AMD confirms that Threadripper overclocking blows a hidden fuse, but the warranty is unaffected.

AMD Ryzen Threadripper 7000 series processors, codenamed Storm Peak, both Pro and non-Pro SKUs, blow a fuse on the chip when overclocking is enabled, according to Tom’s Hardware. Dozens of fuses are used in modern microprocessors to store data inside the chip. For instance, the fuses are where the factory keeps track of the default voltage for each processor. These kinds of fuses also disable the shaders on downgraded graphics chips. Unlike standard circuit breakers, these fuses cannot be accidentally broken by power spikes or system crashes; instead, they will only blow when a specific command is sent to the processor. When overclocking is enabled in the BIOS settings for the Ryzen Threadripper 7000, the BIOS code will blow a fuse because it only responds to user-initiated UI changes and not to any kind of measurement. An alert is displayed prior to that. AMD makes use of this mechanism to look for any signs that the processor has been overclocked.

When overclocking is enabled in the BIOS settings for the Ryzen Threadripper 7000, the BIOS code will blow a fuse because it only responds to user-initiated UI changes and not to any kind of measurement. An alert is displayed prior to that. AMD makes use of this mechanism to look for any signs that the processor has been overclocked.Even though the text may imply otherwise, turning on overclocking does not mean that all warranties are voided. An AMD representative verified this information in a statement to Tom’s Hardware: “There is a fuse in Threadripper 7000 Series processors that blows when overclocking is enabled. To be clear, your warranty is not void if you blow this fuse. It is untrue to say that turning on an overclocking or overvolting feature will “void” the processor warranty. As per AMD’s standard Terms of Sale, any damage resulting from overvolting or overclocking the processor is not covered by the warranty. The representative pointed out that other unrelated problems might still be eligible for warranty repair or replacement. In the end, the owner of an AMD Ryzen Threadripper 7000 series CPU will not forfeit their ability to seek AMD assistance for repair if they choose to overclock and overvolt their CPU.

However, other elements, like overclocking-related damages, will void the warranty. These can result from persistent overheating, which drastically reduces the CPU’s lifespan.