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Gigabyte preps 3D UEFI BIOS for Sandy Bridge Extreme

by Parm Mann on 7 November 2011, 14:14

Tags: Gigabyte (TPE:2376)

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Gigabyte has been slow in hopping on the UEFI bandwagon, but the company is now gearing up to launch a revamped "3D BIOS" that it hopes will lure future customers.

The new-look interface, pictured below, is a far cry from BIOS screens of old and is designed to make it easier to find the system settings you're looking for.

There's no need for stereoscopic glasses (we're not talking that kind of 3D), but by displaying a picture of a slightly-rotated motherboard, Gigabyte has a created a three-dimensional effect that's attractive and easy to navigate.

For example, if you're looking to configure a RAID array, simply click on the motherboard's SATA ports and a relevant pop-up will appear. There are various clickable points on the image of the motherboard, and it's a good way to educate the user - if you're unsure about the purpose of a specific part, click on it and you'll most likely find the answer.

Not a bad idea for inexperienced BIOS users, but Gigabyte hasn't neglected BIOS regulars, either. Clicking the shortcuts across the bottom of the screen reverts the to a more traditional BIOS layout, with long lists of features that are best navigated by keyboard.

Gigabyte's approach is certainly interesting, and it'll first appear on X79 motherboards launched alongside Intel's upcoming Sandy Bridge Extreme processors. Check out the video below to see the 3D BIOS in action.



HEXUS Forums :: 7 Comments

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I think calling it ‘3D’ is a bold claim ;)

Neat I suppose - but I'm not really sure who it's going to appeal to. It's fair to say that the vast majority of people who actually play around with a BIOS are power users anyway - and not likely to be interested in this.
Yup, I think isometric would be a better term…
That's a bit naff. If they set it up so that it detected which slots and ports you'd plugged things into and showed them/allowed you to change the settings that way, it'd be way cooler/more useful.
I like it, but as someone's already said, it's an isometric projection, not 3d.

Hope the concept is taken up by other manufacturers and expanded upon.
brilliant