Firmware managed by new graphical interface

Following the introduction of several new motherboards designed for Intel's upcoming Sandy Bridge processors, ASUS has also demonstrated its new UEFI system and a graphical management interface. Images posted on the Swedish site SweClockers show the new UI, which has been modernized well beyond the simple keyboard-input system of BIOS firmware.

At its core, the technology is based on the Universal Extensible Firmware Interface (UEFI), which is an evolution of the EFI used by many systems such as Mac OS X. UEFI boots processes in parallel order, rather than sequentially, helping to reduce startup time for the operating system.

The graphical interface, which now supports mouse input, allows users to adjust overclocking controls with several sliders, while shuffling the boot-drive icons changes their startup order. The interface also presents visual indications of the CPU temperature, fan speed, and voltage.

Sandy Bridge processors are expected to begin arriving on the market in January. ASUS will ship its latest motherboards around the same time.

By Electronista Staff