What the owner reported
According to Wccftech’s Sarfraz Khan, Reddit user u/nathandrake84 had experienced high temperatures and thermal throttling for more than a year on a system using an MSI X870 Tomahawk motherboard. Updating its BIOS reportedly resolved the problem, with temperatures falling by 9°C at the same reported 130 W.
Wccftech also describes separate forum reports of 9800X3D processors reaching 95°C despite 360mm all-in-one liquid coolers, sometimes during gaming. Those accounts do not establish a shared cause, and the publication acknowledges that it found no AMD confirmation or independent evidence establishing the suspected BIOS bug.
Crucially, the report does not identify the owner’s previous and replacement BIOS versions or provide a controlled benchmark comparison. The defensible conclusion is therefore narrow: one owner reported a substantial improvement after updating firmware, not that a particular release guarantees lower temperatures.
AMD’s specifications put 95°C in context
AMD lists the Ryzen 7 9800X3D’s maximum operating temperature, or Tjmax, as 95°C. Its default TDP is 120 W, and AMD recommends liquid cooling for optimal performance. These specifications establish the processor’s temperature ceiling; they do not promise a particular temperature with a particular radiator size.
That distinction matters. A temperature reading at the published limit does not, by itself, establish a defective processor. AMD’s troubleshooting documentation explains that temperature depends on cooling, airflow, ambient conditions, workload and customized settings. It also notes that power and performance are at their limits when a processor reaches Tjmax.
The useful diagnostic question is therefore not simply, “Did it touch 95°C?” It is whether the system delivers expected performance under repeatable conditions. AMD recommends assessing performance and temperatures with an up-to-date system running at stock settings.
Check firmware before buying another cooler
MSI’s official support information for the MAG X870 TOMAHAWK WIFI includes a BIOS release note describing performance optimization for the Ryzen 7 9800X3D. That verifies that processor-specific firmware work exists for this board, but it does not connect that release to this owner’s result or establish a temperature fix.
For owners investigating similar behavior, the sensible approach is a troubleshooting sequence—not a shopping spree:
- Establish a stock baseline. AMD recommends troubleshooting with the system updated and running at stock settings, rather than drawing conclusions from a customized configuration.
- Check support for the exact motherboard. MSI provides board-specific BIOS downloads and update resources. Do not treat an abbreviated motherboard name as sufficient identification when choosing firmware.
- Use the manufacturer’s documented update method. MSI’s support resources include instructions for its M-Flash utility. A firmware update should follow the procedure for the actual board, not an improvised set of steps.
- Evaluate cooling as well as software. AMD specifically recommends checking cooler suitability, mounting, thermal paste and operation, alongside case airflow and room temperature. A large radiator is not a substitute for those checks.
For a meaningful before-and-after comparison, the practical recommendation is to repeat the same workload under comparable conditions and assess performance alongside temperature. That follows from AMD’s guidance that workload, settings and cooling conditions all influence results; a lower number alone is not a complete performance assessment.
A useful clue, not a universal cure
The reported improvement makes firmware worth investigating when temperatures remain unexplained after basic cooling checks. It does not justify labeling every hot-running 9800X3D as BIOS-bugged, nor does it promise every owner a 9°C reduction.
The takeaway is refreshingly practical: diagnose the system before replacing more hardware. AMD’s own guidance supports checking updates, stock operation and the cooling installation together. The radiator may be the most conspicuous component in the case, but it should not automatically take all the blame.