ASUS Begins Enabling Limited PCIe Gen 4.Zero on AMD 400-series

ASUS believes that PCI-Express gen 4.Zero assist on older socket AM4 motherboards based mostly on the AMD 400-series chipset is technically doable, even when discouraged by AMD. The firm’s newest collection of motherboard BIOS updates that expose PCIe Gen Four toggle within the PCIe settings, does in actual fact allow PCIe gen 4.Zero to all units which might be immediately wired to the SoC. These can be the PCI-Express x16 slots meant for graphics, and one of many M.2 slots that has PCIe x4 wiring to the SoC. Below is an inventory of motherboards scored by Chinese tech publication MyDrivers, which particulars the extent of PCIe gen 4.Zero assist throughout a variety of ASUS motherboards based mostly on the X470 and B450 chipsets.

AMD apparently didn’t explicitly block PCIe gen 4.Zero for older chipsets. It merely prompt to motherboard producers to not allow it, because the newer AMD 500-series motherboards are constructed to new PCB specs that guarantee PCIe gen 4.Zero signal-integrity and stability. ASUS desires to go away it to customers to resolve if they need gen 4.0. If their machines are unstable, they’ll select to restrict PCIe model to gen 3.Zero of their BIOS settings. Among different issues, AMD’s specs for 500-series chipset motherboards prescribe PCBs with greater than Four layers, for optimum PCIe and reminiscence wiring. Many of the motherboards on ASUS’ record, such because the TUF B450 Pro Gaming, use easy 4-layer PCBs.

To check that PCIe gen 4.Zero is definitely enabled, MyDrivers used a PCIe gen 4.Zero SSD on the M.2 slot that is immediately wired to the SoC, on a TUF B450M Pro Gaming. Crystal DiskMark sequential learn speeds of the drive are in line with the identical drive examined on an X570 motherboard – with simply over 5 GB/s reads. These speeds are not possible on gen 3.Zero x4. In a separate article, MyDrivers reviews that AMD is not too proud of ASUS advertising PCIe gen 4.Zero assist on its 400-series motherboards, and is reportedly making an attempt to dam it in updates to the AGESA microcode. Our advice – in case your up to date ASUS 400-series motherboard is working PCIe gen 4.0, do not replace its BIOS.