Asus Voids Warranties on Beta BIOS Fix as Ryzen Overvoltage Persists
Gamers Nexus
Asus shields itself from liability for damaged Ryzen processors by conditioning emergency firmware fixes on warranty waivers while hardware testing shows dangerous overvolting continues.
AI-assisted summary of Scumbag ASUS: Overvolting CPUs & Screwing the Customer — original source. Check the original for full context.
Source published:
Key ideas
- ASUS released emergency beta BIOS 1410 claiming to limit Ryzen 7000 VSOC to 1.30V, but hardware multimeter measurements revealed actual socket delivery still surged to between 1.337V and 1.340V. (4:51)
- ASUS attached aggressive liability disclaimers to BIOS 1410, stripping warranty coverage and disclaiming all damages for users installing the safety patch meant to fix catastrophic hardware failures. (7:45)
- Following ASUS's advice to disable EXPO and run default settings resulted in severe system instability and up to an 18% gaming performance regression on the Ryzen 7 7700X. (12:20)
- Support records revealed ASUS offered expedited replacements and free catalog hardware exclusively to customers in contact with Gamers Nexus, attempting to intercept damaged boards before independent failure analysis. (16:00)
Detailed notes
## Background Published on YouTube by Gamers Nexus on May 11, 2023, this video addresses ASUS's handling of the exploding AMD Ryzen 7000 CPU debacle. The video description excoriates ASUS for engineering ways to abandon its customers, rolling out ineffective BIOS updates that fail to resolve dangerous overvoltage issues, and pushing hostile warranty waivers while telling owners of $700 motherboards to run stock defaults.
## TL;DR Gamers Nexus investigates ASUS's response to self-immolating Ryzen 7000 processors, revealing through direct hardware multimeter measurements that beta BIOS 1410 still exceeds AMD's 1.30V safe SOC voltage threshold despite claims to the contrary. The report details how ASUS pushed this firmware under a legally aggressive beta disclaimer that stripped away customer warranties, all while stealthily scrubbing historical BIOS versions and rewriting CPU validation support tables. Demonstrating the absurdity of ASUS's advice to disable EXPO and run factory defaults on flagship hardware, Gamers Nexus benchmarks show devastating performance penalties across major gaming titles that virtually erase the value of the platform. Furthermore, the investigation uncovers evidence that ASUS attempted to quietly intercept failed customer hardware destined for independent media analysis with expedited, selective replacements while stonewalling everyday consumers through its standard RMA channels.
## Atmosphere & style The video carries a sharply sarcastic, combative, and exasperated tone, shifting away from Gamers Nexus's usual dry, clinical technical style into biting corporate satire. Host Steve Burke speaks with palpable disdain and dry wit, blending rigorous hardware multimeter diagnostics with direct, fiery condemnation of corporate bad-faith behavior. Watching the report feels like witnessing an intense consumer advocacy prosecution that methodically tears down corporate evasion, gaslighting, and bureaucratic liability dodging in real time.
## Bulletin - [04:51](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cbGfc-JBxlY&t=291s) ASUS released emergency beta BIOS 1410 claiming to limit Ryzen 7000 VSOC to 1.30V, but hardware multimeter measurements revealed actual socket delivery still surged to between 1.337V and 1.340V. - [07:45](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cbGfc-JBxlY&t=465s) ASUS attached aggressive liability disclaimers to BIOS 1410, stripping warranty coverage and disclaiming all damages for users installing the safety patch meant to fix catastrophic hardware failures. - [12:20](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cbGfc-JBxlY&t=740s) Following ASUS's advice to disable EXPO and run default settings resulted in severe system instability and up to an 18% gaming performance regression on the Ryzen 7 7700X. - [16:00](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cbGfc-JBxlY&t=960s) Support records revealed ASUS offered expedited replacements and free catalog hardware exclusively to customers in contact with Gamers Nexus, attempting to intercept damaged boards before independent failure analysis.
## Key takeaways - [00:00](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cbGfc-JBxlY&t=0s) ASUS motherboard firmware repeatedly overshot safe voltage thresholds and over-current protection, degrading and physically damaging Ryzen 7000 processors. - [01:52](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cbGfc-JBxlY&t=112s) ASUS advised owners of flagship $700 motherboards to run stock F5 defaults without EXPO, which caused boot failures and instability on certain DDR5 kits due to insufficient default VDDIO/VDIMM voltages. - [04:51](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cbGfc-JBxlY&t=291s) External multimeter testing showed earlier ASUS firmware pushed VSOC to dangerous levels between 1.39V and 1.42V, despite target settings of 1.341V to 1.350V. - [04:51](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cbGfc-JBxlY&t=291s) Even with BIOS 1410 nominally lowering VSOC targets to 1.296V, physical socket voltage still exceeded AMD's 1.30V maximum, measuring up to 1.340V. - [07:45](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cbGfc-JBxlY&t=465s) Emergency BIOS 1410 was pushed out based on an unapproved internal development branch of AGESA 1.0.0.7 that AMD never intended for public release. - [07:45](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cbGfc-JBxlY&t=465s) ASUS labeled BIOS 1410 an 'as is' and 'as available' beta release to insulate itself from legal liability and avoid warranty claims on damaged hardware. - [10:28](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cbGfc-JBxlY&t=628s) Releasing a critical safety patch under a voided-warranty disclaimer creates an absurd dilemma where users must choose between dangerous stock firmware or un-warrantied beta fixes. - [12:20](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cbGfc-JBxlY&t=740s) Disabling EXPO to maintain warranty compliance heavily penalizes Ryzen 7000 gaming performance, dropping framerates by 12% to 18% across multiple titles and effectively acting as free marketing for Intel. - [16:00](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cbGfc-JBxlY&t=960s) While regular customers experienced significant RMA friction and deflections, ASUS offered premium perks and full replacements to customers who planned to sell damaged components to Gamers Nexus. - [18:27](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cbGfc-JBxlY&t=1107s) ASUS systematically scrubbed older BIOS versions and patch notes from support pages, even introducing bizarre errors such as listing support for non-existent '7000X6D' processors. - [20:51](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cbGfc-JBxlY&t=1251s) ASUS quietly altered its CPU support matrix to retcon X3D support from BIOS 1101 to 1202 without warnings, effectively gaslighting consumers about safe operating baselines. - [22:30](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cbGfc-JBxlY&t=1350s) ASUS blamed consumers by framing standard, heavily marketed EXPO memory profiles as 'intentional manipulation' of voltages that voids hardware reliability. - [22:30](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cbGfc-JBxlY&t=1350s) In direct contrast to ASUS's deflection, AMD explicitly confirmed on the record that CPUs damaged by this failure remain fully covered by AMD's warranty, even with EXPO active. - [26:18](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cbGfc-JBxlY&t=1578s) When pressed on its blame-shifting statements, ASUS violated an AMD NDA by claiming the 'intentional manipulation' phrasing came directly from an internal AMD guidance advisory. - [27:53](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cbGfc-JBxlY&t=1673s) Instead of earning trust with unambiguous warranty guarantees, ASUS chose corporate liability evasion, compounding long-standing user complaints regarding Armoury Crate bloatware and confusing BIOS memory profiles.
## Detailed walkthrough ### [00:00](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cbGfc-JBxlY&t=0s) "For Those Who Dare" and the Exploding CPU Debacle
The video opens with a montage of system instability on an ASUS motherboard test bench: full system lockups, recurring "0D" post code errors, and repeated Blue Screens of Death while attempting to apply CPU loads. Steve Burke contrasts this reality with the Republic of Gamers marketing slogan, noting with dry irony that ASUS motherboard branding is remarkably accurate: “You have to be very daring to want to introduce that to your home or your computer.” Gamers Nexus argues that ASUS is acting either with gross negligence or outright malice through its panicked BIOS rollouts, contradictory warranty messaging, and shifting rhetoric surrounding AMD EXPO memory profiles.
Following up on their previous failure analysis investigation into exploding and self-immolating Ryzen 7000 series processors, Steve emphasizes that ASUS’s latest BIOS updates not only fail to resolve the underlying engineering defects, but represent an unethical bid to escape legal and financial liability. Instead of providing clear consumer protection, ASUS has issued confusing directives while quietly maneuvering to insulate itself from customer warranty claims.
---
[01:52](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cbGfc-JBxlY&t=112s) ASUS's Liability Playbook and the "Run Defaults" Recommendation
The chain of events highlights what Steve characterizes as an absurd and hostile approach to customer support. First, ASUS shipped motherboard firmware that slammed dangerous levels of SOC voltage into Ryzen processors while overshooting over-current protection (OCP), frying and permanently degrading user hardware. Next, ASUS issued emergency BIOS updates designed to patch the catastrophic flaw, but attached legal language stating that flashing the firmware forfeits the customer's warranty. Steve observes the cynical corporate genius behind this tactic: “It's actually kind of brilliant because it's the quickest way to avoid all long-term liabilities on their balance sheet.”
To make matters worse, ASUS began advising owners of high-end motherboards to simply hit F5 and run factory default settings without enabling EXPO. Steve points out the absurdity of spending upwards of $700 on a flagship board equipped with sophisticated embedded controllers, only to be instructed to run stock settings because the board's automated voltage management cannot be trusted. To evaluate this advice, Gamers Nexus re-tested the platform at pure stock defaults. The result was immediate instability: without EXPO applied, certain DDR5 kits fail to boot or remain stable because the motherboard defaults to an overly low VDDIO/VDIMM rail voltage. In practice, running ASUS's recommended defaults meant the system could not run at all. Because disabling EXPO causes a substantial performance regression on AMD's architecture compared to Intel's XMP, Gamers Nexus set out to benchmark exactly what performance customers lose if they heed ASUS's advice.
```mermaid flowchart TD accTitle: ASUS Voltage and Firmware Failure Cycle accDescr: Flow diagram showing how ASUS motherboard firmware issues lead to either hardware destruction or voided warranties.
subgraph ShippingFirmware["Original Factory State"] A["ASUS Ships Out-of-Box BIOS"] --> B["Excessive VSOC & OCP Overshoot"] B --> C["Damaged, Degraded, or Incinerated CPUs"] end
subgraph PanickedFix["Emergency Mitigation"] C --> D["ASUS Issues Beta BIOS 1410"] D --> E["Beta Disclaimer Strips Warranty"] D --> F["ASUS Recommends 'Run F5 Defaults'"] end
subgraph RealWorldOutcome["User Impact"] E --> G["Customer Bears Liability for Motherboard Flaws"] F --> H["System Instability & Severe Performance Loss"] end ```
- ASUS recommended customers run F5 optimized defaults on motherboards costing as much as $700. - Certain DDR5 memory kits failed to achieve stability under default auto settings due to inadequate auto VDIMM rail voltages. - Disabling EXPO produces a disproportionately large performance penalty on AMD AM5 CPUs compared to Intel platforms running without XMP.
---
[04:51](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cbGfc-JBxlY&t=291s) Measured vs. Claimed VSOC: They Still Didn't Fix It
Before unpacking ASUS's warranty policies, Steve presents physical voltage measurements gathered from the motherboard hardware. On earlier firmware revisions with EXPO enabled, ASUS set a target VSOC of 1.341V to 1.350V. However, direct external multimeter probing at the multi-layer ceramic capacitors (MLCCs) and hardware voltage checkpoints revealed that actual delivered VSOC surged between 1.39V and 1.42V. Steve reiterates that this behavior is not AMD EXPO's fault, as memory EXPO profiles specify memory parameters and timings rather than a motherboard VSOC set point; the board vendor's firmware decides how much voltage to push into the CPU's integrated memory controller.
In the updated BIOS version 1410—which ASUS conditioned on waiving warranty coverage—the firmware nominally lowers the VSOC set point to 1.296V, representing a roughly 50-millivolt drop. Despite this reduction, physical socket measurements proved ASUS still failed to comply with AMD's 1.30V absolute maximum threshold: - With EXPO 1 enabled on a G.Skill kit, the measured socket voltage reached 1.3369V. - With EXPO 2 enabled on the same kit, measured socket voltage hit 1.3381V. - With a Corsair kit installed, measured socket voltage registered at 1.340V.
While AMD's updated AGESA microcode aims to lock down voltage ceilings, ASUS's implementation still pushes actual delivered voltage significantly above safe limits. Most standard DDR5 memory kits only require approximately 1.25V VSOC to run stably, making ASUS’s persistent 1.34V actual delivery unnecessary and dangerous. Furthermore, attempting to set EXPO through AMD's native BIOS overclocking sub-menu applies a safer VSOC, but bugged VDDIO values within that menu lead to memory instability and OS blue screens; conversely, ASUS's proprietary menu simply overvolts all rails indiscriminately to force stability at the expense of silicon longevity.
---
[07:45](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cbGfc-JBxlY&t=465s) Beta BIOS 1410 and Warranty Disclaimers: The "Scumbaggery" Begins
Steve turns to ASUS's handling of BIOS version 1410, characterizing their conduct as pure corporate "scumbaggery." Pushed out as a rapid, panicked response on May 2nd, the update claimed to integrate AGESA ComboAM5PI 1.0.0.7, add support for 48GB and higher-density memory modules, and clamp Ryzen 7000 SOC voltage to a strict 1.30V maximum. However, Gamers Nexus's hardware measurements proved the voltage cap claim was false. Accompanying this critical safety update was an aggressive legal disclaimer labeling the release a "beta" provided strictly on an "as is" and "as available" basis.
Steve dissects the specific language: by using "as available," ASUS laid the groundwork to delete the BIOS file from its support pages later and disclaim any responsibility for users who installed it. The update's release notes explicitly stated that ASUS provides no warranties—express or implied—regarding usability or compatibility, and disclaims all liability for direct, special, incidental, or consequential damages resulting from flashing the patch.
Steve also reveals that ASUS built this BIOS on an early internal test branch of AGESA 1.0.0.7 that AMD never intended for public release, which is why ASUS plastered beta warnings across the download page. Steve passionately condemns ASUS for attempting to shift the liability of a fatal manufacturing flaw onto end users: “You don't ship a product that kills other products which are attached to it and then ship an update that says oopsie now it won't kill the things that it attaches to anymore or itself and it's resolved but also if you install this you omit or forego your warranty.”
- BIOS 1410 claimed to cap SOC voltage at 1.30V to protect components, but physical multimeter testing revealed actual socket delivery between 1.337V and 1.340V. - The firmware incorporated AGESA ComboAM5PI 1.0.0.7 from an unapproved, internal-only development branch. - The accompanying disclaimer attempted to release ASUS from all liability for direct, incidental, or consequential hardware damages caused by installing the fix.
[10:28](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cbGfc-JBxlY&t=628s) Brand Credibility and Recursive Liability Disclaimers
ASUS's strategy of disclaiming warranties on beta BIOS updates damages the brand equity the company spent decades cultivating. While most consumers could likely dispute these disclaimers and win because arbitrary warranty revocations rarely hold up in court, the fact that ASUS would attempt it highlights a complete collapse of institutional confidence. Steve Burke observes that public sentiment has deteriorated to the point where users on forums openly express relief that they purchased motherboards from competitors like ASRock instead—a striking reversal given ASUS's traditional premium reputation. By attaching legally dubious disclaimers to software meant to address critical hardware failures, ASUS creates what Burke describes as an absurd, recursive loop of corporate liability evasion that functions more like parody than customer service.
This defensive posture signals that ASUS knows it rushed out untested, potentially harmful firmware fixes. Because firmware is one of the few software mechanisms capable of inflicting physical, irreversible electrical damage on silicon hardware, releasing a firmware update that the manufacturer refuses to stand behind is reckless. If the company genuinely believes its corrective BIOS carries enough risk to warrant voiding customer warranties, it should pull the update from its servers immediately rather than shifting that risk onto buyers.
Steve Burke puts the issue directly: “It's irresponsible for Asus to even leave this bios live if they truly believe that it is such a risk either take away the no warranty disclaimer or take away the BIOS anything short of that is just well it's either panicked or it's conniving and if it's panicked then I don't want to be in a room with anyone from Asus when there's an emergency because they're gonna Panic.”
- Firmware represents an acute risk category where improper voltages or protection settings physically destroy processors and socket contacts. - ASUS’s dual disclaimers effectively require users to choose between running dangerous older firmware or running newer beta patches that strip away warranty protections.
---
[12:20](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cbGfc-JBxlY&t=740s) Malicious Compliance: Re-testing Ryzen 7000 Without EXPO
ASUS's guidance that customers should avoid overclocking profiles and stick strictly to motherboard defaults flies in the face of how premium hardware is marketed and sold. Consumers do not spend $500 to $700 on high-end enthusiast motherboards to disable their headline features and run JEDEC baseline memory profiles. To demonstrate the absurdity of this guidance, Gamers Nexus adopted a stance of malicious compliance by re-testing the AMD Ryzen 7 7700X strictly within ASUS's warranty-compliant, stock conditions with EXPO disabled. While past testing proved that Intel routinely honors warranties even with XMP enabled, ASUS's aggressive statements make it plain that enabling AMD EXPO constitutes an actionable excuse to deny warranty claims.
Running without memory profiles severely cripples AMD's Zen 4 architecture, turning an otherwise competitive platform into an objectively poor purchasing decision. In *Shadow of the Tomb Raider* at 1080p, the Ryzen 7 7700X drops from its original 292 FPS average down to 252 FPS—a loss that erases the 16% performance advantage provided by EXPO and allows Intel's mid-range Core i5-13600K to surpass it. In *Cyberpunk 2077*, removing EXPO knocks the average framerate down from 231 FPS to 196 FPS, an 18% regression that reduces the $340 processor to performance levels barely outpacing budget hardware. *Final Fantasy XIV* shows an identical drop, falling 30 FPS to a 201 FPS average, which leaves the 7700X a meager 7% faster than a budget Intel Core i3-12100F that costs $240 less. In *Far Cry 6*, performance tumbles from 171 FPS to 150 FPS, allowing Intel's lineup to dominate across price-to-performance metrics.
Steve Burke summarizes the broader market effect: “Asus is spearheading the best marketing campaign Intel has had in years.”
| Benchmark Title (1080p) | EXPO Enabled (Baseline) | EXPO Disabled (ASUS Recommended) | Performance Delta | Market Context / Impact | |:--- |:--- |:--- |:--- |:--- | | **Shadow of the Tomb Raider** | 292 FPS avg | 252 FPS avg | -13.7% (-40 FPS) | Falls behind the Intel Core i5-13600K | | **Cyberpunk 2077** | 231 FPS avg | 196 FPS avg | -15.2% (-35 FPS) | EXPO provided an 18% uplift over stock JEDEC | | **Final Fantasy XIV** | ~231 FPS avg | 201 FPS avg | -13.0% (-30 FPS) | Only 7% faster than an entry-level $100 Core i3-12100F | | **Far Cry 6** | 171 FPS avg | 150 FPS avg | -12.3% (-21 FPS) | Thoroughly beaten by Intel's 13600K on price and performance |
---
[16:00](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cbGfc-JBxlY&t=960s) Support Failures and Intercepting Failed Hardware
Gamers Nexus highlights mounting evidence from user-submitted customer support records showing that ASUS actively mismanages RMA claims. Logs, forwarded emails, and support chats show a persistent pattern of warranty friction and unhelpful customer service. Rather than honoring commitments, ASUS has repeatedly relied on fine print to deflect responsibility, validating the concern that trusting the manufacturer to do the right thing without public pressure is foolish.
```mermaid flowchart TD accTitle: ASUS Support Discrepancy Flow accDescr: Flowchart illustrating how ASUS treats customers differently based on media involvement.
A["Customer Experiences Failed Hardware"] --> B{"User Contacted Media?"}
subgraph Standard_RMA["Standard Customer Experience"] B -->|"No"| C["Standard ASUS Support RMA"] C --> D["Warranty Friction & Deflection"] D --> E["Denials Based on EXPO / Beta BIOS"] end
subgraph Interception["Media Intervention"] B -->|"Yes (Selling to GN)"| F["ASUS Identifies Media Sale"] F --> G["Expedited Full Replacement"] G --> H["Free Catalog Perks Offered"] H --> I["Hardware Kept from Independent Testing"] end ```
The situation worsened when ASUS learned that Gamers Nexus was purchasing damaged, blown-up motherboards and CPUs directly from affected community members for independent laboratory failure analysis. ASUS representatives began reaching out to those specific customers to offer full part replacements alongside free hardware of their choice from the ASUS catalog to reclaim the damaged components before independent investigators could evaluate them. Support records from regular users who made no mention of media involvement contained no such generous offers. This selective generosity indicates an effort to suppress evidence and keep damaged hardware out of the public eye.
Steve Burke notes: “It's the repeated clear explicit language that makes us trust Asus to screw us.”
- Support logs over several months revealed a sharp spike in customer complaints and disputed RMAs regarding ASUS motherboards. - ASUS offered custom hardware packages exclusively to users in talks with independent media, demonstrating an ulterior motive to intercept evidence rather than execute a fair, broad support policy.
---
[18:27](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cbGfc-JBxlY&t=1107s) Retconning BIOS Notes, Warranty Reversals, and "X6D" Processors
ASUS responded to the overvoltage crisis by scrubbing historical firmware records from its support sites. Motherboard product pages underwent constant alterations as old BIOS revisions were wiped entirely, patch notes were rewritten after the fact, and documentation regarding Ryzen 7000X3D processor compatibility was quietly altered. By stealthily removing previous versions and editing the descriptions of existing updates, ASUS retroactively made it appear as though users who downloaded earlier recommended firmware had installed non-compliant, unsupported software.
Steve Burke emphasizes how misplaced the company's priorities have become: “Asus has more warranty reversal engineers at this point than apparently actual electrical engineers who worked on the products they're spending a lot of time trying to find ways to screw people out of a warranty.”
The chaotic rush to update support pages also produced bizarre errors. On one revision, ASUS's support listings claimed newly added compatibility for non-existent "7000X6D" processors, giving rise to running jokes about six-dimensional silicon whose vertical 3D V-Cache scales beyond physical space into astral planes and collective consciousness. Despite the humor, the underlying reality remained grim: ASUS's internal disarray was directly exposing customer hardware to dangerous electrical conditions while the company focused its energy on liability containment.
- **BIOS 0402**: Pre-release factory firmware discovered on newly purchased, retail-boxed motherboards; predated official reviewer firmware and was never released publicly. - **BIOS 0922**: Shipped just prior to the official X3D processor launch; did not formally list X3D support yet erroneously left CPU core voltage (Vcore) controls fully accessible for X3D chips. - **BIOS 1101**: One of the earliest public updates to formally integrate AMD Ryzen 7000X3D microcode support. - **BIOS 1202**: The lone surviving BIOS version left publicly accessible on ASUS's repository during the initial wave of socket blowout investigations.
[20:51](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cbGfc-JBxlY&t=1251s) Retconning BIOS Support and Gaslighting Users
Steve Burke breaks down line item number four from ASUS's patch notes, which mentions implementing thermal monitoring mechanisms to protect the CPU and motherboard while simultaneously scrubbing older BIOS versions that had manual Vcore control. Beyond just deleting download files, ASUS went a step further by quietly altering history on their official support pages. Specifically, ASUS retconned the "Validated since BIOS" column in their CPU support tables, changing the minimum supported version for Ryzen 7000X3D processors from version 1101 up to 1202. Burke points out that while a lie must technically be intentional, silently rewriting the record like this creates real problems: “The lines has validated it since it it was validated since 1101 and just quietly retconning all of these things gaslights users into actually not being sure what they have anymore what they've ever used in terms of what was supported with the CPUs and the boards which is maybe the point uh it just shows a it's either extremely I mean it's multiple things it's extremely disorganized is misleading it is Shady and slimy and this is not the way a brand that Prides itself on being a premium should be acting if it wants to sell 700 motherboards.”
Taking down broken BIOS versions is not inherently wrong, but the way ASUS executed the removal is indefensible. Burke notes that standard best practice would be to disable the download link while leaving the entry visible, accompanied by a clear warning note explaining that the older version contained a critical bug that could destroy a user's CPU. A transparent CPU support table would retain the original 1101 version with a strikethrough and a clear explanation that early support firmware was bugged, advising users to upgrade immediately to a safe version. Instead, ASUS chose silent revisionism, leaving customers completely in the dark regarding whether their existing configurations are safe or supported.
```mermaid flowchart TD accTitle: ASUS Support Table Retcon Flow accDescr: Diagram contrasting ASUS's silent retcon of BIOS 1101 with the transparent method Gamers Nexus recommends.
subgraph ASUS_Method["What ASUS Actually Did"] A1["BIOS 1101: Original X3D Support"] -->|Silent Scrub & Overwrite| B1["BIOS 1202: 'Supported Since' Retcon"] B1 --> C1["Users Gaslit: No Warning Notes or Bug Disclosures"] end
subgraph Recommended_Method["Transparent Standard Practice"] A2["Keep BIOS 1101 in Table with Strikethrough"] --> B2["Add Public Warning: Early BIOS has Dangerous Overvoltage Bug"] B2 --> C2["Direct Users to Upgrade to Validated Safe Release"] end ```
[22:30](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cbGfc-JBxlY&t=1350s) "Intentional Manipulation" and the Absurdity of Blaming the User
Prior to AMD's formal communication and Gamers Nexus's initial investigation, ASUS posted a preemptive statement on its official Facebook page regarding CPU and motherboard failures. ASUS claimed that Ryzen 7000X3D processors do not permit CPU core ratio or voltage tuning—parenthetically calling this overclocking—though Burke quips that early retail boards purchased from Amazon actually did allow manual overvolting on X3D chips ("ask me how I know"). The statement went on to explain that running memory at DDR5-6000 or beyond via EXPO or PBO2 requires an elevated SOC voltage (VSOC) to achieve stability, warning that processor sensitivity varies across samples. Crucially, ASUS concluded the statement with a sharp legal jab: “As confirmed with AMD, any intentional manipulation of these settings can damage the processor, socket, and motherboard.”
Burke finds the accusation that enabling EXPO constitutes "intentional manipulation" utterly disconnected from reality. Standard users who turn on an out-of-the-box memory profile—one heavily marketed by AMD and ASUS alike—are not participating in extreme hardware hacking: “So this is actually insane because no reasonable user will expect that a heavily marketed and relied upon feature being turned on is intentional manipulation of a setting that will cause the CPU to explode that is not a reasonable thing to say from Asus.” Burke draws a direct analogy to modern cars: if a driver gets into an automobile, presses the factory "Sport Mode" button on the console, and the vehicle spontaneously explodes without any intermediate steps, that is not an unauthorized vehicle tune or user negligence—it is a catastrophic engineering failure. Under the literary concept of "death of the author," technical pedantry about what constitutes overclocking is irrelevant when everyday consumers reasonably expect marketed one-click settings to function safely. Furthermore, EXPO itself does not set VSOC; the motherboard vendor's BIOS profiles dictate the aggressive voltage. In contrast to ASUS's posture, AMD explicitly confirmed to Gamers Nexus on the record that CPUs killed by this failure—even with EXPO active—are fully covered by AMD's warranty, including free return shipping.
- ASUS claimed VSOC increases beyond the 1.0V default are required for DDR5-6000 stability, but pushed levels all the way to 1.35V–1.4V+. - AMD went on record with Gamers Nexus to verify full warranty coverage and paid return shipping for CPUs destroyed in this manner, including those with EXPO enabled. - Burke emphasizes that users toggling EXPO are not altering individual sub-voltages: “Asus is the only one that is intentionally manipulating vsoc here it's their set in to change with that profile.”
[26:18](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cbGfc-JBxlY&t=1578s) Shifting Blame: Non-Disclosure Agreements and Broken Promises
When Gamers Nexus emailed ASUS seeking clarification on what precisely constituted "intentional manipulation," ASUS responded with what Burke calls an intentionally manipulative non-answer. In their written email, an ASUS representative claimed that the Facebook post was merely an "in-progress statement" drafted alongside AMD PR, further stating that the specific phrase "intentional manipulation" came directly from an NDA AMD guidance advisory regarding voltage rules. ASUS instructed Gamers Nexus to contact AMD directly for clarification, while touting that new UEFI builds limiting SOC voltage to a strict 1.3V maximum were already live on their support pages.
Burke tears this response apart on multiple fronts: - ASUS's claim that the 1.3V voltage-capped BIOS was already live on their support site at the time of the email was factually untrue; the BIOS version available to the public when that email arrived was pre-1410 and still fed dangerously high voltages into the hardware. - By citing internal non-disclosure agreements to explain away their phrasing, ASUS effectively threw AMD under the bus while technically violating the very NDA they were referencing. - When Gamers Nexus forwarded the email thread to AMD, AMD declined to comment on the record, but Gamers Nexus confirmed that ASUS had published its public statements independently, out of its own volition.
[27:53](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cbGfc-JBxlY&t=1673s) Eroding Brand Trust and Total Accountability Failure
Burke laments ASUS's handling of the crisis, noting that with its immense market presence, capital, and enthusiast reputation, ASUS had a prime opportunity to turn a hardware crisis into an outstanding customer service victory. All the company had to do was step up, take accountability, tell customers to download a safe, non-beta BIOS once internal panic subsided, and issue an unambiguous public guarantee in writing promising to replace any motherboard or CPU destroyed by the voltage flaw. Instead, ASUS opted for aggressive liability waivers, hostile beta warnings, and customer blame: “It's not even the main concern I mean obviously our main concern now is Asus has eroded any and all trust that it had accumulated up until this point and needs to earn it back and secondarily this whole warranty thing about there you all know how we feel about these types of statements they are not just saying trust us they're saying the opposite they're explicitly saying if you use this bios we're not supporting you but also you need to use this bios.”
This catastrophe is merely the tip of the iceberg regarding ongoing issues with ASUS motherboards: - **Bloatware vulnerabilities:** Armoury Crate remains baked directly into the UEFI BIOS by default, operating as an intrusive background installer and a persistent zero-day security hazard waiting to happen. - **Confusing memory naming:** Instead of standard primary and secondary memory profiles on the DIMM, ASUS labels settings as EXPO I, EXPO II, and has added a confusing third option called "EXPO Tweaked." - **Ongoing voltage rail issues:** High VDDIO rail behavior and related unstable defaults remain unresolved across several board configurations.
Burke explains that while Part 1 and Part 2 of their coverage were clinical and purely technical, this installment took on an intentionally hyperbolic and satirical tone. When a major hardware vendor issues absurdist, hostile defenses to shirk responsibility, it demands an equally sharp, absurd response from the media to hold them accountable. Although BIOS 1410 brought VSOC closer to safe limits, serious engineering and customer support problems persist, and Gamers Nexus promises to follow up with further investigations into ASUS's RMA and warranty practices.
## Notable quotes > [16:00](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cbGfc-JBxlY&t=960s) It's the repeated clear explicit language that makes us trust Asus to screw us. — Steve Burke
## Mentioned ASUS, Republic of Gamers, Gamers Nexus, Steve Burke, Patrick Lathan, Vitalii Makhnovets, Mike Gaglione, AMD, AMD EXPO, Ryzen 7000, Ryzen 7 7700X, Ryzen 7000X3D, AGESA, Intel, Intel XMP, Core i5-13600K, Core i3-12100F, ASRock, G.Skill, Corsair, Deepcool, Armoury Crate, Shadow of the Tomb Raider, Cyberpunk 2077, Final Fantasy XIV, Far Cry 6
## Video description Sponsor: Deepcool AK620 Zero Dark on Amazon https://geni.us/apRI9Q ASUS' actions relating to the Exploding Ryzen CPU debacle are disgraceful and abrasive to the trust that the brand has earned. ASUS has demonstrated clearly it wishes to not only avoid supporting users, but actively engineers ways to abandon them. ASUS' updates haven't even fixed the problems, yet they posture as if they have while simultaneously suggesting that users 'just run defaults' on their $700 motherboards, as if that makes any sense whatsoever. So, to accommodate ASUS' request, we ran defaults and re-benchmarked the Ryzen 7000 series. It sucks. Big surprise. They also don't support their own BIOSes for the ASUS ROG boards.
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PART ONE - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kiTngvvD5dI PART TWO FAILURE ANALYSIS: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fFNi3YNJXbY
Intel XMP Warranty Investigation: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I2gQ_bOnDx8
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TIMESTAMPS
00:00 - FOR THOSE WHO DARE 01:52 - So Many Problems 04:51 - They Didn't Even Fix It 07:45 - SCUMBAG ASUS 12:20 - Disabling EXPO is Bad 16:00 - Trust ASUS to Screw Customers 22:50 - Intentional Manipulation 27:50 - Eroding Trust
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Host, Writing: Steve Burke Testing: Patrick Lathan Video Editing: Vitalii Makhnovets Video Editing: Mike Gaglione
[Source](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cbGfc-JBxlY)