UEFI Features
GIGABYTE integrated the latest revision of their UEFI (Unified Extensible Firmware Interface) implementation into the Z170X-Gaming G1 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 besides 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 (non-English language)
Classic Mode (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 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 UEFI 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 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 settigns, 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
Frequency section, Advanced CPU Core Settings page
Frequency section, Advanced CPU Core Settings page continued
Frequency section, Advanced CPU Core Settings page continued
Memory section, Memory page
Memory section, Channel A/B Memory Sub Timings page, Standard and Advanced Timing Control settings
Memory section, Channel A/B Memory Sub Timings page, Standard and Advanced Timing Control settings continued
Memory section, Channel A/B Memory Sub Timings page, Standard and Advanced Timing Control settings continued
Memory section, Channel A/B Memory Sub Timings page, Misc Timing Control settings
Memory section, Channel A/B Memory Sub Timings page, Misc Timing Control settings continued
Voltage section, Advanced Power Settings page
Voltage section, Advanced Power Settings page continued
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
Miscellaneous section, PC Health Status page continued
Home section, Performance page
Home section, Your Name 1 page, Setup User Options popup
Home section, Your Name 1 page, Setup User Options popup
Home section, Favorites page, Select a Shortcut popup
These boards that use white +
These boards that use white + a color are really starting to grow on me, They remind me of all the various Gundamn anime I watched long ago.
I can see that. No mind
I can see that. No mind control helmet nor lasers though :{
There is a typo on first
There is a typo on first page: specifications should be taken from Gigabyte website and not Asus website.
Nice to see a 500 $ Mainboard
Nice to see a 500 $ Mainboard with misplaced power connectors. Modern pc cases tend to place the psu beneath the motherboard but mainboard designs still place power connectors in the upper half of the mainboard. Case and fp connectors in the lower half of the mainboard but most modern cases have fp and additional ports in the upper front of the case. Isn´t that a pain in the ass?