AMD Ryzen 9 9900X Processor Unexpectedly "Swells": New Technical Issue

One of the flagship processors from AMD's latest Ryzen 9000 series has unexpectedly failed. According to information posted on the Reddit forum, the Ryzen 9 9900X model not only stopped working, but a physical deformation — a kind of "swelling" — was discovered on its underside. This situation is raising serious questions in the global technology community regarding the durability of the new generation of chips. This is reported by Ixbt.com reports says.

The incident occurred in a modern computer system built on an MSI MAG X870E Tomahawk WiFi motherboard. According to user TheImmigrantEngineer, the computer suddenly shut down and would not reboot. The diagnostic indicator on the motherboard showed error code "00", indicating that the central processing unit (CPU) was not working. When the device was disassembled, an unusual bulge was found on the contact part of the processor.

System settings and technical condition

according to the ixbt.com report, the user did not manually overclock the processor or change voltage parameters. The system was equipped with a Corsair RM1000x power supply and a 240 mm liquid cooling system manufactured by DeepCool. Only the Precision Boost Overdrive (PBO) technology was enabled in the BIOS settings, which allows the processor to operate at power slightly above standard limits.

Notably, a new BIOS version released in early 2026 was installed in the system. This reduces the likelihood of linking the problem to software bugs from the early days of the AM5 platform. The processor's heat spreader appeared intact from the outside, but physical damage occurred between the silicon layer and the substrate underneath.

Possibility of a systemic problem

The exact cause of the malfunction is currently unknown. Experts attribute this to a sudden voltage spike on the motherboard or a manufacturing defect. However, this is not the first case of chip swelling on the AM5 platform. Previously, a similar situation was observed with the Ryzen 9 7950X3D model. At that time, AMD initially refused warranty service, but changed its decision after protests on social networks.

Given the high demand for AMD Ryzen processors in the Uzbekistan market, users are advised to be cautious when using automatic overclocking functions like PBO. So far, AMD has not issued an official statement on this matter, but the affected user has stated they will contact warranty services.

If such cases continue to increase, it could damage confidence in AMD's new Zen 5 architecture. While this currently appears to be an isolated incident, similar problems in previous generations suggest it could be a systemic flaw.