BIOS Features
GIGABYTE includes the latest version of their UEFI (Unified Extensible Firmware Interface) implementation with the the Z97X-UD5H motherboard. The UEFI BIOS offers full keyboard and mouse support while using the BIOS pages with enhanced mouse navigation supported by right clicking the mouse – goes back to previous view if inside a settings pop-up or on a sub-menu page. Note that this right click functionality behaves this way in Classic Mode only. Right clicking in ST (Smart Tweak) Mode displays the Shortcuts menu. GIGABYTE also includes a screen capture utility, which generates a 1024×768 BMP image in normal resolution mode and a 1920×1080 BMP image in HD resolution mode on an attached USB drive upon clicking the F12 function key.
GIGABYTE continues to evolve their UEFI BIOS implementation with the Z97-board line, improving the usability and functioning of the BIOS with the new version. One of the nicest surprises was the ability to run the BIOS in HD mode without any special setup or cable configuration required.
BIOS Notable Features
GIGABYTE continues to innovate with their UEFI BIOS design, offering the user four different interfaces from which to modify system settings and monitor devices. The BIOS' four operational modes include Smart Tweak HD mode, Smart Tweak mode, Classic Mode, and Startup Guide mode. You can switch between ST mode and Classic mode using the F2 function key. Further, GIGABYTE integrated multi-language support into the BIOS with support for 18 languages besides English. On their configurable Home section, they integrated two additional tabs – Recent and Favorites – for easy access to more BIOS settings from a centralized location. The changes wouldn't be complete without additional visual tweaking options for the ST HD mode UI itself with options for changing the background theme and the resolution.
Startup Guide mode, Main page
The Startup Guide interface gives the user a fully graphical UI to set the most common options in the BIOS including BIOS active language, system fast boot, system time, drive boot sequence, SATA controller operational options, BIOS security, and interface-related startup options.
Startup Guide mode, System Language page
Selecting the System Language button from the Startup Guide main page opens the System Language page. From here, you can select one of 19 languages with which to customize the BIOS text and labels.
ST HD Mode
GIGABYTE simplified the UI interface for their HD mode, re-dubbing it Smart Tweak mode and allowing for user customization of only performance-related features. All settings and features present in the Smart Tweak interface also exist in the Classic mode interface.
Startup Guide mode, Start-up Options page
Selecting the Start-up Options button from the Startup Guide main page opens the Start-up Options page. This page allows the user to configure which interface is presented on BIOS startup. By default, the BIOS starts in the Startup Guide interface.
ST HD Mode, Home section, Recent page
ST HD Mode, Home section, Favorites page
GIGABYTE added new pages to the Home section of the ST BIOS, labeled Recent and Favorites. The Recent page hosts settings that you have recently accessed via the ST pages. The Favorites page houses common settings used for board performance configuration.
ST HD Mode, Save & Exit section, Preferences page, Wallpaper settings
ST HD Mode, Save & Exit section, Preferences page, HD Resolution settings
The Preferences page accessed from the Save & Exit section of the ST BIOS houses settings for configuring the look and feel of the Smart Tweak interface, including the background wallpaper and HD resolution. There are a total of five wallpapers that can be selected after clicking the Select button tied to the Background Wallpaper setting. The High Display Resolution setting allows the user to set the ST HD interface to two different resolutions, 1200 or 1600 pixels wide.
BIOS Walkthrough – Smart Tweak HD Mode Interface
Frequency section, Frequency page with CPU Base Clock set to Manual
Frequency section, Frequency page with CPU Base Clock set to base clock speed
Frequency section, Advanced CPU Core Settings page
Frequency section, Advanced CPU Core Settings page continued
Memory section, Memory page with XMP profile enabled
Memory section, Memory page, Memory Overclocking Profiles popup
Memory section, Channel A/B Memory Sub Timings page, Standard and Advanced Timing Control settings
Voltage section, Advanced Power Settings page
Voltage section, CPU Core Voltage Control page
Voltage section, CPU Core Voltage Control page with Offset settings active
Voltage section, Chipset Voltage Control page
Voltage section, DRAM Voltage Control page
Miscellaneous section, Miscellaneous page
Miscellaneous section, PC Health Status page
Miscellaneous section, PC Health Status page continued
Home section, Performance page
Home section, Your Name 1 page, Setup User Options popup
Home section, Favorites page, Select a Shortcut popup
Home section, Your Name 1 page, Shortcuts right-click menu popup
Save & Exit section, Save & Exit page
Save & Exit section, Save & Exit page, Save Profiles popup
Save & Exit section, Save & Exit page, Load Profiles popup
As usual great review Morry,
As usual great review Morry, Like! Like! 🙂
“For the PCI-Express x16
“For the PCI-Express x16 slots, the board supports full x16 bandwidth with a single card, x8 bandwidth with cards in the primary and secondary slots with two cards populated, and x8 / x8 / x4 in all PCI-Express x16 slots with three cards populated.”
If I am reading the specs correctly, it is x8/x4/x4 with three cards rather than x8/x8/x4.
What a strange way to go
What a strange way to go about it, a better way would be gen 3 x8, gen 3 x8, gen 2 x4 which is what my board does.
I don’t know if that is
I don’t know if that is better. I am assuming that socket 1150 boards are limited to one x16 connection to the processor. This gigabyte board connects through a pci-e switch (some plx chip?) such that all three cards are sharing the single x16 link direct to the cpu at gen3 speeds. With the x8/x8/(x4 gen 2) set-up you are describing, the x4 link probably comes from the PCH (southbridge), so this shares bandwidth with every other IO device (SATA, network, usb, etc.) instead of the other video cards. I believe the DMI link from the PCH to the cpu is similar bandwidth to x4, gen 2 pci-e. This is cheaper as it does not require a pci-e switch chip. The performance difference may be minimal since 3-card set-ups do not scale well anyway. Best to just run 2 cards with this board though. I have wondered if it would work to run a pci-e ssd in one of the slots connected to the switch.
You are correct, tri-card
You are correct, tri-card mode is x8/x4/x4. Thank you for pointing that out….
“GIGABYTE designed the
“GIGABYTE designed the Z97X-UD5H’s rear panel with the following ports: … an HDMI video port, a DisplayPort video port, a DVI-I video port…”
The photos do not show a DisplayPort video port.
I do not believe that the GA-Z97X-UDH5 has DisplayPort connectivity onboard.
Fixed. Thanks for pointing
Fixed. Thanks for pointing that out…
great review, but i prefer
great review, but i prefer the looks of previsios z87x-ud5(which i have for my g3258)the heatsinks on this one are a bit to much golden yellow, on the old one they are more blacks in there which ads to the visual look a lot, makes it look a loth better in my opinion
Morry,
Thanks for yet another
Morry,
Thanks for yet another great review! I’ve a 4770K right in front of me that needs a cheap place to run! Your expertise, and experience it appreciated!!!
By the way, I really want to win that car!!!
KingKookaluke
Morry,
Thanks for yet another
Morry,
Thanks for yet another great review! I’ve a 4770K right in front of me that needs a cheap place to run! Your expertise, and experience it appreciated!!!
By the way, I really want to win that car!!!
KingKookaluke
Morry,
Thanks for yet another
Morry,
Thanks for yet another great review! I’ve a 4770K right in front of me that needs a cheap place to run! Your expertise, and experience it appreciated!!!
By the way, I really want to win that car!!!
KingKookaluke