UEFI Features
ECS included the latest revision of their UEFI (Unified Extensible Firmware Interface) EZ BIOS. The UEFI 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. ECS did not include any type of screen capture utility in the BIOS. By default, the user sees the EZ Mode screen when entering the UEFI. The Advanced mode screens is accessible via the Advanced Mode button at the upper right corner of the screen. The EZ Mode screen can be access via the Back to EZ Mode link on the Exit tab.
While much simpler when compared with other motherboard manufacturer's UEFI implementations, the ECS implementation is clean and masterfully designed. I found the mouse and keyboard responsiveness to be well maintained with no noticeable lag.
UEFI Notable Features
The ECS UEFI implementation contains no fancy interfaces or ground-breaking designs, but it functions well and has an intuitive layout. As long as you can find the settings you're looking for and the interface is responsive, any other additions are little more than glitz and window dressing. The UEFI has two operation modes – Basic and Advanced.
EZ Mode
The EZ Mode page houses a graphical interface with high level board, temperature, voltage, and fan speed information shown.
Advanced Mode, M.I.B. X tab
The Advanced Mode interface houses the more advanced board related setting with all overclocking and performance related settings centralized under the M.I.B. X tab. M.I.B. X stands for MB Intelligent BIOS X, designed with a series of sub-menus containing logically divided performance settings.
Advanced Mode, M.I.B. X tab, Audio LED settings
In the main section of the M.I.B. X tab, ECS integrated settings to configure the color of the LEDs integrated into the audio PCB line. The Audio LEDs can be configured to glow in one of seven colors: red, green, blue, water blue, purple, yellow, and white.
Advanced Mode, M.I.B. X tab, Profile configuration page
Advanced Mode, M.I.B. X tab, Profile configuration page, Select Profile popup
The Profile Configuration page allows the user to store or restore up to eight full UEFI settings profiles. Further, profiles can be saved or retrieved from attached USB devices.
Advanced Mode, Main tab, System Language popup
Advanced Mode, Main tab with non-English language active
The UEFI supports the use of up to 10 different languages. The UEFI active language can be set via the System Language setting within the Main tab in the Advanced Mode screens.
UEFI Walk through – Performance-related Settings, Advanced Mode
Main tab
M.I.B. X tab
M.I.B. X tab, CPU OverClocking Configuration page
M.I.B. X tab, CPU OverClocking Configuration page, Power Limit 3 Settings page
M.I.B. X tab, CPU OverClocking Configuration page, Power Limit 4 Settings page
M.I.B. X tab, Memory Configuration page
M.I.B. X tab, Memory Configuration page continued
M.I.B. X tab, Intel Graphics Configuration page
M.I.B. X tab, Over Voltage Configuration page
Advanced tab
Advanced tab, LAN Configuration page
Advanced tab, PC Health Status page
Advanced tab, PC Health Status page, Smart Fan Function page
Advanced tab, Power Management Setup page
Advanced tab, ACPI Settings page
Advanced tab, CPU Configuration page
Advanced tab, SATA Configuration page
Advanced tab, SATA Configuration page, ASMedia Configuration page
Advanced tab, USB Configuration page
Advanced tab, Trusted Computing page
Chipset tab
Chipset tab, System Agent Configuration page
Chipset tab, PCH Configuration page
Chipset tab, Management Engine Technology Configuration page
Security tab
Boot tab
Exit tab
Main tab, Help popup
Are we going to see Z270
Are we going to see Z270 working with Coffeelake but Z170 being magically incompatible?
“… justified with its
“… justified with its additional features and functionality compared wieh thier previous Z170-based product”
Wieh whier?
Fixed, thanks…
Fixed, thanks…
I’d like to see DPC latency
I’d like to see DPC latency tests, just like Anand does
Is it just me, or is the list
Is it just me, or is the list of Rear Panel I/O wrong? I only see 10 USB ports, but 12 are listed (2x 3.1, 6x 3.0, 4×2.0) and the network RJ-45 is not listed in the Rear Panel I/O.
Yeah, that does seem odd but
Yeah, that does seem odd but it is taken directly from ECS' webpage for the board…
Also, where the heck do you
Also, where the heck do you see a DVI port that you mention in the article ?
I only see DP and HDMI.
fixed, thanks…
fixed, thanks…
Too bad they’re going to get
Too bad they’re going to get sued by Disney over the name they’ve chosen.