Question Is MSI the only MOBO maker with 32MB ROM?

r4sh1d

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Feb 21, 2012
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Based on this spreadsheet link:

It looks like MSI is the only manufacturer with updated B450 mobos (Max series) that offers 32MB ROM for BIOS image, is this true or is the info outdated?

I'm shopping for a new mobo, processor (3600 No OC), 32GB 3200, 1TB NVMe.

Thanks!

Edit: Typos.

Edit2: It seems that 16MB vs 32MB is not that big of a deal, I thought I read somewhere a while ago that it breaks options and such.
 
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Steltek

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The manufacturers which use a smaller BIOS chip just drop support for older APU/CPU modules in order to have room to add support for newer ones as the BIOS evolves.
 
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Steltek

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Or, spend a few extra dollars and just make sure whatever motherboard you buy has that manufacturer's solution for flashing a BIOS without a CPU installed. ASUS, Gigabyte, and MSI all have it on newer boards, though Asrock doesn't seem to have gone there yet.

As far as I am concerned, it should have been invented 20 years ago - I honestly don't know why it isn't a standard feature on every motherboard. Even if it costs a little more to add the feature, that cost should more than be offset by a significant reduction in support costs and RMAs on the back end.
 
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RLGL

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Or, spend a few extra dollars and just make sure whatever motherboard you buy has that manufacturer's solution for flashing a BIOS without a CPU installed. ASUS, Gigabyte, and MSI all have it on newer boards, though Asrock doesn't seem to have gone there yet.

Yes Asrock has a bios flash without CPU
 

r4sh1d

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Feb 21, 2012
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There was a spreadsheet floating around with a list of mobos with flashback, but I can't seem to find it.


I grabbed this from Reddit, it doesn't cover X570 though:

List of (B350, B450, X370, and X470) motherboards with USB BIOS Flashback.

***
ASRock (BIOS Flashback)***

None!

***ASUS (USB BIOS Flashback)***

ASUS Crosshair VI Extreme

ASUS Crosshair VI Hero

ASUS Crosshair VI Hero (Wi-Fi AC)

ASUS Crosshair VII Hero

ASUS Crosshair VII Hero (Wi-Fi)

***Gigabyte (Q-Flash Plus)***

None!

***MSI (Flash BIOS Button)*** [
]

MSI B450 Gaming Plus

MSI B450 Gaming Pro Carbon AC

MSI B450 Tomahawk

MSI B450-A Pro

MSI B450M Bazooka Plus

MSI B450M Gaming Plus

MSI B450M Mortar

MSI B450M Mortar Titanium

MSI X370 Gaming M7 ACK

MSI X370 XPower Gaming Titanium

MSI X470 Gaming M7 AC
 

Steltek

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Gigabyte's no-CPU flash solution is Q-Flash Plus. It is a feature on all of their x570 Aorus boards, as well as the x570 Gaming X, x570 UD, TRX40 Aorus, TRX40 Designaire, as well as Intel X299X Aorus and Designaire. I guess it isn't on any of their B450 boards.

I was wrong - Asrock does in fact have a no-CPU flash solution - BIOS Flashback. However, the only boards I've seen with it are apparently the x570/TRX40/x399 Taichi, the x570/TRX40 Creator, and the X570 Phantom Gaming X.
 
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r4sh1d

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Feb 21, 2012
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Yeah, I was also checking for the same thing. No B450 exists with a 32MB bios based on this spreadsheet. Even most x470 boards have 16MB chip, but no X470 board supports BIOS flashback. So its either wait for the new B450 boards from MSI or go with a more expensive x570. I have already ordered B450 Tomahawk and they say its fine, they only had to cut off the fancy UEFI UI look and support for older CPUs - which is ok with me.

I thought I read somewhere that advanced UEFI settings were removed. But it turns out they had to just remove the fancy UEFI UI look which I'm fine with.
I just can't justify the price difference of X570, not that I don't have the cash for it however.