RGB control without manufacturer tool: Dynamic Lighting in Asus' BIOS

Asus mainboards integrate Microsoft's Dynamic Lighting. This allows the RGB LEDs to be controlled without potentially unsafe tools.

Asus typically illuminates the stylistic eye on its ROG mainboards. This can now be controlled via the Windows settings.

(Image: c't)

Jul 8, 2024 at 2:51 pm CEST

2 min. read

By

Mark Mantel

Microsoft's RGB LED control Dynamic Lighting has gained a prominent supporter: Asus has enabled the function on numerous motherboards with its latest BIOS update wave. So far, the updates are available for Intel models with the 700 series chipsets and AMD variants of the 600 series.

The current BIOS version can be found on the product page of the motherboard used, under Support > Drivers & Utilities > BIOS & Firmware. Once the BIOS has been updated, the UEFI tab "LED lighting" under "Advanced" contains the menu item Windows Dynamic Lighting. This was first pointed out by The Verge editor Tom Warren.

Screenshot aus Asus UEFI mit Dynamic Lighting — Asus supports Microsoft's Dynamic Lighting with the latest BIOS updates.

(Image: c't / chh)

If the option is activated, the LEDs of the mainboard and connected hardware, such as fans or RAM modules, can be configured via the Windows settings. The Dynamic Lighting control is located in the Personalization menu item.

So far, the setting options are limited. Apart from a static light, users can set five effects, such as rainbow or wave effects. The brightness of the LEDs can also be varied.

Screenshot of Windows settings with Dynamic Lighting — If Dynamic Lighting is activated in the UEFI, the function appears in the Windows settings under Personalization.

(Image: c't / chh)

Safer and clearer

Microsoft envisages Dynamic Lighting as a collection point for controlling all RGB LEDs. In the best case scenario, you will no longer need countless tools if you use hardware and peripherals from different manufacturers. However, updates are necessary for this.

Videos by heise

Dynamic Lighting also potentially performs better in terms of security than many manufacturer tools. The latter have often attracted negative attention due to security vulnerabilities. A statement by Gigabyte support that Gigabyte is a hardware company and not a software company when it came to fixing a vulnerability remains unforgettable.

In the case of PCs, RGB tools have direct access to the hardware, for example via the System Management Bus (SMBus) or I²C. Therefore, constant updates are important when security gaps become known.

Empfohlener redaktioneller Inhalt

Mit Ihrer Zustimmung wird hier ein externer Preisvergleich (heise Preisvergleich) geladen.

Preisvergleiche immer laden

Ich bin damit einverstanden, dass mir externe Inhalte angezeigt werden. Damit können personenbezogene Daten an Drittplattformen (heise Preisvergleich) übermittelt werden. Mehr dazu in unserer Datenschutzerklärung.