DFI X58 T3eH8 Ultra Motherboard
BIOS Features
Heading straight to the business end of the BIOS we arrive at the Genie section. This, as all DFI users will already know, is where you will find the overclocking features of the BIOS.
Rather than have all the options on one page, the Genie BIOS has evolved into a structured separate BIOS where each section has it’s own page dedicated to the specific options available. So if you are looking to alter CPU options, CPU feature will open a page. Memory Timings? Again, you have your own page. This structure keeps the main Genie page uncluttered and allows for easy navigation.Â
 The CPU feature is a little misleading as it takes you to a section not normally associated with overclocking. However DFI have broken away from the norm and pandered to overclockers needs as any overclocker worth his salt will disable most of the settings found here to allow the highest clocks possible without being restricted.
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The memory section is as complex as anyone could wish for with a huge range of options available each with its own sub menu. The menu can be opened or the options scrolled through by the use of +/- keys. Another option available which is not normally found in the overclocking sections is the Memory LowGap feature. This feature is best regarded as a throwback to the old AGP aperture setting/memory remap feature found on lesser boards. While not directly affecting overclocking it is nice that all memory features are found in one place.
As expected the DFI motherboard offers huge variance in the possible voltages allowed. Above left are the highest values possible which, should you set them as is, had better have a fire extinguisher handy as these will surely destroy your hardware if you don’t keep your ambitions under control.
Base Clock and QPI frequencies are key to achieving a high overclock and a balance of the two is necessary to eek the most from your CPU. Again DFI give the end user every possible frequency available for you to try out.
A neat little feature that the DFI has is the ability to set two different base clocks. Most extreme benchers will have no doubt come across occasions where a CPU will not boot at a given frequency but appears to bench fine once in Windows by the use of programs such as SetFSB. This feature allows you to set a bootup clock, preventing boot up problems which will then automatically set your desired ‘real’ baseclock once POST is complete. Base Clock/Memory dividers as well as Uncore frequency are two sections I would like to see improved as this is done by multiplication. I would much prefer to see the actual frequency here rather than having to work out the values myself.
Once you have your settings all dialled in you can save these settings thanks to the CMOS reloaded feature. As the title suggests, previous settings can also be loaded saving both time and stress when a failed overclock presents itself.
With a wealth of options at our disposal, it’s time we find out how the motherboard performs.