UEFI Features
GIGABYTE includes the latest version of their UEFI (Unified Extensible Firmware Interface) with the the X99-Gaming 5P motherboard. The UEFI offers full keyboard and mouse support while using the UEFI 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.
UEFI Notable Features
GIGABYTE continues to innovate with their UEFI design, offering the user four different interfaces from which to modify system settings and monitor devices. The UEFI's 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 UEFI with support for 18 languages including English. On their configurable Home section, they integrated two additional tabs – Recent and Favorites – for easy access to more UEFI 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 UEFI including UEFI active language, system fast boot, system time, drive boot sequence, SATA controller operational options, UEFI security, and interface-related startup options.
Startup Guide mode, System Language page
Startup Guide mode, Main page (non-English language)
ST HD Mode, Frequency section (non-English language)
Classic Mode, M.I.T. tab (non-English language)
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 UEFI 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 performance-related features. All settings and features present in the Smart Tweak interface also exist in the Classic mode 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 UEFI, 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
The Preferences page accessed from the Save & Exit section of the ST UEFI houses settings for configuring the look and feel of the Smart Tweak interface, including the Start-up page settings, background wallpaper, and HD resolution. There are numerous 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.
UEFI 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 Manual, CPU Upgrade settings
Frequency section, Advanced CPU Core Settings page
Frequency section, Advanced CPU Core Settings page continued
Memory section, Memory page
Memory section, Channel X Memory Sub Timings page, Standard and Advanced Timing Control settings
Memory section, Channel X Memory Sub Timings page, Misc Timing Control settings
Memory section, Channel X Memory Sub Timings page, Misc Timing Control settings continued
Memory section, Channel X Memory Sub Timings page, Misc Timing Control settings continued
Voltage section, Advanced Power Settings page
Voltage section, CPU Core Voltage Control page
Voltage section, Chipset Voltage Control page
Voltage section, DRAM Voltage Control page
Miscellaneous section, Miscellaneous page
Miscellaneous section, PC Health Status page
Home section, Performance page
Home section, Setup User Options popup
Home section, Favorites page, Select a Shortcut popup
Great Review Morry, I like
Great Review Morry, I like all the features that GIGABYTE has laid into this sucker. Support for 128 gigs is awesome. I really wish Asus would have had more x99 boards with this support, especially for the prices you pay on this platform.
I am hoping you guys can do some reviews on the lower end X99 Boards. MSI X99 SLI plus and some other boards have been dropping in price like rocks sometimes way below 200 bones!!
Awesome review, but I was
Awesome review, but I was never into the whole “gamerish aesthetics”.
Sir Morry, could you please review the ASUS X99-E WS MOBO, I read several reviews, but IDK, somehow your reviews is just complete or perfect, IDK.
I once chatted with Josh to ask him to inform you and the PCper team, but you guys are probably playing with the “unreleased” 390x 🙂
but seriously, Could you please do review it, at least for the sake of this kitties
http://cdn.cutestpaw.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/l-Sad-kitten.jpg
http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-pieGAX3Jygo/VQpYC8HjD6I/AAAAAAAAAn0/yuFmURkdAEg/s1600/GCRPzTs-1.jpg
I’ve been in contact with
I've been in contact with ASUS, we should be getting something from them "soon". You'll likley see a review up on it in the July timeframe (maybe)…
Thank you very much sir, July
Thank you very much sir, July is actually perfect since it’s the time I’ll be ordering my parts. Also, I know I’m asking too much but reading through the “[Official] ASUS X99-E WS Owner’s thread”, I found out that some xeon cpu’s are unlocked, if you could also investigate such a phenomenon, I’ll be more than grateful.
Thank you, again. 🙂