BIOS Walkthrough

Using the ASUS UEFI bios has to be one of the most pleasurable computing experiences we have ever had. Upon first entering the BIOS, we are greeted by the "EZ Mode" page, a simple page that allows EPU setting adjustments, as well as access to choose boot devices, and lists pertinent info about the system and its setup. For those that prefer a far more advanced BIOS interface, the M5A97 EVO answers, with the "advanced" BIOS mode offering full access to not only voltage and clock settings, but also to VRM and memory drive options, as well as memory timings. The main page has system date and clock settings right up front, as well as offering a brief description of the system and the installed CPU and memory.


The second tab, labeled "AI Tweaker", offers access to the aforementioned clock and voltage settings, with so many options that the three images you see above are all from the same "AI Tweaker" page.


DRAM timings and drive options, shown above, are just as extensive as what's offered on the "AI Tweaker" tab, with many options not needed by most users, but still required for those that want to push to the absolute maximum.


The "Advanced" tab offers access to board component settings, allowing users to enable or disable devices as needed, as well as containing access to several critical CPU tweak settings. The next tab, "Monitor", provides real-time temperature and voltage readings, as well as providing options for fan speed adjustment.


The last three tabs, "Boot", "Tools", and "Exit", quite naturally, provide access to options for all settings related to the tab's name. When it comes down to functionality and ease of use, ASUS really has done a fantastic job; even the screenshots shown here were made using the BIOS itself. Capturing screenshots of the BIOS, so that users can easily compare settings, is as simple as having a FAT-formatted drive connected, and pressing the "F12" key. The BIOS will save the image to the FAT drive, which can then be accessed from within your chosen OS, as images are saved in .JPG format.

We weren't really expecting the ASUS M5A97 EVO to have a fully featured UEFI BIOS like it has; having used it on other products, the ASUS UEFI BIOS has become our immediate favorite, and gives us enough reason all on its own to choose ASUS products over others. It's quite obvious to us that ASUS' primary focus is none other than the user experience, and they have definitely succeeded in providing a solution that is not only easy to use, but also powerful enough for even the most advanced user. But that's not all; hit the next page to take a look of the included software.