MSI issues a statement on burnt AMD Ryzen 7 9800X3D CPU and X870 motherboard socket

Recently, we reported on a case where a brand-new AMD Ryzen 7 9800X3D CPU and AM5 motherboard burned out and got damaged after the new processor was installed. With a recent string of voltage and connection issues surrounding CPUs and GPUs, many took note in case this was another potential hardware fault that could affect several users.

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The AM5 board was the MSI MAG X870 Tomahawk, a popular choice with PC gamers. After the situation was brought to the attention of Redditors, the question then became: What caused the CPU and the motherboard's socket to burn out? Was it a fault in the CPU design, AMD's first Zen 5 X3D chip to hit the market? Was it an issue with MSI's motherboard, the BIOS, or voltage settings?

Many experts who investigated the issue agreed that it was a case of 'user error,' with the CPU not being appropriately seated or correctly secured during the initial installation.

Even so, the user has sent the damaged CPU and motherboard to the YouTube channel GamersNexus for an independent investigation. And with that, MSI has released a statement to confirm that it is in contact with GamersNexus and "working closely with AMD" to find the root cause.

Recently, we received a user report indicating damage to an AMD Ryzen 7 9800X3D processor on an MSI MAG X870 TOMAHAWK WIFI motherboard. At MSI, we are fully committed to the quality of our products and have begun investigating this incident.

Additionally, we are working closely with AMD and are in contact with GamersNexus, which is independently investigating this incident.

We will continue to provide updates as the investigation progresses.

It'll be interesting to see if the investigation confirms what most have been saying regarding the CPU not being seated correctly. The user who confirms that they have built "probably a dozen PCs" notes that it was oriented correctly during installation but is unsure "if the CPU was seated correctly." They also do not blame AMD or MSI for the fault; they "simply don't know" what happened.

Here's hoping we find out soon - as it's one of those cases making waves in the PC-building community.

• Read more: AMD Ryzen 7 9800X3D CPU + AM5 socket burned out, both physically damaged during installation
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