I want to understand the upgrade path for my 40L omen, it came with a ryzen 7700 and 4070 super

[MrLadyBoy]

i have done slight research into what motherboard I have and it's a 8A98, I'm seeing with this that that there is a OC variant that uses the same serial number, I'm wanting to get a good idea on what cpu upgrade path I can take and if it's capable of X and 3DX cpus, I'm seeing that the none OC variant is only capable of 65w TDP and the OC is rated for 170w TDP, is there anyway to actually validate this?

[NonSequitur777]

@MrLadyBoy,

Welcome to our HP Community forum!

Yes, there is a way to validate this, by looking at actual OMEN by HP 40L Gaming Desktop GT21-1xxx Users, as fitted with the FrostBreath motherboard with SSID: 8A98, as found here: UserBenchmark: HP OMEN by HP 40L Gaming Desktop GT21-1xxx Compatible Components.

HP’s documentation for the SSID 8A98 (FrostBreath) motherboard lists only three officially supported CPUs:

• Ryzen 5 7600 (65-watt TDP)

• Ryzen 7 7700 (65-watt TDP)

• Ryzen 9 7900 (65-watt TDP)

HP validates only these non-X 65-watt TDP models because they fit safely within the cooling, VRM, and PSU assumptions of the Envy/OMEN platform.

That said, real-world use shows the board has broader support than HP publishes. If you look at the aforementioned UserBenchmark system scans for the OMEN 40L GT21-1xxx with SSID 8A98, you’ll find users successfully running:

• Ryzen 5 7600X (105-watt)

• Ryzen 7 7700X (105-watt)

• Ryzen 7 7800X3D (120-watt)

This indicates the FrostBreath VRM and BIOS do support higher-TDP and even X3D models. Based on this, other 3D V-Cache CPUs such as the Ryzen 9 7900X3D (12-core, 120-watt) are likely to work, and possibly even the Ryzen 9 7950X3D (16-core, 120-watt) -though don't quote me on that, because it is less certain and will depend on BIOS microcode support and system thermals.

How to check for yourself:

1. Make sure your system BIOS is fully up to date (HP Support Assistant or F10 > BIOS update).

2. Check community benchmarks/validations for your board ID (8A98) and desired CPU.

3. If you attempt an upgrade, start with a 120-watt TDP chip (e.g. 7800X3D or 7900X3D) before considering a 170-watt part (Ryzen 9 7950X), since higher draw can stress VRM/cooling.

In short: Officially, HP only supports three CPUs. Unofficially, users have shown the 7600X, 7700X, and 7800X3D all work -and consequently likely other Ryzen 7000 X3D models will too, provided you keep BIOS and especially cooling in check.

Kind Regards,

NonSequitur777

[MrLadyBoy]

i guess my only question then would be, if i do in fact have the non OC version, would i be able to install a new motherboard?> i looked and saw that its a MicroAtx, do you think it would be better to just simply start a different build all together??

my main issue and complain it is 

1. HP didn't even have a method of actually identifying what variant of Motherboard i had and asked me to open the case and find a non existent name on the board!!!  then after they called for a escalation from their case manager LOL

2. Even when looking into the specs of my build before the purchase i was under the assumption that a AM5 socket rated for ddr5 and had a PSU rated at gold 800w, clearly the build itself indicated the capability of both GPU and CPU upgrading paths, there was even mounts for a AIO system and odiously enough space in the case 

[NonSequitur777]

@MrLadyBoy,

Why start a different build when your current build is high-end and should satisfy Triple-A gaming in 2K ultra settings and even 4K?

#1. Well, let's just say that is a good thing you can reach out to us HP community forum experts.

#2. Your assumptions proved to be premonitious. As it turns out, you can install high-performance 120-watt TDP AMD processors such as the Ryzen 9 7900X3D.

Warm Regards,

NonSequitur777