ASUS Crosshair VIII Hero / New BIOS 5101/5201/5302 (AGESA ComboV2 PI 1.2.0.F)

[criznittle]

Has anyone learned anything about this new BIOS? It claims to enhance performance, stability, compatibility, and security, which sounds like it should be a mandatory update. 

I haven't installed it yet, but I'll report back upon any noticeable changes post-update - including pre/post Cinebench scores.
If you've installed this update already, notice any differences?

It's on AGESA ComboV2 PI 1.2.0.F, and released 8/21/2025.

Update:
Post-update Cinebench R20 run was 7325 vs pre-update 7270, which could just be margin of error at less than 1%. If there are performance gains, they may not be as obvious in a synthetic benchmark. Aside from that, system has been stable since release.

Update: 9/19/2025
BIOS 5201 is already out for Picasso, Raven, Matisse, Vermeer, Renoir, and Cezanne systems. It claims to enhance security and optimize game compatibility. It contains a critical fTPM firmware upgrade, here's what I could find about it:
AMD’s fTPM (firmware TPM) has been known to cause microstuttering in Windows systems, especially during gaming or high-load scenarios. This stems from how fTPM accesses entropy for cryptographic functions, which can interrupt normal CPU operations.
ASUS notes that fTPM firmware is embedded in the CPU itself, and swapping CPUs can trigger prompts or mismatches in TPM data. BIOS 5201 likely improves compatibility and stability across different Ryzen CPUs, especially newer ones.
Some users reported persistent TPM prompts or boot issues after CPU swaps or BIOS updates. This firmware likely smooths those transitions and prevents data loss or recovery key prompts.

If this update fixes anything for you, please share the details.

Update: 10/30/2025

BIOS: 5302 releases on 10/27/2025 with enhanced stability, security, and compatibility.
Be sure to not only suspend BitLocker and make a backup of your key before updating, but also make sure you have all your MFA credentials if fTPM gets reset because Windows will invalidate your current pin and require a fresh login into Microsoft.

[Sapphire989]

Obsolete hardware won't see any performance improvements even with updates—it doesn't matter anymore.

[Asustaskroping]

Hi, What if you noticed the software glitches BSOD, with the easy optmization, TPU adjuster, the system does not respond to the program auto optmizer reload the values to startup again, i have issues on restarts so only attempted to do the cpu overclock and always set the bios back. Would even the 5002 should run the processor and motherboard utilities with no issue, have you tried to use easy optimization on dual intelligent processor 5? with the bios i use 5002 new one --5101?

[AfterShock]

I'm really surprised they even bothered with another bios update,  I guess I'll save my bios profiles and give it a try.

[Asustaskroping]

having pbo enabled fully, any legitimate way forward using the asus q-fan saving profiles for different possible released games to use minor cpu but motherboard control on the cpu / system fans 0-9% usage fan speed aligning at that area not idle or not above 10% just in those ranges *spike from 38c-46-52c in the same split second was the issue for this motherboard bios - 38c was in windows but not running 52c in bios on startup with 1000+ rpm. I gave a new curve a try manual q-fan set case fans under 5c from basically the cpu ramp up rpm, low + mid nodes.

[tweezlednutball]

So far so good.  They seem to have fixed the idle power control and also the PBO performance regression.

[ElSouthern]

I just updated tonight after dealing with random crashing since last week. The only thing I can recall doing was updating Asus HAL in Armory Crate. My PC later started crashing during gaming. Always random as well, but I noticed an entry in Event Viewer (IOMMU fault reporting has been initialized.). This always preceded each crash. Funny thing is I never had antyhing virtual related enabled in the bios. 

Checked all my drivers, checked all my hardware and ultimately ended up reinstalling the OS. Thought I was safe gaming for half the day and then it crashed again. Checked for bios update and installed it. Fingers crossed hoping this was the resolution. My pc has been running fine until I installed that HAL update on the 4th of September. "Stability" is the word of the day from that description.

[jeordiewhite]

You should probably ensure IOMMU is off in the bios if you are seeing an entry like that and make sure your chipset drivers are up to date. That being said, I do use IOMMU for giving virtualization access directly to some hardware. I don't get these sorts of crashes. 

[Asustaskroping]

Hi qfan tuning data is what i seek, aio cooler for cpu diode chip working but my curve is somehow not working for qfan in bios, using the hwinfo and data finder rpms are stuck at Minimum rpm of 700 all day, Does this seem to be to high for ryzen chips with pbo with the fan set to 650rpm  for the bottom 30c system fans working on temps for CPU source, i have presets too, but would you use turb/standard for intake case fans only / rear exhaust fan x1?

[tweezlednutball]

I ended up needing to adjust the power supply idle control as well on this bios and I also set the infinity fabric to always be at max speed like the previous bios for stability with PBO.  But it is stable and the also better performance than previous bios.  If your machine is locking up or rebooting during idle.  check these 2 options in the bios.