BIOS Features (cont’d)
Here you can see the SLI-Memory settings that NVIDIA introduced with the 590 SLI chipset that allow for memory performance tweaks and performance enhancements done intelligently by the BIOS.
Here you can adjust the memory ratio to set the default DDR2 memory speed based on your set internal CPU frequency.
Here you can see the standard and most used memory timings are in a small menu that is easy to read, access and understand. The CAS, TRD, TRP and TRAS settings can be modified without having to wade through tons of other settings.
Of course, Asus hasn’t left out the other, lesser used, but power memory timings that tweakers and overclockers crave; but Asus has put them another menu jump away from the basic settings, making it less likely a user will accidently fall in here and change things, leaving their system unable to POST.
These two screens show some BIOS settings that even we are struggling to get a firm grasp on; no doubt Asus is offering these options up for super-power-users the likes of which have been left with the DFI LanParty as their only option to access these settings.
Here you can adjust the HyperTransport connection between the north and south bridge chips up to 400 MHz.
And of course you can set the multiplier on it as well.
Both of the multipliers for both directions of the SB to NB connection can be adjusted independently. Also, you can set the width of the HT connection to either 16-bits or 8-bits.
The hardware monitor on the Asus M2N32-SLI Deluxe allows us to set some fan and temperature limits for the system, essentially allowing a cruel way to set up your system to only run the noisy fans when needed. It of course also reports the voltages, temperatures and current fan speeds of the items in the system.
The Asus Music Alarm is a feature that sets the BIOS to wake up and play an audio CD that is in the CD tray at a certain time. Need a $1000 alarm clock anyone?
Asus has also included the ability to save two profiles of BIOS settings on the CMOS so you can revert back to known good settings if something goes wrong.
One of my favorite features is the included EZ Flash application that loads up a BIOS flashing tool straight from the BIOS screen. That means you’ll no longer need to have a floppy with an MS DOS boot disc to get the job done.