TPower X58 BIOS, Software And Accessories
Biostar’s claim to overclocking fame is supported by the TPower X58’s wide range of voltage settings in small increments.
| BIOS Frequency and Voltage settings (for overclocking) | |
|---|---|
| CPU Reference Clock | 100 to 800 MHz (1 MHz) |
| Clock Multiplier Adjustment | Yes |
| DRAM Ratios | DDR3-800 to DDR3-2133* (266 MHz) |
| PCIe Clock | 100 to 150 MHz (1 MHz) |
| CPU Vcore | Stock to +1.260v (0.0020v) |
| CPU VTT (CPU Uncore) Voltage | 1.20v to 1.900v (0.020v) |
| IOH (Northbridge) Core | 1.10v to 1.72v (0.010v) |
| ICH (Southbridge) Core | 1.50v to 2.10v (0.010v) |
| DRAM Voltage | 1.50v to 2.76v (0.020v) |
| CASLatencyRange | tCAS: 3-18; tRCD: 3-15; tRP: 3-15; tRAS: 9-30 |
A legacy AMI interface may seem unfamiliar to recent enthusiasts, but the required overclock settings are still easily found. The most significant controls are located in sub-menus of Biostar’s “O.N.E.” main menu.
Adjusting memory timings is an all-or-nothing task, since individual settings do not have independent auto-detect options. For most users, that means altering the four main timings will require a lengthy process of figuring out what the other timings do, and what settings will work.
Advanced clock control and voltage levels are also found in submenus. TPower X58 BIOS has all the voltage controls that most overclockers need, but advanced users might be disappointed.
The TPower X58 flash ROM has enough space to store up to ten configurations as custom profiles, and Biostar even makes it possible to give those profiles distinct names. These are stored in a non-volatile area to allow restoration of settings after the volatile area has been cleared.
The Biostar Green Power Utility appears to be nothing more than a monitor.
Biostar’s T-Power 2 overclocking utility allows fine tuning of clock speed and voltage levels from within windows, but isn’t very responsive to voltage change attempts. Built-in OC Tweaker profiles set the base clock to 135, 139, 141, and 143 MHz.
Other T-Power 2 menus include an e-mail scratchpad for technical support, system monitoring, and a BIOS update utility.
Accessories
| Accessories | |
|---|---|
| Documentation & Software | Motherboard Manual |
| Motherboard Driver DVD | |
| Hardware | 6 x Serial ATA Cable |
| 1 x 80-conductor Ultra-ATA Cable | |
| 1 x NVIDIA SLI Bridge | |
| 1 x SLIBridge Retention Bracket | |
| 6 x 4-pin to 2-drive SATA Power Adapter | |
| 1 x I/O Panel Shield |
The TPower X58 includes enough SATA cables for a complete configuration, though there aren’t many additional accessories to make it stand apart from less expensive products. The SLI bridge retention bracket is something we haven’t seen in a while, but the installation kit provides only a single SLI and no CrossFire bridges.
Check prices for Biostar's TPower X58
