The motherboard is the primary big electronic circuit in your PC or laptop. All the devices and hardware, such as SSD, RAM, CPU, USB flash drive, etc., are connected to it. The BIOS (Basic input/output system) is the essential software installed in an IC chip for migrating the data and instructions among these devices and OS.
We will also discuss the necessity of updating the BIOS and your vendor’s responsibility regarding the BIOS on your motherboard. In addition to this, we will also discuss other aspects of BIOS. So, without further delays, let’s start our topic with the answer to the main question.
Do Motherboards Come With the Latest BIOS?
Whether their motherboards come with the latest BIOS or not depends on the manufacturer or seller. Most of the latest motherboards, like B550 for Ryzen 5000 processors, have the latest BIOS version installed. But don’t worry; if you have been using a mobo with an older BIOS, the vendor will update it.
Now, most of the BIOS can be updated. That is because the BIOS is nothing but the software installed in a chip on your motherboard. The motherboard manufacturers can update the BIOS as the latest version is developed. The vendor will flash the older BIOS with its latest version during this.
Some manufacturers, like AMD, provide you with a toolkit for updating your BIOS, but some don’t. That is because updating BIOS is way more complex and risky than updating an app. One only needs to update their BIOS when there is the latest CPU in the market because the update makes that CPU compatible with your mobo.
- Remove Bugs
BIOS update also removes the bugs that can occur by upgrading the CPU. The new computer processors of a particular series mostly have new functions like more cores, higher frequency, and more register size. As the CPU is the brain of a computer system, the BIOS needs upgrades to synchronize with it properly. - Upgrade Firmware
The latest BIOS will upgrade your firmware. This helps your PC to support more applications and the latest programs. It is also essential to run the operating system correctly.
Is BIOS a Hardware or Software?
BIOS is software installed in hardware; the technical term is “Firmware.” There is a small IC chip on your motherboard that contains the BIOS. BIOS is responsible for power on self-test (POST) and passes control to the bootloader for loading your operating system in the RAM for execution.
When your computer starts and you press specific keys such as “F2” or “Delete,” it usually leads to BIOS. You can change your computer settings, like overclocking, booting options, and turning certain features on and off. The latest BIOS has a better user-friendly interface than the older ones.
Most of the latest motherboards have the latest BIOS installed in them. But if not, the vendor either sends an update for updating your BIOS to the latest, or you can do this manually. In some cases, it is recommended to use the current BIOS, which should not be updated, but you can update it in other cases.
Why You Shouldn’t Upgrade Your BIOS
Upgrading BIOS is a risky and challenging task requiring many technicalities. You can even lose your motherboard for a reasonable amount of time if you don’t have a technical person if something goes wrong during the updates. Hence, we do not recommend you do this in the first place for your mobo.
Updating BIOS is unnecessary in most cases and is a different process than installing an app’s updates. You must download the correct version of BIOS that matches your motherboard model and make a bootable USB flash drive. If something goes wrong, you will lose both BIOS.
As a result, you won’t be able to start your computer’s operating system to download the correct version. Upgrading to the latest BIOS will only support your current or new hardware a bit. That is because it will hardly add new features like boosted performance and security enhancements to your computer system.
We do not recommend upgrading your motherboard’s BIOS if your computer works correctly. If there are issues regarding specific hardware, sort them out individually. If the power goes off during the BIOS flashing, your motherboard can become bricked, especially when there is no backup BIOS.
When You Should Update Your BIOS?
We recommend upgrading your motherboard if you want to install new and upgraded hardware rather than updating your BIOS. That is because it is possible that new bugs can occur after updating to the latest BIOS. But the older bugs will be removed from your PC if everything goes well.
Hence, the first and foremost reason to update your motherboard BIOS is to remove hardware-related bugs and errors. As your motherboard manufacturers develop a new version of the BIOS, you can check its new features by visiting their official website. It is good to contact tech support as well.
The other reason for updating your motherboard’s BIOS is to make specific hardware compatible with your mobo. A company may have innovated a CPU that matches the series of your current processor. And now, you need to install the latest BIOS to support that hardware so it can work properly.
How Do I Know If My BIOS Needs Updating?
Knowing this is a piece of cake when using the Microsoft Windows operating system. First, open the “Start” menu and type “Run.” Soon, you will see the Run App at the top of the menu. Just open it and type “msinfo32”. After pressing the “Enter,” a window containing all the information about your PC will pop up.
Expandable lists will be on this window’s left user interface (UI). Select the one named “System Summary.” You might not need to do this if it is selected by default. After this, you will see all the different information about your computer system on the right side of that window or form.
In this list, you can see the version of your BIOS in the “BIOS Version/Date.” Now, you need to go to the official website of your motherboard manufacturers and see the lists containing the BIOS versions for your motherboard. You will know your BIOS needs updating if the latest version is present.
Do All Motherboards Have The Same BIOS?
Every computer system’s motherboard with a different model has a different BIOS installed. BIOS is software installed in an IC chip for initializing and testing the hardware connected to your computer. The devices connected to your motherboard cannot work correctly without a BIOS.
With time, the computer hardware such as CPU, GPU, keyboard, mouse, and display monitors keep upgrading. For this upgraded hardware, the motherboard manufacturers must also upgrade the motherboards. As a result, upgrading the computer mobo requires the BIOS also to be upgraded.
That is because only an upgraded BIOS can make specific hardware compatible with the motherboard it is installed in. The operating system and the device drivers also boost with hardware like a keyboard, mouse, display monitor, and processor. Hence, a new version of OS requires a new mobo with a different BIOS.
It is necessary for establishing the communication link between the operating system and the devices connected to a motherboard. That is why every motherboard with a different model has a different BIOS installed. And each motherboard comes with the latest BIOS, especially after the release of a CPU.
Is BIOS in RAM or ROM?
RAM (random access memory) is also known as the main memory. It temporarily stores the OS, executing apps and games. As the computer shuts down, the RAM loses all of its contents. We cannot lose BIOS because the computer will not start properly without it, nor will the devices work.
That is why BIOS needs a permanent memory, especially one that cannot be changed easily. Such memory is called ROM (read-only memory); your computer system’s BIOS is stored. It is a small IC chip on your motherboard. As the name suggests, the ROM stores BIOS that can only be read or used.
However, upgrading the BIOS in the ROM on your motherboard is possible, especially when your motherboard manufacturers allow you to. It is a risky task; hence, we will not suggest you do this without the help of an expert. Instead, if you need to update your mobo BIOS badly, you’d better upgrade your mobo.
Additionally, BIOS versions are different even if they are of the same model. That is because upgrades and bug fixing keep taking place in the BIOS software to make it compatible with newly released hardware. And so, depending upon the latest version of the motherboard, you must continually update your BIOS.
Conclusion
BIOS is software installed in the IC chip of your computer’s motherboard. Different motherboards have different BIOS installed depending on the model and version. All the latest motherboards have pre-installed BIOS. Without a BIOS, your motherboard is nothing more than a circuit board.
Hey, I’m Hammad. I write for this website to help you with the IT advice about PC, RAM, CPU, Motherboard, PSU, and other PC components.
I will provide detailed guides with images, and explain step by step so you can understand the process. Check all my articles here.
