The Tech Report writes ASUS has issued a firmware update for its H97, H87, B85, and H81 motherboards that unlocks overclocking capabilities that were disabled by Intel. This isn't the first time that a motherboard maker has discovered a way to enable overclocking on non-Z series motherboards but the trick may be short-lived as Intel will likely release a software of microcode update to once again disable these features.
The mobo maker's latest round of firmware updates for H97, H87, B85, and H81 motherboards promises overclocking support for K-series Haswell chips, including the latest Devil's Canyon derivatives and the anniversary-edition Pentium. H97 boards are limited to CPU multiplier control, but the others appear to have access to the same frequency and multiplier options as equivalent Z97 offerings—at least for a limited time. The press release warns that Intel could nix the whole thing with "software and/or firmware updates" and that future Haswell chips may not work with the scheme.
