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Like all motherboard vendors the ASRock UEFI offers an “EZ MODE” option (read: easy mode) intended to provide a quick summary of commonly accessed UEFI options like boot order, XMP memory profiles and fan speeds.
Pressing F6 takes you into the Advanced mode which starts with the Main page that overviews the UEFI version, installed processor and DRAM information.
OC Tweaker is the primary section of the UEFI environment for overclocking and performance tuning. ASRock splits off the main parameters into separate sections with CPU, DRAM, Voltage and FIVR configurations.
CPU Configuration covers all frequency and performance-related elements of the CPU such as core behaviour, multiplier modes, turbo boost, cache ratio, baseclock and so on.
DRAM configuration brings all frequency and performance-related elements for the memory modules including XMP, reference clock and timing controls.
Voltage configuration is specifically for the various programmable voltages on the motherboard including CPU Input Voltage (VCCIN), VCCIO, VCCSA and PCH voltages. The CPU load line calibration controls are also held within this section and span five different levels with the Level 1 profile having no reduction under load and Level 5 the most reduction.
VCore voltage configuration is done in the FIVR configuration tab. Users can pick from Auto, Adaptive and Fixed for the operational modes, set the VCore and can also set some other voltages.
The OC Tweaker section is reasonably well equipped and granular but we find the splitting off into “FIVR” and “Voltage” unnecessarily separates clearly related UEFI options. What ASRock is trying to do is understandable and by packing related options into individual sections a neat layout does ensue, it also enables ASRock to bundle UEFI profiles into the OC Tweaker landing page so users are more likely to take note of this capability.
In the Advanced section are yet more CPU configuration options, as if the CPU configuration section of OC Tweaker wasn’t enough. The remit of the advanced section is to give users the “everything else” of compatibility and functional UEFI options for onboard hardware that aren’t found in OC Tweaker. An inclusion at the bottom of the Advanced section is the ability to toggle the UEFI into a full HD mode which is disabled by default, at least it was on our test system monitor.
The Tool tab holds the Instant Flash utility which is beautifully simple. Attach a USB device, pick the update file and update, or update automatically from the internet. It seemed on this motherboard only one of the Ethernet ports was configured to work with Internet flash, however, it connected up to the internet easily and worked a treat to run the update.
ASRock is, to our knowledge, the only motherboard vendor that puts RGB LED controls in the UEFI environment. It’s a unique approach and it’s pleasing to say the UEFI version of ASRock’s RGB LED doesn’t lose any features compared the Windows version.
The only downside is that once the profile is set within the UEFI the user has to re-enter the UEFI to make any further changes. The upside is, of course, less software clutter within Windows for those who have an aversion to motherboard software.
The Monitor section includes a number of voltage, temperature and fan speed read-outs as well as all the CPU and System fan controls.
Further fan tuning can be done by first running the “Fan Tuning” wizard to calculate the full fan speed range of each attached fan (minimum and maximum speeds in RPM). Then from within the FAN-Tastic tuning window customised profiles can be set using the fan speed graph and the mouse to drag-and-drop the curve/line.
Security, Boot and Exit tabs round off the rest of the ASRock UEFI environment. We were disappointed to see that no summary of UEFI changes made in the session is presented to the user before they save and exit.
I like that vertical design, sure we can save some space with designs like that.
I understand that having a lot of daughterboards increase the cost, but I live to see a day when I could be able to build a custom pc like the apple mac g4 cube.