Should I update my B450 motherboard BIOS before installing new RAM?

Yes. Older B450 BIOS versions often don’t handle 16GB DDR4 sticks or 32GB total, causing boot loops, unstable XMP, or half the memory recognized. Update the BIOS before installing the new RAM — most boards have USB flashback or can update with the old CPU and a single stick of old RAM. Check your board’s memory QVL and BIOS changelog; if your BIOS is from 2018 or 2019, update it.