Gigabyte Z790 AORUS ELITE (rev. 1.0)

Launch Stability & Compatibility

Version F1 established the initial platform baseline, with subsequent updates rapidly addressing early DDR5 memory training and peripheral compatibility. Version F3 enabled support for non-binary 24GB and 48GB memory modules and introduced GIGABYTE PerfDrive to optimize thermal-velocity behavior. This release also refined the handshake between Resizable BAR and 4G Decoding to resolve resource allocation conflicts. Display initialization failures affecting RTX 3060 series GPUs during power-up were permanently resolved in vF5, ensuring reliable POST sequences.

Feature Maturity & Hardware Support

Firmware capabilities were expanded to support Intel 14th Gen "Raptor Lake Refresh" processors starting in vF6, with specific optimizations for the Core i9-14900KS added in vF11. Version F9 overhauled the UEFI user interface and integrated Microcode 0x11D. The Intel Application Optimization (APO) framework was updated to version 9.0.11405.42569 in vF11 to improve thread scheduling on supported SKUs. Later updates extended hardware compatibility, with vF14 adding support for Intel 120/120F processors and the AI TOP Utility v4.1.1, while vF13b expanded EZ-OC support for co-branded AORUS x XPG high-frequency DDR5 modules.

Critical Security & Power Management

Significant security patching began in vF6, addressing vulnerabilities in the Download Assistant reported by Eclypsium Research, followed by vF10 which mitigated LogoFAIL UEFI exploits. To address physical processor degradation, vF12 implemented Intel Default Settings and Microcode 0x12B, the root-cause fix for Vmin Shift Instability. This protection was further strengthened in vF13 (and vF13e[Beta]) via Microcode 0x12F to address edge-case voltage drifts. Version F13e also integrated Microcode 0x3A to patch multiple INTEL-SA security alerts. Final hardening in vF14 and vF15 enforced Pre-boot DMA Protection, VT-d, IOMMU, and Secure Boot as enabled defaults.