Budget AMD upgrade advice - AGESA version interoperability

[jalzate]

Greetings everyone.

Right now I'm working on upgrading a HP PC 690-000bla. It is a very constrained machine, AM4 socket, and a BIOS that has no upgrades anymore (AGESA Pinnacle Pi at most), on top of a weak power supply and bad airflow (https://support.hp.com/us-en/document/c06026322).

I already use it as a dual boot, with Linux for work, and Windows 10 light gaming.
I already solved the power supply and GPU, however the mix of the available CPU PCIe lanes, AMD GPU card, and the HP UEFI inability to disable the integrated graphics, broke my Linux session graphic acceleration, so the logical next step is the CPU upgrade.

My problems are the following

1. My CPU budget is around 150 USD
2. From HP product page (and the BIOS info), this PC is limited to a Ryzen 7 2700X at most.

So my question is, could it be possible to install a rather newish CPU like the Ryzen 7 3700X?, given that the motherboard chipset supports the processor (B350), but not the AGESA version. If it is possible, what issues I could find doing so?

Thanks in advance.

 

[A Computer Guy]

Greetings everyone.

Right now I'm working on upgrading a HP PC 690-000bla. It is a very constrained machine, AM4 socket, and a BIOS that has no upgrades anymore (AGESA Pinnacle Pi at most), on top of a weak power supply and bad airflow (https://support.hp.com/us-en/document/c06026322).

I already use it as a dual boot, with Linux for work, and Windows 10 light gaming.
I already solved the power supply and GPU, however the mix of the available CPU PCIe lanes, AMD GPU card, and the HP UEFI inability to disable the integrated graphics, broke my Linux session graphic acceleration, so the logical next step is the CPU upgrade.

My problems are the following

1. My CPU budget is around 150 USD
2. From HP product page (and the BIOS info), this PC is limited to a Ryzen 7 2700X at most.

I would NOT put a Ryzen 7 2700X in there unless you also put some heat sinks on the VRM's and find some way to increase airflow. It will turn into a hot box. 2700 should be fine at 65W TDP however my mother-in-law essentially has the same PC as you and I hesitated at the idea of putting anything more than a R5 2600 in that box.

So my question is, could it be possible to install a rather newish CPU like the Ryzen 7 3700X?, given that the motherboard chipset supports the processor (B350), but not the AGESA version. If it is possible, what issues I could find doing so?

Thanks in advance.

The R5 2600 should give you some good performance while still in the 65W TDP. It's not so much faster but going from 4 to 12 threads will give you a better computing experience. That was the Ryzen chip I first started out with coming from a Core2-Quad Q6600 and the difference was amazing at the time.

My spouse still runs my R5 2600 in her Windows 11 computer today with no complaints. I'd just also make sure you run with a kit of 2 sticks of ram (not just the one HP gives you) if possible for the performance boost of dual channel memory.

Without proper UEFI/BIOS support putting a Zen2 chip in there like 3700X might be inviting a lot more problems.

It's a real shame HP doesn't keep UEFI/BIOS updated because going from those 2200G entry level chips all the way up to 5600G/5700G today would have been an awesome upgrade path for HP users but I guess HP wouldn't be able to sell new PC's if they did that.

 

[dark_globe]

motherboards chipset may support it but if you can´t updated the bios past certain version it simply won´t run the 3700x .
this motherboard has rather bare bone VRM design and may be overheating with 2700x .
as suggested ryzen 2600 would be a better option .

the best you could have done was to sell it as it was
before even starting to do any upgrades on it (as you already did replace the psu and gpu) .
these pre build systems are pain to work on .

on a second hand market you can find custom build decent B450 based AM4 systems with motherboards which have
properly designed VRMs and which are easily updatable and upgradable and they don´t cost much these days .

 

[Knight47]

Greetings everyone.

Right now I'm working on upgrading a HP PC 690-000bla. It is a very constrained machine, AM4 socket, and a BIOS that has no upgrades anymore (AGESA Pinnacle Pi at most), on top of a weak power supply and bad airflow (https://support.hp.com/us-en/document/c06026322).

1. From HP product page (and the BIOS info), this PC is limited to a Ryzen 7 2700X at most.

So my question is, could it be possible to install a rather newish CPU like the Ryzen 7 3700X?, given that the motherboard chipset supports the processor (B350), but not the AGESA version. If it is possible, what issues I could find doing so?

Thanks in advance.

2700 is the max not the X. HP is notorious for blocking stuff in Bios, I doubt they have hidden support for newer cpu's.

 

[QuietBob]

The B350 chipset depends on a BIOS update to support Zen 2 and 3. Unfortunately, HP does not provide any release notes for the BIOS updates for this model, so there is no way to tell if the above CPU matrix is current.

Zen 2 released in July 2019, and Zen 3 in November 2020. Your PC received ten (ROM Family SSID 8433) or six (ROM Family SSID 8436) BIOS updates since November 2019, the latest in August/September 2023. Chances are Zen2/3 support was quietly slipped in, but I wouldn't risk it unless you can return the new CPU easily if it doesn't work.

And while the Ryzen 7 2700 is an upgrade from the stock Ryzen 3 2200G, any 65 W Zen2/3 part would be miles better.

 

[A Computer Guy]

The B350 chipset depends on a BIOS update to support Zen 2 and 3. Unfortunately, HP does not provide any release notes for the BIOS updates for this model, so there is no way to tell if the above CPU matrix is current.

Zen 2 released in July 2019, and Zen 3 in November 2020. Your PC received ten (ROM Family SSID 8433) or six (ROM Family SSID 8436) BIOS updates since November 2019, the latest in August/September 2023. Chances are Zen2/3 support was quietly slipped in, but I wouldn't risk it unless you can return the new CPU easily if it doesn't work.

And while the Ryzen 7 2700 is an upgrade from the stock Ryzen 3 2200G, any 65 W Zen2/3 part would be miles better.

I remember there being a program that could inspect UEFI/BIOS updates and determine what Ryzen's are supported but I can't recall what it was called. It was mentioned here on TPU forums several times. If the OP can manage to get a UEFI/BIOS update file and find that program they might be able to determine if additional CPU types are supported.

 

[jalzate]

View attachment 396088
2700 is the max not the X. HP is notorious for blocking stuff in Bios, I doubt they have hidden support for newer cpu's.

You are right, it should be the regular line up, not the x ones.

 

[jalzate]

View attachment 396088
2700 is the max not the X. HP is notorious for blocking stuff in Bios, I doubt they have hidden support for newer cpu's.

You are right, it should be the regular line, not the x ones.

I would NOT put a Ryzen 7 2700X in there unless you also put some heat sinks on the VRM's and find some way to increase airflow. It will turn into a hot box. 2700 should be fine at 65W TDP however my mother-in-law essentially has the same PC as you and I hesitated at the idea of putting anything more than a R5 2600 in that box.

The R5 2600 should give you some good performance while still in the 65W TDP. It's not so much faster but going from 4 to 12 threads will give you a better computing experience. That was the Ryzen chip I first started out with coming from a Core2-Quad Q6600 and the difference was amazing at the time.

My spouse still runs my R5 2600 in her Windows 11 computer today with no complaints. I'd just also make sure you run with a kit of 2 sticks of ram (not just the one HP gives you) if possible for the performance boost of dual channel memory.

Without proper UEFI/BIOS support putting a Zen2 chip in there like 3700X might be inviting a lot more problems.

It's a real shame HP doesn't keep UEFI/BIOS updated because going from those 2200G entry level chips all the way up to 5600G/5700G today would have been an awesome upgrade path for HP users but I guess HP wouldn't be able to sell new PC's if they did that.

Good idea. I hadn't considered the Ryzen 5 option, because I was thinking on a maxed up, final upgrade. Even more, even in Ali-express I can find several sources for the 2600, compared to zero for the 2700.
I think this is the right choice, I'll visit the local used computer parts shops, but if I cant find the regular 2700 (not the 2700x), I'll settle with the 2600.

 

[jalzate]

motherboards chipset may support it but if you can´t updated the bios past certain version it simply won´t run the 3700x .
this motherboard has rather bare bone VRM design and may be overheating with 2700x .
as suggested ryzen 2600 would be a better option .

the best you could have done was to sell it as it was
before even starting to do any upgrades on it (as you already did replace the psu and gpu) .
these pre build systems are pain to work on .

on a second hand market you can find custom build decent B450 based AM4 systems with motherboards which have
properly designed VRMs and which are easily updatable and upgradable and they don´t cost much these days .

I received it as a gift, without the hard drive, and without the original 2GB RX 550, after the original owner spent more than two years trying to sell it . I only accept it, just because I already had a spare NVMe drive and a GTX 710 as a stop gap meanwhile I got something better .

 

[QuietBob]

I remember there being a program that could inspect UEFI/BIOS updates and determine what Ryzen's are supported but I can't recall what it was called. It was mentioned here on TPU forums several times. If the OP can manage to get a UEFI/BIOS update file and find that program they might be able to determine if additional CPU types are supported.

Good idea, but HP provides BIOS updates as executables. I tried extracting the image from one with Universal Extractor, but no dice. Perhaps it could be done with a dedicated tool?

 

[Dr. Dro]

I received it as a gift, without the hard drive, and without the original 2GB RX 550, after the original owner spent more than two years trying to sell it . I only accept it, just because I already had a spare NVMe drive and a GTX 710 as a stop gap meanwhile I got something better .

I mean since you got it for free, the cost argument kind of goes out of the window, just grab a cheap 2700 off either AliExpress or MercadoLibre and enjoy it man