Acer Nitro 5 AN515-58; Download BIOS 2.10 or keep 2.09?

Purchased this laptop back in nov 2023 brand new & pc info states it was made 7/x/23
Went to do a few updates today (i have only been on it maybe 14hrs total since purchase as of work picking up)

Should I update to 2.10 or stay at 2.09? i havent used the laptop enough to know if i should or shouldnt. As i also do not know if immediately gaming or messing around on the computer such as watching/downloading games/stress testing to find out the answer.

specs:
motherboard: ADL jimny_ADH
cpu: intel 12th gen i5-12450H 2500mhz
ram: 16gb ram (8x2)
storage: nvme micron 3400 512 ssd
igpu: nvidia rtx3050ti
gpu: intel UHD graphics family
os: windows 11 23h2 build 22631.3007

if i missed any needed info please let me know as i am new to pc questions/posting via community

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JackE

Should I update to 2.10 or stay at 2.09? i havent used the laptop enough to know if i should or shouldnt.

Rule of thumb. If you can't yet identify a problem, then don't try to fix it with a BIOS update.

BIOS updates are meant to fix problems that cannot be addressed inside the Windows environment. And unlike Windows updates, BIOS updates have a much higher risk of irreversibly bricking the machine.

PinoE

well leave it to acer support to continue to confuse me.. 1 told me no and the 2nd (because always get a 2nd opinion haha) said yes. this is not a good first impression and me doing the work on support and figuring out details regarding what updates actually do.. acer is probably the worst company regarding how to figure out if what goes with what. had 5 manufacturer options and i chose the one with the worst informational manufacturer regarding their product driver/bios/firmware details. as i will game a little and see if anything catches my eye. also, would anyone know what exactly the details are regarding 2.09 and 2.10 difference between the 2 and what they actually do. mc 23 via 2.10 info has me scratching my head as in thats supposed to be common knowledge for us consumers to actually know without any details. i assume thats a model of some sort of laptop but its the principle of having to ask community than just being able to read details compared to other manufacturers. but like you said rule of thumb and one of mine are if its a hassle to work with its not worth the hassle. haha and thank you for replying!

JackE

this is not a good first impression and me doing the work on support and figuring out details regarding what updates actually do.

Most en language change-logs are vague, indecipherable, or missing. Likely due to actual coding & descriptions by chip mfrs (ie Insyde), not system assembler (ie Acer). Acer only tells the mfr what it wants the firmware & its UI to do or not do.

Joe9844

Rule #1 — Acer's wording is vague.

Rule #2 — Post 2018 BIOS updates are ALWAYS about security updates related to some sort of Intel Meltdown/Spectre variant that can ONLY be fixed by BIOS update.

Rule #3 — NEVER listen to people who tells you not to update your BIOS.

Rule #4 — Because of Rule #1 and Rule #2, ALWAYS assume that Acer BIOS updates are security updates, therefore ALWAYS update Acer BIOS.

Acer vaguely told you that the 2.10 BIOS is about security update. So it's about some security bug that needs to be patched.

There should be another Acer BIOS update in the next few months (i.e. BIOS version 2.11) for your computer to patch this November 2023 security bug. Your CPU (search for i5-12450H in the Red Hat link below) is listed as needing to be patched.

https://access.redhat.com/articles/7044453#23583

chuck33

Hey everyone,

Hope you're all doing well. Just wanted to share a situation regarding a delayed BIOS update for my Acer Nitro 5 AN515-58-75QD (NH.QFLET.002) laptop.

Since August, I've been patiently waiting for an update to fix a vulnerability I found using the Intel® Converged Security and Management Engine Version Detection Tool (Intel® CSMEVDT). Even though BIOS version 2.10 was released, the issue still persists.

In August I reached out to Acer support for some clarification, and they mentioned that their internal policy for security updates aligns with the operating system update schedule. They said the next OS update is scheduled for November 2023, at which point a new BIOS version with updated ME FW should be released. However, it's now the end of February 2024, and there's been no word about this update.