AMD’s 9000X3D chips are just around the corner and many a PC gamer is likely prepping the upgrade fund for a draining. Overclockers, too, might have their eyes set on the near horizon, waiting for the next generation of 3D V-Cache chips to put through their paces. At least some of those foaming at the bit, however, might need some new gear first.
Unfortunately for some, Thermal Grizzly says its Ryzen 7000 Direct Die Frame and its V2 version “are likely incompatible” with Ryzen 9000X3D CPUs, at least “without modifications”. Videocardz points out that this is likely because of the added silicon around the capacitors for the 9000-series compared to the 7000-series, and Thermal Grizzly “strongly advise[s] against altering the adhesive surfaces”.
However, Thermal Grizzly says that other products, such as the AM5 High Performance Heatspreader, are compatible with the Ryzen 9 9800X3D and 9950X3D.
So, while other extreme overclockers should be fine, those looking to de-lid their 9000-series X3D chip and slap a cooler directly on top probably won’t be able to use the most popular mounting frames that make doing so possible. Then again, extreme overclockers are a crafty bunch, and they might find the required modifications to the Direct Die Frame a breeze.
I say “extreme overclockers” because these products are most decidedly for that market. The Thermal Grizzly products in question are all “direct-die” this, and “sealing frame” that—there’s enough de-lidding paraphernalia here to send shivers down my cowardly spine.
De-lidding your CPU—removing its heatspreader to get at its guts—can be a way to set up some ice cold cooling solutions and allow for extreme overclocks, but it’s also a way to void your warranty and even wreck the processor if you don’t know what you’re doing. And while our own Wes Fenlon assures us it’s worth doing, he also calls it a “delicate, high-risk operation”. I’ll leave it to the experts, thanks.
It’s also worth noting that, for most people, it probably won’t be worth attempting to overclock a Ryzen X3D chip at all. The AMD Ryzen 7 7800X3D, for instance, can’t be overclocked normally—you have to do some PBO and ECLK shenanigans that will net little performance gain for the average user.
But extreme overclockers aren’t your average users, and such overclocks are almost always done just for the sheer “told you I could” factor, or to beat a world record. Yeah, somehow I don’t think the prospect of a little mounting frame modification is going to stop them.