use every avenue available to crucify the store online. He did the typical "handling" thing and just grumbled that he was "sorry you feel that way" before just walking away. Frustrated, got into my car and attempted to reach a human at corporate by phone, but no answer, no IVR, and no voicemail, so the 4 hour trip home emptyhanded was much less hopeful than the trip up had been. Prayed for something positive to come out of the crummy experience and prayed over the store manager, and when I got home, went onto MicroCenter's website and found a Chat option. Described my ordeal of the day and the experience with the store manager who was clearly having a bad day in that madhouse of a store. Included a screenshot of the inventory level on the website which STILL showed the 1 on-hand processor. They stated that quarantined processors should not be showing up as available, they needed to escalate this to their web department, and that I had not been dealt with appropriately by the on-duty manager, who clearly must have been having a bad day the way he handled my issue. They created a ticket for me and I pressed them on how long would be an appropriate grace period to give them a chance to work out a resolution of some kind. Made the same offer that I was trying to make in the store just to ship the 5800X processor to me after handling payment details, but they talked to their leads and politely requested that I give them a little time to work out something equitable. Thought that was it and was going to pray over it at church the next day, so tucked the kids in and went to bed and got everyone ready to head to church the next morning when I got a call from MicroCenter. It was the opening store manager at Overland Park who apologized for the way things were handled the day before by the other manager, and they offered to overnight ship the processor to me after taking payment info over the phone, so both MicroCenter and the Lord did indeed make for a positive end to the story. And, for the record, they made it very clear that they don't ship processors, so this was an extremely rare incident. Just got the Noctua heat sink and the illusive processor in today, and typing this post up using it after updating the BIOS and installing the beast. A 3600X wasn't particularly sluggish, but it was immediately noticeable how snappy this one is with PBO and XMP re-enabled after the swap. Just waiting on some faster memory and fixing to see how Microsoft Flight Simulator handles now that there's more grunt. Just wish there was more availability of these glorious beasts. AMD could be mopping up right now.
    Reply
  • ms19841
    mikie tim t said:
    Same here. Just got mine in from MicroCenter after a fiasco of a store visit Saturday. Just got lucky that the only 2 MicroCenters in the country that had any in stock of only 5800X's (and none of anything else Vermeer) were within 6 hours. Picked the closer one within 4 hours after their website stated that they were in-stock with 1 5800X, but was readying myself to redirect to Brentwood part way for a couple hours longer drive each way if it dropped to 0 midtrip. Got past the logical turnoff to Brentwood and was checking the stock level at Overland Park. Stayed steady at 1 remaining, so rolled the dice and continued north since it was only 2.5 hours away at that point. Pulled into the lot after refreshing the page on my phone every stoplight and was elated to see there was still 1 available. Masked and sanitized up and headed in to find out that the 1 they had was "quarantined". Asked how they could show an unavailable processor to be in stock, however the sales guy stated they wouldn't sell me the processor due to "policy". Asked to speak with the store manager, who said it would only be available at end of day, which was 10PM. Not a reasonable request to make of me due to drive time that would put me home well into the twilight morning hours, so I proposed just buying the processor from them and just have them ship it home to me so I wouldn't have to touch it until it arrived and any potential covids died off. Wouldn't do it. Policy. Told him how far I drove to get there based on the information both they and the public had, but then he had the gall to tell me someone else had driven 6 hours, like that was something for him to be proud of or something that would shame me into just going away. Asked to speak with his supervisor to attempt to work out an exception to the policy in this case due to their mistake, and he wouldn't assist me getting in touch with him, so I proceeded to let him know if things ended this way, it was a lousy way to run a business and I'd have no choice but to use every avenue available to crucify the store online. He did the typical "handling" thing and just grumbled that he was "sorry you feel that way" before just walking away. Frustrated, got into my car and attempted to reach a human at corporate by phone, but no answer, no IVR, and no voicemail, so the 4 hour trip home emptyhanded was much less hopeful than the trip up had been. Prayed for something positive to come out of the crummy experience and prayed over the store manager, and when I got home, went onto MicroCenter's website and found a Chat option. Described my ordeal of the day and the experience with the store manager who was clearly having a bad day in that madhouse of a store. Included a screenshot of the inventory level on the website which STILL showed the 1 on-hand processor. They stated that quarantined processors should not be showing up as available, they needed to escalate this to their web department, and that I had not been dealt with appropriately by the on-duty manager, who clearly must have been having a bad day the way he handled my issue. They created a ticket for me and I pressed them on how long would be an appropriate grace period to give them a chance to work out a resolution of some kind. Made the same offer that I was trying to make in the store just to ship the 5800X processor to me after handling payment details, but they talked to their leads and politely requested that I give them a little time to work out something equitable. Thought that was it and was going to pray over it at church the next day, so tucked the kids in and went to bed and got everyone ready to head to church the next morning when I got a call from MicroCenter. It was the opening store manager at Overland Park who apologized for the way things were handled the day before by the other manager, and they offered to overnight ship the processor to me after taking payment info over the phone, so both MicroCenter and the Lord did indeed make for a positive end to the story. And, for the record, they made it very clear that they don't ship processors, so this was an extremely rare incident. Just got the Noctua heat sink and the illusive processor in today, and typing this post up using it after updating the BIOS and installing the beast. A 3600X wasn't particularly sluggish, but it was immediately noticeable how snappy this one is with PBO and XMP re-enabled after the swap. Just waiting on some faster memory and fixing to see how Microsoft Flight Simulator handles now that there's more grunt. Just wish there was more availability of these glorious beasts. AMD could be mopping up right now.

    Gigabyte has now released version F60e. Can you confirm the BIOS version F60c (or e) is backwards compatible with the 3600x that you had before that? Were you running it with the 3600x and version F60 before replacing the CPU?
    Reply