AMD’s new Threadripper chips will trip a fuse if overclocked

You might think that building a high-end desktop with up to sixty-four processor cores might be enough, and that a user wouldn’t be tempted to push it any further. And you’d be wrong, of course: Plenty of buyers are already overclocking the AMD Threadripper 7000 series of CPUs, desperate to see just how hard you can push some of the most powerful hardware ever made for consumers. But if you do decide to push those clocks, be aware that AMD is going to know about it.

So said an AMD representative, confirming that the Threadripper 7000 series includes a hardware fuse that will trip if you overclock it, using AMD’s Precision Boost Overdrive system or other methods. If the chip is ever sent in to the company for servicing, AMD technicians will be able to tell right away that the processor was overclocked by at least one user. For the uninitiated, this is basically the same thing as those “warranty void if removed” stickers you see on electronics and appliances.

But AMD went on to say that simply overclocking a Threadripper won’t automatically void the warranty, at least not on its own. “To be clear, blowing this fuse does not void your warranty. Statements that enabling an overclocking/overvolting feature will “void” the processor warranty are not correct,” a representative told Tom’s Hardware. There was some confusion after additional scary warnings were placed in motherboard BIOS messages, contradicting the official AMD stance. Of course, the warranty on the motherboard itself is another issue entirely.

Enthusiasts looking to push their super-powered CPUs (with prices ranging from $1500 to $5000 for the top-of-the-line 7980X) will be happy to hear it. Keep in mind that the overclocking policy is in place specifically for Threadripper chips sold directly to customers for system-building — if you get your hands on a WRX90 or TRX50 designed for OEMs, those don’t officially support user overclocking.