Asrock 970 pro 3. Will fx 8350 work with it

SeverusV wrote: So according to the official asrock site, that cpu isn't supported but i get reports from people using 970 pro 3 that they are running 8350 fx. At one hand i do not want to waste my cash on the other i want to upgrade to proper cpu. Thanks for the info. P.S. I really do not want to change my motherboard.

The reports of people using the FX-8350 in the 970 Pro3 are most likely true. The main factor that makes that possible is the required CPU microcode for the earlier FX-8xxx processors is present in the version 2.00 UEFI/BIOS for this board. In other words, if this board is compatible with the FX-8320, the FX-8350 will also work. But there is valid reason why the FX-8350 is not included in the CPU support list.

Checking this board's CPU Support list, we only find FX-8xxx processors whose "Power" rating is 95W. The FX-8350's "Power" rating is 125W.

The 970 Pro3 was one of the first boards compatible with AM3+ processors. It originally had the specification of being able to use up to 140W FX-8xxx processors. As time passed and the reality of the power requirements of processors like the FX-8350 became known, particularly when over clocked, it became clear that it takes more than simply an AM3+ socket on a board to deal with them long term.

For example, the 970 Pro3 has a 4 + 1 phase CPU VRM stage, with no heat sink on the VRM transistors. It is a budget board, so that is expected. That design is simply inadequate for the power requirements of the FX-8350 when over clocked, and questionable at best when used at its stock clock rate. Depending upon the CPU cooler being used and PC case ventilation, among other factors, the CPU VRM stage will over heat during high CPU load, and eventually even fail.

There are all kinds of boards like that, unfortunately. It's also the extremely high power usage of processors like the FX-8350, that is beyond what was expected by mother board manufactures. Some ASRock 970 boards have a BIOS update that includes "Add warning message when unsupported CPU installed.". Unsupported does not mean it won't function in the board, but that its power requirements are not supported.

Your comment about a "proper CPU" is appropriate. Yes the FX-8350 will function in your board. But the board's VRM stage is not adequate to survive long term usage at high loads even at stock clocks. So does that make it a proper CPU?

AMD's "every AM3+ CPU is compatible, no need for a new board" concept does not begin to tell the whole story.