Gaming Performance / System Optimization / Useful Tweaks

Bios Options Explanations

(Motherboard Manual)

This is taken from AsRock Motherboard Manual but I also left my notes on some of the options. It may be AsRock but the options are the same for all motherboards, just some names might be different. Doesn't matter if you have ASUS or MSI board, this is also for you. Your board might have more options depending on the tier. More expensive boards tend to have more options for ex.

Link to my Bios Settings: https://n1kobg.blogspot.com/p/blog-page_26.html

In RED are the options that in one way or another are related to performance. I might of left a few, they are too much and I start skipping at the end :D

In GREEN & White are the rest.

In BLACK are those i don't know enough about and prefer not to speculate.

You can be fine with certain settings and crash after a month or more so make sure its 100% stable with MemTest64, Memtest, SuperPI or similar tool.

MemTest64: https://www.techpowerup.com/memtest64/

Highest safe 24/7 DRAM voltage is 1.45-1.54 (above 1.6v is a dangerous zone - you better actively cool it-small fan fo ex.)

Highest safe 24/7 VCCIO voltage is up to 1.25-1.35 (You can go 1.4v but need a good quality board. After 10th Gen the midrange boards became more robust)

Highest safe 24/7 VCCSA (System Agent) voltage is up to 1.25-1.35 (Same as VCCIO. Usually it can go slightly higher than VCCIO)

They say: tRAS >= CAS +tRCD+tRTP (+/- 2) & tFAW >= 4x tRRD(_S)

If you have troubles with posting on higher speed & nothing else works increase DRAM Activating Power Supply.

You can try OC the RAM on XMP but it can cause problems with timings so I recommend to disable XMP if you aim for high frequency OC. After you find the highest stable speed go to tRFC-set it to the lowest you can post - check the RAM JEDECs to see whats the lowest tRFC value. Thats usually around the lowest stable value or close to it. My HyperX FURY 2666mhz (OC to 3200mhz) RAM goes around 265-400 depending on the frequency and voltage.

When RAM OC keep the same (or similar) margins between the different timings. Remember, some XMP profiles increase the BCLK and that can cause issues when tweaking. I suggest to set BCLK to 100 manually. Try to set the CAS Latency (tcl) tRCD & tRP as lowest as u can be stable, these are related/linked to tRAS. You can try to find online stable timings for your RAM kit for the first 4 or 5 timings and work from there. If you can set stable Command Rate to 1 do it but if you have instability go back to 2. Value of 2 is also good for stability with 2 (keep it 2 on 4 or more RAM sticks). tWR & tCWL are related/linked. For tWR values below 10 can be unstable so for stability above that number.

Leave tWTR_L on Default/Auto and lower the tWRRD_sg by 1 or 2. If you post then lower tRDWR_sg, tRDWR_dg, tRDWR_dr, tRDWR_dd, and tWRWR_dr & tWRWR _dd options with 1 or 2.

You also can set tREFI double-tripple the Default value. You can try the highest value as it helps alot (especially in benchmarks). You need it as low as possible without affecting the throughput (reads/writes).

I use AIDA64, MemTest64, memtest, MemTweakIt (its ASUS app but it can be used to watch DRAM Efficiency Score, increasing tREFI lowers the score. Thats because usually you need it as low as possible (like I explained before), ASRock Timing Configurator & Of course CPU-Z.

Increase IO-L Offset (A&B channels) to the highest you can post (maybe 1-2 below the highest for stability). Start Increasing by +1 at each step & if you post the IO-L should be lower value. Watch RTL CH:A&B. They need to be the same values or differ by 1 or 2. Ideally, for gaming, they should be same values. RTL is connected to IOL and CAS(tCL) values.

Sometimes one IO-L offset channel can post but the other don't so if you increase both at once and don't post try to increase only one of them. They also must differ no more than 1 value (A channel:22, B: 23 for ex)

You can try to lower the IO-L Initial Value as well. For me 3 or 2 works fine on higher RAM voltage (4 is by default). You also could tweak RTL Initial Value as well but best leave it on Auto. Set ODT NOM around 80-100. You can disable the Fast Boot option (in RAM settings, not in Boot) - it can cause problems to RAM training sometimes.

You can try a different approach: Leave the primary (first 4) timings and tweak the 2nd, 3rd & 4th timings. That way you can have more stable OC with similar results.

These will give you a nice performance boost (if done right) and will improve the responsiveness & hit-reg. Windows will become snappier & programs will start faster. Especially combined with higher CPU cache. Bad RAM OC can cause very bad hit-reg. Good RAM OC on the other hand will feel like you have slightly more time to aim and shoot. Bad timings can be undetected for months & during that time ruin your Windows, so you need to be patient & make a lot of tests. You have to take your time here. Dont rush it. The lowest timings possible is not the best strategy. In fact its a rookie mistake. The timings are connected & have to work in unison.

These are probably some the most important options:

CAS# (tCL) ; RAS# to CAS# (tRCDtRP) ; RAS#(tRAS) ; Command Rate(CR) - usually 1 (performance) or 2 (stability) ; Refresh Cycle Time(tRFC) ; CAS Write Latency(tCWL) ; rAS to RAS Delay ; Write to Read Delay ; tREFI ; tCKE ;tRDWRs ; IO-L Init Value ; IO-L Offset; tRDWR_sg; tRDWR_dg; tRDWR_dr; tRDWR_dd and tWRWR_dr; tWRWR_dd.

CPU Configuration

Multi Core Enhancement (MCE)
Improve the system's performance by forcing the CPU to perform the highest frequency on all CPU cores simultaneously. Disable to reduce power consumption

CPU Ratio
the CPU speed is determined by the CPU Ratio multiplied with the BCLK. Increasing the CPU Ratio will increase the internal CPU clock speed without affecting the clock speed of other components.

CPU Cache Ratio
the CPU Internal Bus Speed Ratio. the maximum should be the same as the CPURatio.

Minimum CPU Cache Ratio
Set the minimum CPU Internal Bus Speed Ratio.

BCLK Frequency
The CPU speed is determined by the CPU Ratio multiplied with the BCLK. Increasing the BCLK will increase the internal CPU clock speed but also affect the clock speed of other components. In CometLake (10000s) Intel decoupled the Base Clock from DMI which give more flexibility in Overclocking & potentially can increase the stability or get better performance. Unfortunately not all bboard vendors add this option in bios.

BCLK Step
Configure the BCLK Step Value.

BCLK Reset Range
Configure the BCLK Reset Range.

Spread Spectrum
Enable Spread Spectrum to reduce electromagnetic interference for passing EMI tests. Disable to achieve higher clock speeds when overclocking. Its a motherboard VRM feature.

CPU Amplitude
Configure the CPU Amplitude.

Boot Performance Mode

Select the performance state that the BIOS will set before OS handoff. That option affects the time until Windows boots & determines whether the system will be in power safe mode or will be at the highest performance state to the moment it boots in Windows. I think it controls the CPU ratio if im not mistaken. This can be used for laptops to safe power & battery but it can also help with high OC. I leave it untouched but for slightly faster boot times you can set it to Performance Mode at the expense of higher power consumption. It can also help with stability if you have aggressive BIOS settings (sometimes you can boot, sometimes you cant post). In rare occasions, if the OC is too aggressive, it can cause the system to crash in Performance Mode.
(Just some thoughts on Intel SpeedStep Technology for 9 & 10 Gen Intel CPUs)
It can even kill your chip if the Overclock is bad. Some people disable SpeedStep & leave the CPU to stay to the max frequency all the time. Its similar (but not the same) as to set this to Windows High Performance based Power Mode all the time. Dont do that with the new Intel chips if you have aggressive OC. If the CPU uses a lot of voltage & power and all power saving features are disabled you can kill or degrade your chip. Of course, the current is what kills CPUs but I would NOT leave these settings on voltage above 1.4-1.45 for 24/7. You can disable all C-States & everything but better not SpeedStep for every day use. If you have lower frequency chip you can disable it safely. But for Intel 9 & 10series-NO. These chips push the 14nm to the limit and its not design for that. 8700k is just 6 cores but 8+cores is too much for this architecture. Even 8700k depending whats your OC. I mean you can do whatever you want but there is a bigger risk involved than lets say Skylake or KabyLake & older. You need a beefy motherboard with good VRM for that kind of use.

Reliability Stress Restrictor
Disable or Enable Reliability Stress Restrictor feature

FCLK Frequency
Configure the FCLK Frequency.

Intel SpeedStep Technology
Intel SpeedStep technology allows processors to switch between multiple frequencies and voltage points for better power saving and heat dissipation. In the past overclockers disabled that feature but disabling this option now is not recommended with the latest Intel chips. Disabling this option means that you wont have control over the Power Plans in Windows because it will stay to High Performance Mode all the time. I recommend using Balanced for everyday use (Internet Browser, Music, Movies ect) and High Performance or similar mode for gaming or other demanding tasks. The opposite for long periods of time is just stupid & Lazy.

Intel Turbo Boost Technology
Intel Turbo Boost Technology enables the processor to run above its base operating frequency when the operating system requests the highest performance state.

Long Duration Power Limit
Configure Package Power Limit 1 in watts. When the limit is exceeded, the CPU ratio will be lowered ater a period of time. A lower limit can protect the CPU and save power, while a higher limit may improve performance.

Long Duration Maintained
Configure the period of time until the CPU ratio is lowered when the LongDuration Power Limit is exceeded.

Short Duration Power Limit
Configure Package Power Limit 2 in watts. When the limit is exceeded, the CPU ratio will be lowered immediately. A lower limit can protect the CPU and save power, while a higher limit may improve performance.

System Agent Current Limit
Configure the current limit of the system agent. A lower limit can protect the CPU and save power, while a higher limit may improve performance.

CPU Core Current Limit
Configure the current limit of the CPU core. A lower limit can protect the CPU and save power, while a higher limit may improve performance.

GT Slice Current Limit
Configure the current limit of the GT slice. A lower limit can protect the CPU and save power, while a higher limit may improve performance.

GT Slice Frequency
Configure the frequency of the integrated Slice GPU

DRAM Configuration

DRAM Tweaker
Fine-tune the DRAM settings by leaving marks in checkboxes. Click OK to confirm and apply your new settings.

DRAM Timing Configuration

Load XMP Setting
Load XMP settings to overclock the memory and perform beyond standard specifications. That's pre-programmed settings stored in a chip on the RAM, optimized for better performance. Its essentially a sanctioned/approved, safe overclocking.

DRAM Reference Clock
Select Auto for optimized settings.

DRAM Frequency
If [Auto] is selected, the motherboard will detect the memory module(s) inserted and assign the appropriate frequency automatically.

DRAM Frequency OC Preset
If the DRAM frequency is selected, the corresponding DRAM and BCLK frequency for overclocking will be set.

Performance Enhance: This option is on Gigabyte boards, determines how to Auto-tune the RAM settings.

Primary Timings

CAS# Latency (Column Address Strobe) or (tCL)
The time between sending a column address to the memory and the beginning of the data in response. This is the number of cycles that occur before processing the data (read & write). The lower that number is the sooner it starts processing the data.

RAS# to CAS# Delay and Row Precharge (tRCD tRP)

RAS# to CAS# Delay : The number of clock cycles required between the opening of a row of memory and accessing columns within it.

Row Precharge: The number of clock cycles required between the issuing of the precharge command and opening the next row. how long it takes for the memory to stop accessing one row, build up a charge, and access another.

RAS# Active Time (tRAS)
The number of clock cycles required between a bank active command and issuing the precharge command.

Command Rate (CR)
The delay between when a memory chip is selected and when the first active command can be issued. With another word the number of cycles between memory chip selection and when start sending commands. 1T is faster but if you have issues 2T is better for compatibility. If you have 4 or more sticks for ex. or high RAM frequency, 2t is the way to go.

Secondary Timings

Write Recovery Time (tWR)
The amount of delay that must elapse ater the completion of a valid write operation, before an active bank can be precharged.

Refresh Cycle Time (tRFC)
The number of clocks from a Refresh command until the first Activate command to the same rank.

RAS to RAS Delay (tRRD_L)
The number of clocks between two rows activated in different banks of the same rank.

RAS to RAS Delay (tRRD_S)
The number of clocks between two rows activated in different banks of the same rank.

Write to Read Delay (tWTR_L)
The number of clocks between the last valid write operation and the next read command tothe same internal bank.

Write to Read Delay (tWTR_S)
The number of clocks between the last valid write operation and the next read command to the same internal bank.

Read to Precharge (tRTP)
The number of clocks that are inserted between a read command to a row precharge command to the same rank.

Four Activate Window (tFAW)
The time window in which four activates are allowed the same rank.

CAS Write Latency (tCWL)
Configure CAS Write Latency.

Third Timings

tREFI
Configure refresh cycles at an average periodic interval

tCKE
Configure the period of time the DDR4 initiates a minimum of one refresh command internally once it enters Self-Refresh mode.

tRDRD_sg
Configure between module read to read delay.

tRDRD_dg
Configure between module read to read delay.

tRDRD_dr
Configure between module read to read delay.

tRDRD_dd
Configure between module read to read delay.

tRDWR_sg
Configure between module read to write delay.

tRDWR_dg
Configure between module read to write delay.tRDWR_drConigure between module read to write delay.

tRDWR_dd
Configure between module read to write delay.

tWRRD_sg
Configure between module write to read delay.

tWRRD_dg
Configure between module write to read delay.

tWRRD_dr
Configure between module write to read delay.

tWRRD_dd
Configure between module write to read delay.

tWRWR_sg
Configure between module write to write delay.

tWRWR_dg
Configure between module write to write delay.

tWRWR_dr
Configure between module write to write delay.

tWRWR_dd
Configure between module write to write delay.

RTL (CH A)
Configure round trip latency for channel A.

RTL (CH B)
Configure round trip latency for channel B.

IO-L (CH A)
Conigure IO latency for channel A.

IO-L (CH B)
Conigure IO latency for channel B.

Fourth Timing

Here You Can Improve Mostly The Throughput. Most Boards Have Decent Auto Settings.

twRPRE
Conigure twRPRE.

Write_Early_ODT
Configure Write_Early_ODT.

tAONPD
Configure tAONPD.

tXP
Configure tXP.

tXPDLL
Configure tXPDLL

tPRPDEN
Configure tPRPDEN.

tRDPDEN
Conigure tRDPDEN.

twRPDEN
Configure twRPDEN.

OREF_RI
Configure OREF_RI.

tREFIx9
Configure tREFIx9.

txSDLL
Configure txSDLL.

txs_offset
Configure txs_ofset.

tZQOPER
Configure tZQOPER.

tMOD
Conigure tMOD.

ZQCS_period
Conigure ZQCS_period.

tZQCS
Configure tZQCS.

Advanced Setting

These ODT options can improve performance just by setting the right settings. Auto is best most of the time though.

ODT WR (CH A)
Conigure the memory on die termination resistors' WR for channel A.

ODT WR (CH B)
Conigure the memory on die termination resistors' WR for channel B

ODT PARK (CH A)
Configure the memory on die termination resistors' PARK for channel A.

ODT PARK (CH B)
Configure the memory on die termination resistors' PARK for channel B.

ODT NOM (CH A)
Use this to change ODT (CH A) Auto/Manual settings. The default is [Auto]. My favorite settings are b/w 80 - 120

ODT NOM (CH B)
Use this to change ODT (CH B) Auto/Manual settings. The default is [Auto]. My favorite settings are b/w 80 - 120.

MRC Fast Boot
Enable Memory Fast Boot to skip DRAM memory training for booting faster.
Voltage Configuration. Disabling this can help with RAM OC stability.

CPU Vcore Voltage
Configure the voltage for the CPU Vcore.

SET OV
Overvoltage. This function allows override of normal operation to overvoltage of 2.455.

DRAM Voltage
Use this to configure DRAM Voltage. The default value is [Auto].

DRAM Activating Power Supply
Conigure the voltage for the DRAM Activating Power Supply. This will increase the initial voltage on boot. It can help a RAM overclock to post on boot.

PCH +1.0 Voltage
Conigure the chipset voltage (1.0V).

VCCIO Voltage
VCCIO Voltage conigures the voltage for the VCCIO.

VCC PLL Voltage
Conigure the chipset voltage (1.50V).

VCCSA Voltage
Configure the voltage for the VCCSA. System Agent Voltage.

Intel Hyper Threading Technology

Intel Hyper-Threading Technology allows multiple threads to run on each core, so that the overall performance on threaded software is improved. Depending on the CPU generation HT can get from 15 to 35% more throughput thus increasing the performance in some situations, if the program/game is optimized for HT. With that said there are many games and programs that dont scale with HT and disabling it can improve the performance. Some games benefit from HT enable, other from HT disabled. Disabling HT also can improve the OC potential and will reduce the CPU temps a bit. HT also increases the latency by a small amount. When you trying to decide whether to disable it, keep in mind the CPU usage %. If the CPU is working on 90% for ex. HT can be a good thing because can keep you from CPU bottleneck.

Active Processor Cores
Select the number of cores to enable in each processor package.

CPU C States Support
Enable CPU C States Support for power saving. It is recommended to keep C3, C6and C7 all enabled for better power saving.

Enhanced Halt State (C1E)
Enable Enhanced Halt State (C1E) for lower power consumption. Power-Saving feature.

Package C State Support
Enable CPU, PCIe, Memory, Graphics C State Support for power saving.CPU Thermal ThrottlingEnable CPU internal thermal control mechanisms to keep the CPU from overheating. Power-Saving feature.

No-Execute Memory Protection
Processors with No-Execution Memory Protection Technology may prevent certain classes of malicious buffer overflow attacks.

Intel Virtualization Technology
Intel Virtualization Technology allows a platform to run multiple operating systems and applications in independent partitions so that one computer system can function as multiple virtual systems. You need that option enabled if you want to run a Virtual Machine in your OS.

Hardware Prefetcher
Automatically prefetch data and code for the processor. Enable for better performance. Don't disable this option. No matter what they say.

Adjacent Cache Line Prefetch
Automatically prefetch the subsequent cache line while retrieving the currently requested cache line. Enable for better performance. Don't disable this option. No matter what they say.

Primary Graphics Adapter
Select a primary VGA.

VT-d

Intel® Virtualization Technology for Directed I/O helps your virtual machine monitor better utilize hardware by improving application compatibility and reliability, and providing additional levels of manageability, security, isolation, and I/O performance. If you want to use DCA & NetDMA you need to enable this function (or VT-x). VT-d is better than VT-x. It has direct I/O access to the hardware. They improve the performance in Virtual Machine environment. In WIn7 & 8 you can control DCA & NetDMA & disable them if you want, but in Win10 i think that's done by the driver automatically since there is no downside when enabled.

PCIE Link Speed

Select the link speed for PCIE Slots. AUTO switches between PCIE2 & 3 on the fly. If you aim for the highest possible GPU Overclock and the GPU crashes choose AUTO. PCIE v3.0 can cause a crash on high OC sometimes but it's good to enable it.

PCIE ASPM Support
this option enables/disables the ASPM support for all CPU downstream devices.

PCH PCIE ASPM Support
this option enables/disables the ASPM support for all PCH PCIE devices.
DMI ASPM Support
this option enables/disables the control of ASPM on CPU side of the DMI Link.

PCH DMI ASPM Support
this option enables/disables the ASPM support for all PCH DMI devices.

Share Memory
Configure the size of memory that is allocated to the integrated graphics processor when the system boots up.

IGPU Multi-Monitor
Select disable to disable the integrated graphics when an external graphics card is installed. Select enable to keep the integrated graphics enabled at all times.

Render Standby
Power down the render unit when the GPU is idle for lower power consumption.

Inte(R) Ethernet Connection I219-V
Enable or disable the onboard network interface controller (Intel® I219V).

Onboard HD Audio
Enable/disable onboard HD audio. Set to Auto to enable onboard HD audio and automatically disable it when a sound card is installed.

Front Panel
Enable/disable front panel HD audio.

Deep Sleep
Configure deep sleep mode for power saving when the computer is shut down.

Restore on AC/Power Loss
Select the power state after a power failure. If [Power Of] is selected, the power will remain of when the power recovers. If [Power On] is selected, the system will start to boot up when the power recovers

Good Night LED
By enabling Good Night LED, the Power/HDD LEDs will be switched of when the system is on. It will also automatically switch of the Power and Keyboard LEDs when the system enters into Standby/Hibernation mode

Legacy USB Support
Enable or disable Legacy OS Support for USB 2.0 devices. If you encounter USB compatibility issues it is recommended to disable legacy USB support. Select UEFISetup Only to support USB devices under the UEFI setup and Windows/Linux operating systems only.

Port 60/64 Emulation
Enable the support of I/O port 60h/64h emulation. his should be enabled for the complete USB keyboard legacy support for non-USB aware OS.*Enable this option if you install Windows 7

Dehumidifier - This option is for wet climates. When you set it the computer automatically turns on from time to time and speed up the fans for a few minutes because if the climate is too wet it can hurt the PC components. That way it keeps the PC dry.

Fast Boot

Fast Boot minimizes your computer's boot time. In fast mode you may not boot from USB storage device. Ultra Fast mode is only supported by Windows 8.1+ and the VBIOS must support UEFI GOP if you are using an external graphics card. Ultra Fast mode will boot so fast that the only way to enter this UEFI Setup Utility is to Clear CMOS or run the Restart to UEFI utility in Windows.

These Settings Will Skip Some Security Checks You Dont Need All The Time. That Way You Will Boot To Windows Faster. But USB Flash Drives Might Not Work On Some Boards, Depending On How They Are Configured. So Disable If You Need To Use USB Flash Drive. UltraFast Is Fastest BUT You Cant (very hard) Go In Bios With Del or F2 keys With That Option. The Only two Ways Are To Clear C-Mos (this will reset your OC) Or With RestartToUEFI Tool or Use My GPU Booster Program Which Has an Option to Boot Straight in UEFI/BIOS. Fast Is More Convenient.
Dont listen to those people who tell you to disable it, they dont know better and confuse the information they read in Google with another option with the same name (Fast Boot) in the Memory Settings. This is different. There is no other downside. Disable only when you install new Windows or have a problem locating a USB drive. Someone said something about mouse incompatibility problems but if you set you mouse & keyboard in the top USB slots you'll be just fine.

CSM (Compatibility Support Module)
CSMEnable to launch the Compatibility Support Module. Please do not disable unless you're running a WHCK test. If you are using Windows 8.1 64-bit and all of your devices support UEFI, you may also disable CSM for faster boot speed.

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