MSI releases first final BIOS with Intel's promised performance improvements for Arrow Lake

MSI has released a final, stable BIOS for the MSI MEG Z890 Ace, just days after a handful of vendors started to push beta versions of Intel PR5-compliant BIOSes for Intel's Z890 motherboards (Credit: g01d3nm4ng0 at X). While the underlying issues inherent in the platform have already been addressed, Intel promised additional gains through a BIOS update accompanying the 0x114 microcode and updated CSME firmware by January. With verification approaching completion, other partners will likely push their final BIOS updates shortly.

Arrow Lake suffered from poor and inconsistent performance across the board at launch. Shortly after, the firm assured users of a fix by late November or early December. Almost two weeks ago, Intel released a report underlining its progress, stating that four of the five root issues that held back performance have been addressed.

The final update was promised as a BIOS patch requiring the 0x114 microcode coupled with a new CSME firmware. The microcode in question was already available through third-party forums and official BIOS releases. However, Intel clarified that the final update requires both the new 0x114 microcode and a specific CSME Firmware Kit (19.0.0.1854v2.2 or newer).

Despite being slated for launch in January, MSI's updated AMI BIOS named "7E22v1A41" is available ahead of schedule for the MEG Z890 Ace. The description confirms that this BIOS conforms to Intel PR5 standards, shipping with the 0x114 microcode and updated CSME version.

We're yet to see how much of a performance bump this patch yields. Intel says the last update will offer single-digit improvements in gaming performance (geomean of around 35 games). While it is entirely possible to download the CSME version separately, you need not do so, as official BIOS releases from vendors envelop both the microcode and the new CSME.

These updates are crucial for keeping the Arrow Lake platform in shape, as Intel's budget 65W non-K counterparts are just around the corner. In tandem with these new chips, expect partners to detail budget B860 and H810 offerings at CES in a few days. Likewise, AMD's Ryzen 9000 non-X CPUs should be announced alongside these processors. We can expect more details from Intel as we inch closer to their CES presentation.