Board Software

The included software with the ASUS M5A97 EVO has to be one of the most robust solutions we have come across, as we mentioned when we reviewed the last ASUS product, the P8P67 PRO. The exact same software is included with the M5A97 EVO, called “AI Suite”. The interface is simple and easy to use; a main bar pops up that allows you to choose which of the included software you’d like to open, by simply clicking a button with the appropriate label. “Tools” of course, refers to the software tools that allow you to customize board functions, from DIGI+ VRM adjustments, to even a sensor recorder that allows you to capture sensor data for later examination.


In the above screenshots you can see the “TurboV” and “DIGI+” graphical user interface, use to set voltages, clocks, and VRM settings. As mentioned before, every option you see in BIOS is duplicated here, however, we found that not all adjustments in the software are reflected in BIOS, so while useful for testing, you still need to enter the values manually in BIOS, mainly for clocks and voltages.


The “EPU” tool allows setting custom power profiles, “Fan Xpert” allows fan speed controls, while “PC Probe” is a monitoring tool, containing a bit more information than is disclosed on the simple “sensor Panel” that can be enabled while the majority of other tools are open.


That leaves us with “AI Charger”, and app that allows you to enable quick charging for iPhones, iPods, and iPads, and the earlier mentioned “Sensor Recorder”, for sensor data capture.
We did have some issues getting the software installed off of the included CD, and did have to go to the ASUS website and download a different software package, which may affect settings in software being reflected in BIOS. We have notified ASUS of the issue, which we are sure they will address quickly, as the board itself just launched May 31st.