M3A79-T Deluxe Software, BIOS, and Accessories
All AMD chipsets have supported the company’s overclocking utility since its Spider platform launch one year ago, which we will address in the overclocking comparison of this article. Asus adds its own Cool’n’Quiet software interface, along with the expected Asus Ai Suite.
Unfortunately, Ai Suite appeared ineffective at overclocking or reducing power consumption, while the Cool’n’Quiet interface appears to be a simple speed and voltage monitor.
BIOS
One problem with figuring out BIOSs on Socket AM2+ motherboards is that manufacturers often use the term “northbridge” to define both the actual north bridge (790FX) and the memory controller of the processor. The low “northbridge” voltage settings below reflect this issue.
| CPU Reference Clock | 200 - 600 MHz (1 MHz) |
| Clock Multiplier Adjustment | Yes |
| DRAM Ratio | All CPU On-Die Memory Controller Ratios |
| PCIe Clock | 100 - 150 MHz (1 MHz) |
| HT Link Multiplier | 1x - 13x CPU Reference Clock |
| CPU Vcore | 0.800 - 1.700 Volts (0.0125 Volts) |
| Core to IMC Voltage | 0.800 to 1.6875 Volts (0.0125V) |
| NB HT Voltage | 1.20 - 1.50 Volts (0.02 Volts) |
| NB Core/PCIe Voltage | 1.10 - 1.40 Volts (0.02 Volts) |
| CPU VDDA Voltage | 2.50 - 2.80 Volts ( 0.06V) |
| DRAM Voltage | 1.80 - 2.50 Volts (0.02 Volts) |
| tCAS: 3-7; tRCD: 5-12; tRP: 5-12; tRAS: 15-30 |
The advanced BIOS menu has settings for clock speeds, ratios, and voltages. Memory timings are found in a submenu.
Asus OC Profile has two registers to save settings to a reserved portion of the BIOS IC, plus the capability to store settings to a file on a USB flash drive. Saving settings to a flash drive also allows them to be transferred to a second (matching) motherboard.
The M3A79-T Deluxe also has the Asus EZ Flash 2 BIOS flashing utility, which allows updating media from non-bootable floppy disks and USB flash drives.
Accessories
| Documentation & Software | Motherboard Manual |
| Row 1 - Cell 0 | Motherboard Driver DVD |
| Row 2 - Cell 0 | Asus Case Badge |
| Hardware | 6x SATA Data Cable |
| Row 4 - Cell 0 | 1x Port Breakout Plate (2x USB, 1x IEEE-1394) |
| Row 5 - Cell 0 | 1x Asus Q-Connector Kit |
| Row 6 - Cell 0 | 2x AMD/ATI CrossFire Bridge |
| Row 7 - Cell 0 | 1x 4-pin to SATA power adapter (two-device) |
| Row 8 - Cell 0 | 1x 80-conductor Ultra ATA cable |
| Row 9 - Cell 0 | 1x I/O Panel Shield |
Asus includes an adequate selection of cables, going so far as to include two CrossFire bridge connectors. The M3A79-T does not, however, include the brand’s supplemental heat pipe fan, which is meant to compensate for airflow lost when liquid cooling is used. Cost reduction in a cash-tight AMD market is the most likely explanation for the lack of auxiliary devices.
