Gigabyte has recently launched the X870 Aorus Stealth ICE motherboard, boasting a larger BIOS compared to many of its rivals. As reported
Uniko’s Hardware
This marks the debut of an AM5 motherboard equipped with a 64MB chip, significantly bigger than the typical 16MB BIOS chips found on most AM4 boards at their introduction. Despite this increased size, known by Gigabyte as Driver BIOS, it appears that much of this extra space is primarily utilized for storing the Wi-Fi driver. According to the specs provided, the actual BIOS remains at 256 Mbit flash memory, equivalent to 32MB.
Nevertheless, having the Wi-Fi driver pre-installed on the motherboard simplifies the setup of a new computer, particularly since Microsoft now mandates creating
an online Microsoft Account
(or sign in to your existing account) when configuring Windows 11 for the initial setup. A workaround remains
l
ets you start your
new Windows PC offline
, yet this may not be recognizable to most users.
The company went beyond simply including the Wi-Fi driver pre-installed on the motherboard. They also incorporated additional user-friendly features such as the Wi-Fi EZ-Plug, which consolidates the antennas within a single adapter for simpler and neater installation. Furthermore, they included several EZ-Latch designs aimed at facilitating the addition and removal of PCIe components and M.2 drives along with their respective heat sinks. Additionally, they developed the EZ Debug Zone feature designed to assist in troubleshooting the motherboard should you encounter any issues. The company further enhanced this offering with new additions.
pressure-activated heat-dissipating pads for M.2 SSDs
, lowering operational temperatures by as much as 12 degrees Celsius.
Another wild notion regarding the newest AORUS Stealth ICE motherboard is that Gigabyte appears to have upgraded the BIOS chip IC from 32MB to 64MB to facilitate the preload of WiFi drivers. This ensures all users will be able to utilize the WiFi right away without additional setup. When Microsoft prompts you for an MS account during Windows installation,…
https://t.co/Iqdvf2zD83
pic.twitter.com/igXkWk1PGRMay 9, 2025
These advancements contribute to setting Gigabyte’s premium motherboards apart from their competitors. It would be ideal if these features, particularly the Driver BIOS capability, gradually become available in mid-range and budget-friendly motherboard models as well.
As Computex 2025 approaches, we’re looking forward to seeing whether some of these features appear on the motherboards that Gigabyte will display at the event. This might kickstart a trend where such components include a pre-installed Wi-Fi driver, making the process of setting up both the hardware and software much smoother for users.
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