Utility Softwares - Drivers Questions

I have been reading these forums and learning a great deal. Some things I have come across are the tons of Windows configurations that can be done, and the unnecessarily complicated realm of drives.

What are your thoughts on software such as IoBits Advanced System Care, Driver Booster or any similar software?

Another question would be, the manufacturer's support page drivers are several versions behind what is available on the hardware manufacturers sites. What is the better approach here? Use the drivers supplied by the manufacturer, or the most recent drivers?

 

Using software for driver updates introduces another variable for things to potentially go wrong. Besides, for most pieces of hardware, I use the drivers that come directly with Windows. The only exceptions are the video card, audio, and networking, and only among those do I update the GPU with any regularity using the reference drivers provided by NVIDIA.

 

1) 90% of these driver updaters either have PUPs in them (Potentially Unwanted Programs) OR they never find the correct stuff often telling you that X driver is outdated when the newer driver it is trying to offer is not even compatible with your laptop. I've seen these tools wreak havoc on some machines.

2) That is a very valid point, take for example this, I had an MSI GT73VR Titan Pro followed by an MSI GT75 Titan 8RG both which MSI released an initial set of drivers then stopped updating them. My way of finding new drivers is, say for example I have an MSI laptop, I'd go to the drivers download page of a newer MSI model that was just released and grab the drivers from there. Most of them will work especially the Intel Chipset, IRST, Intel Management Engine Driver, Card Reader, WiFi/LAN, etc.

 

Thank you for this reply. I was wondering more in the line of getting the drivers for example the 9560ac intel wifi card from

a) Intel themself at https://downloadcenter.intel.com/product/99446/Intel-Wireless-AC-9560
Version 21.0.0.0

or

b) The MSI support page https://www.msi.com/Laptop/support/GE75-Raider-8SF#down-driver&Win10 64
Version 20.100.0.4

There are several examples of this, with most intel drivers, or the realtek audio driver where the support page drivers are older. (I have a GE75 so it should technically be up to date)

 

You're fine with either one, for Intel Drivers, go with the latest as MSI seems to take their sweet time to update

 

You can grab drivers from Microsoft as well. Usually in line with most OEM because of DCH/UWD driver https://www.catalog.update.microsoft.com/Home.aspx
I switched to MS catalog, not the latest drivers but offers more stability and reliability when Win 10 usually auto updates or do force-updates.