CPU Bios Compatibility

[This Name Isnt Taken]

Hi everyone

I've decided to upgrade my Computer from a gtx 1050, i5 4460 DDR3 1600 Ram and a GA B85 HD3 Motherboard

I've recently upgraded my gpu to a gtx 1070 and have got an i7 4790 but am waiting on thermal paste to use it.

 

I recently been informed after i purchased the cpu that you have to take the bios into consideration? Now i don't know much about computers and am trying to learn do my research etc... but i can't find or understand much about bios updating or if i even need to for this cpu'?

On the Gigabyte website it shows the cpu is an F1 or something? but my bios settings has a F2 Version of American Megatrends 2014

 

Am i going to have problems with this? both motherboard and cpu are LGA 1150 sockets

 

Appreciate any responses

[SavageNeo]

you should upgrade the bios. it might work without it but just to be sure. so you know how to bios update-?

[jaslion]

20 minutes ago, This Name Isnt Taken said:

Hi everyone

I've decided to upgrade my Computer from a gtx 1050, i5 4460 DDR3 1600 Ram and a GA B85 HD3 Motherboard

I've recently upgraded my gpu to a gtx 1070 and have got an i7 4790 but am waiting on thermal paste to use it.

 

I recently been informed after i purchased the cpu that you have to take the bios into consideration? Now i don't know much about computers and am trying to learn do my research etc... but i can't find or understand much about bios updating or if i even need to for this cpu'?

On the Gigabyte website it shows the cpu is an F1 or something? but my bios settings has a F2 Version of American Megatrends 2014

 

Am i going to have problems with this? both motherboard and cpu are LGA 1150 sockets

 

Appreciate any responses

Check your bios version. The cpu is supported from bios version F9. If it's not on f9 or newer update it.

[This Name Isnt Taken]

I think i know how to update the bios, im trying to avoid it though as i don't know what im doing when it comes to cpus and the bios, My bios has an F2 version of American Megatrends 2014

 

[This Name Isnt Taken]

I think i know how to update the bios, im trying to avoid it though as i don't know what im doing when it comes to cpus and the bios, My bios has an F2 version of American Megatrends 2014

What will updating my bios do exactly? as im worried it could lead to other problems etc? can you just easily restore the recent update or something

[This Name Isnt Taken]

Just to let you all know my i74790 works fine on a B85 HD3 motherboard F2 BIOS

[Chiyawa]

2 minutes ago, This Name Isnt Taken said:

Just to let you all know my i74790 works fine on a B85 HD3 motherboard F2 BIOS

Well, as for 4th gen Intel processor, most motherboard should be able to handle any 4th Gen core i series processor well right out of the box (Since the only generation processors that LGA1150 motherboard can support is 4th gen Core i series, not sure about Pentium line, though).

[This Name Isnt Taken]

1 minute ago, Chiyawa said:

Well, as for 4th gen Intel processor, most motherboard should be able to handle any 4th Gen core i series processor well right out of the box (Since the only generation processors that LGA1150 motherboard can support is 4th gen Core i series, not sure about Pentium line, though).

Ye i thought if it's a compatible lga 1150 socket why wouldnt it work but it was the bios version that concerned me because i knew nothing about it and it recommended the F9 version but it worked on F2

[Chiyawa]

2 minutes ago, This Name Isnt Taken said:

Ye i thought if it's a compatible lga 1150 socket why wouldnt it work but it was the bios version that concerned me because i knew nothing about it and it recommended the F9 version but it worked on F2

Actually, this is the very problem face by many people when they are upgrading their CPU (especially from Gen 2 to Gen 3 for example). Interestingly enough, it seems that motherboard design for Gen 4 Core i series processors cannot be use for Gen 5 Core i series processors or Gen 3 Core i series processors, which spark a little outrage because many user who bought this motherboard are stuck with Gen 4 Core i processors and can't be upgraded.

 

To my knowledge, motherboard designed for Gen 5 Core i series processors is compatible with Gen 6 Core i series processors, but they need to update the BIOS before they can run Gen 6 Core i series processors. The same goes to motherboard designed for Gen 7 Core i series processors. Older motherboard designed for Gen 2 Core i series processors also compatible with Gen 3 Core i series processors with a BIOS update.

 

There's another thing about processors. Even though they are in the same generation of the processors, some may come out much later (about a year later) from the rest of the processors. These 'newer' processors, even though they are similar with the 'older' but same generation of processors, may require BIOS update as well, as the motherboard that release before these newer CPU release may have issue trying to identify the CPU (sorry, I'm a bit tired to type processors, so I'll be using CPU instead from now on) at first boot.

 

For those particular reasons, as a general rule of thumb, people usually recommend to update the motherboard BIOS to the latest to make sure the CPU can be identified by the motherboard at first boot, reducing the hassle and saving time figuring out what went wrong to your system.