Ryzen BIOS Update Could Boost Memory Performance

AMD is set to release a new BIOS update for Socket AM4 motherboards that should provide a huge boost memory boost to Ryzen systems. As we reported last month, the new AMD Generic Encapsulated Software Architecture (AGESA) will focus on overclocked DDR4 memory. The AMD 1.0.0.5 AGESA microcode update – due out in beta sometime this week – will enable “20+ memory registers,” according to a Gigabyte representative. The update should also fix issues with IOMMU support, soft bricking, and low power states when overclocked.

At Least One AM4 Vendor is Working on a New BIOS

Last Wednesday (3rd May), Gigabyte’s Technical Marketing representative Matt said on the company’s official forum:

Latest word is they are working on a new set with AGESA 1006… I am pushing as hard as I can to get you guys something new to test as soon as its ready. Just wanted to say that we are working on it (I know that phrase gets old – trust me I am a user/gamer/enthusiast too) but me going to Dreamhack (for work not as a participant) doesn’t stop the BIOS team or engineers from working on the code 😉

Just to recap these are the issue being worked on:

For those looking for IOMMU fixes we are hopefully going to have an option to force boot off a specific PCIe slot. Its not the grouping fix, but a work around for now.

Disable LAN (Per request)

Disable Audio (Per request)

“ROM Image update” (Being worked on with AMI, no ETA)

Cold boot / Wont boot. Have to re-flash BIOS. (people have referred to this as “soft brick”)

AGESA 1006 –  improve memory (Got high hopes for this one. Going to enable 20+ memory register)

(Edit) P-State overclocking / downclocking while overclocked.

* Should be included in next round of BETA BIOS – but no promises, just the latest I heard from our BIOS guys.

Matt followed up on his post two days later (5th May) with a correction:

“Looks like AMD decided to go with AGESA 1005 after all… Current ETA for BETA BIOS is next week. I’ll post it the moment I get it.”

Presumably, Asus, MSI, et al, are also preparing new Socket AM4 BIOS updates.

Beyond Ryzen

Not content with the success of its Ryzen CPU family, AMD is already preparing for the launch of its Zen 2 processors. A new report suggests we will find out more on Zen 2 – plus the Vega and Navi GPU architectures – next week.