Although most of the focus is on overclocking and other performance-related options, unlocked BIOS usually contains a hidden treasure trove of options and settings that is unknown to many users. Although these back-door capabilities may radically change your system behavior, not necessarily because of raw-speed performance but because it provides you with control, system customization, and dedicated functionality. A deeper look at them makes it clear how powerful the BIOS can be in its effect on the interactions between hardware and software.
Memory Training and Sub-Timings.
The majority of the users are accustomed to memory frequency adjustments, however, an unlocked BIOS ventures much further into memory training and sub-timings. In this case, you have access to such advanced parameters as CAS latency, tRCD, and command rate. Optimization of these values can enhance stability of memory, latency and also bandwidth capacity.
This degree of customization enables maximum performance to be wringed out of high-end RAM kits to the fanatics. In the case of professionals, it gives the ability to stabilize heavy work loads that require a steady memory throughput.
Instruction Sets and CPU Microcode.
The other sleeping gold in unlocked BIOS configurations is that it is possible to control CPU microcode updates. These are tiny patches that are being provided by the manufactures to streamline the performance or correct security vulnerabilities in the processor. Unlocking in other scenarios allows you to enable or disable microcode revisions of your preference, allowing you to trade performance versus security.
Also, BIOS unlocking may expose switches of advanced CPU instruction sets, e.g. AVX, AES or virtualization extensions. The ability to activate and deactivate these instructions can be measured to have an effect on workloads such as encryption, machine learning, or 3D rendering.
Built in Graphics Control.
Although you have a dedicated graphics card, your integrated graphics processor (iGPU) graphics card is also involved in system behavior even though you have a dedicated graphics card. A loose BIOS usually allows one to control iGPU memory allocation, frequency scaling and even multi-gpu support settings.
As an illustration, an increase in system memory dedicated to the iGPU can increase the performance of gaming or video play at light loads. Instead, some complete shuts can help to consume less power and liberate some resources on the systems that only work with dedicated GPUs.
