dslreports logo
 
    All Forums Hot Topics Gallery
spc
Search similar:


uniqs
1001
Sentinel
Premium Member
join:2001-02-07
Florida

Sentinel

Premium Member

Asus Z97-A bios update and USB 3?

I see that there is a bios update available for my Asus Z97-A and it says on the download page "Support USB 3.1".

What does this mean exactly? That my USB ports are now USB 3.1 ports with all accompanying benefits, or that they can accept USB 3.1 devices but they will transfer at USB 3.0 speeds?

wutsinterweb3
End Citizen's United
Premium Member
join:2014-08-26
USA

wutsinterweb3

Premium Member

I had the same question, and my understanding is that updating the BIOS would allow, with use of driver, an add on USB 3.1 card. Sure would be cool if it meant that the existing ports (maybe a couple of them?) would automajically upgrade with BIOS install.

Octavean
MVM
join:2001-03-31
New York, NY

Octavean to Sentinel

MVM

to Sentinel
Yes that was my understanding as well, although, we won't necessarily know for sure until Asus elaborates on their press release and BIOS descriptions or the products start shipping:
quote:
Easy-fit ASUS USB 3.1 Card with dual Type-A ports or reversible Type-C
ASUS USB 3.1 Card is the world’s first USB 3.1 expansion card that fits swiftly into any PCIe x4, x8 or x16 slot to accelerate existing PCs to deliver lightning-speed transfers of up to 10Gbit/s. Available in two models, with either dual Type-A sockets or reversible Type-C, the new PCIe card is compatible immediately with all ASUS X99 and Z97 chipset-based motherboards and will be compatible soon with more ASUS motherboards, to be enabled by a simple BIOS and driver update.

USB 3.1 Type-A Card (Dual) is also included with two new motherboard bundles with a ‘/U3.1’ suffix — Rampage V Extreme/U3.1 and X99-Deluxe/U3.1 — preconfigured and ready to go. Both USB 3.1 Type-A (Dual) and Type-C Card (Single) are available to purchase individually.
»rog.asus.com/403332015/a ··· lutions/

I take this to mean that in order to properly use these USB 3.1 add-in cards a BIOS update must be applied.

So for example I have an Asus X99-A motherboard and an Asus Z97-E motherboard. A quick look at their respective support pages yields the following:
quote:
X99-A BIOS 1401
1.Support USB 3.1
2.Support NVMe
2015/02/17
quote:
Z97-E BIOS 0602
Enhance the compatibility with some CPU Fans
2015/02/15

What this suggest to me is that the X99-A has the necessary updated support to properly function with these new add-in cards whereas the Z97-E does not (yet). If you look at the press release you'll see that the Z97-E is listed under:
quote:
Compatible with ASUS USB 3.1 Card (both Type-A and Type-C card). Update to latest BIOS required.
as "Yes Avalible in March"

Asus motherboards with the prerequisite BIOS support are listed as "Yes" with the specific BIOS revision listed. So for my Asus X99-A is listed as "Yes" (BIOS 1401).