The 7950X3D setup process is a bit involved

In the past, upgrading to a new CPU required no more preparation than verifying that your BIOS offered support – and simple flashing if it didn’t. Then make sure you have some fresh thermal compound on hand for the swap and refit your cooler. Comfortable! Well, this time there are a few more steps. It is quite a demanding process AMD offers an installation guide (link). Failing to properly configure the new part won’t hinder CPU performance, but you won’t get the expected performance boost with this new 3D V-Cache part without going through a few tweaks.

The basic installation instructions (the only painful one is the recommendation to clean install Windows) include:

• An updated version of Microsoft Windows 10 or 11
  AMD recommends a fresh image of Windows 11 version 21H2 version 22000.1455 or Windows 10 version 1903 version 19044.2546. Windows 10 works with virtualization-based security (VBS) running, but the L3 cache reference may be incorrect.
• The latest BIOS for your motherboard
  Go to your motherboard manufacturer’s website and download the latest available BIOS for your system. It makes sense to confirm that the Ryzen 9 7950X3D and 7900X3D are supported on the motherboard’s CPU compatibility list before purchasing, but you can expect the newest BIOS available on or after February 28, 2023 release day to support these processors.
• Latest AMD Ryzen Chipset Driver
  AMD Ryzen 7000 processors with AMD 3D V-Cache technology require AMD Chipset Driver 5.02.16.347 (or later) for optimal performance and system stability. Using an older version of this driver will not enable X3D / Ryzen 9 gaming performance optimizations. Once the chipset driver is installed, you must reboot the system.

Ok, no problems here – if you like a clean install of your OS. Which I think can reach 1% of people. But you’re not done yet. Further instructions include:

• Make sure the Xbox Game Bar app is installed and up to date
  This app needs to be updated to the latest version (5.823.1271.0 at time of writing). If your app has not been updated to the latest version, you can update it by following the steps below:
  • Open the Microsoft Store. You’ll find it on the taskbar or Start menu tiles. Log in if necessary
  • Click the menu icon with the three dots. This icon is located in the upper right corner of the application window
  • Click Downloads and Updates. This should be the first option in the menu
  • Click Get Updates
• Waiting for First Boot Note: The first boot of the system after assembling the platform may take 2-3 minutes. The system may be unresponsive at this time. This period is used to perform first boot memory training. After this initial memory training, boot/POST/reboot times will drop to the typical 5-10 seconds you’re used to with AMD Socket AM4. Further BIOS versions will reduce this first/initial boot time.

Updating the BIOS and chipset drivers are easy enough tasks, but the requirement to be on the latest version of the Xbox Game Bar is a bit unusual. Also, you should double check to make sure the chipset driver actually installed everything and if you make any CPU changes (if you’re testing different AM5 processors) it’s recommended that you run the chipset software again. In my experience, an important driver could be missing even after running the latest chipset installer, so double-check your Device Manager for any unknown devices.