I have encountered only a few cases that the manufacturer provides custom drivers and the reference (aka generic) drivers from chip manufacturer don't work.
I haven't encountered them very often either, but then, I almost always like to avoid having to encounter these cases like I said.
In these rare cases a message on screen warns you to quit installing the reference drivers and install the custom drivers instead, so the risk of incompatibility is very small.
The warning about the generic Intel graphics drivers can appear in the Intel Driver and Support Assistant even if the manufacturer does not provide an Intel graphics driver. On my Medion laptop this happens every time, but I just click on the link that appears below this warning, and that takes me to the page on Intel official website. So, I download the installer of their latest WHQL certified generic driver from there.
Several major brand manufacturers make PCs and laptops with nasty vendor lock-ins and/or proprietary designs that purposefully limit both serviceability and upgradeability for the sake of generating additional profit, along with the kind of customized drivers that often result in poor driver support. People keep buying these products because they believe the brand is reliable, when the reality is that, as far as the low and low/mid-priced products of the brand are concerned, the brand doesn't make very many models with good driver support besides ones that are heavily overpriced (e.g. low tech specs for the money, and standard quality marketed as being above average quality). So, the people who buy these overpriced models tend to be more easily blinded by clever salesmen, and tend to be significantly more exposed to the risk of incompatibility and to various other risks that are some ways similar to this. Nevertheless, the risk may still be small. But the consequence might not be small...
Also the only chip manufacturer I know that doesn't provide drivers on their site is Realtek. For very new audio or network Realtek cards you have to visit the motherboard/computer manufacturer support site, Realtek only provides drivers for older HD and AC'97 cards and older networks cards.
The example I gave in my previous reply is not an older network card. It's this:
Also I haven't encountered any manufacturer providing drivers exclusively from Windows Store without having them on their site.
The Microsoft Store does not provide drivers BTW. Windows Update can potentially provide drivers, and that can potentially include some or all of the additional stuff that might be needed to obtain the fully tailored experience of the hardware. Also potentially, this can include other stuff besides Microsoft Store apps. If there are no drivers on the manufacturer's website for the laptop/tablet/AIO/pre-built desktop PC, usually it means that you should look on the website of the chipmaker, at least for some of the hardware components while relying on Windows Update only for those specific components that have no driver available anywhere besides Windows Update.
However, there are some instances where drivers might be available solely through Windows Update and not on the manufacturer's website:
- Microsoft Surface devices have their drivers and firmware updates typically delivered directly through Windows Update for a streamlined experience.
- Certain OEM hardware exists where manufacturers work closely with Microsoft to ensure drivers are distributed directly via Windows Update.
And most of the times Windows Update has only the bare minimum drivers, not the full installer, and frequently earlier versions than provided by the chip manufacturer. No thanks, I want the full package without compromise.
Again, it depends on what you have. It's quite common for modern devices, especially those from well-known manufacturers like Dell, HP, Lenovo, and others, to receive fully tailored drivers through Windows Update. These manufacturers often work closely with Microsoft to ensure their hardware is fully optimized and compatible with the latest Windows updates.
However, the extent of this tailored experience can vary depending on the device and the manufacturer's commitment to providing the best possible support through Windows Update. For high-end or specialized hardware, manufacturers might still recommend downloading drivers directly from their websites to access the latest features and optimizations.
It's generally up to the manufacturers to inform users about whether their hardware's fully tailored experience is available through Windows Update or requires additional drivers from their website.
Manufacturers often provide details on their support pages or within the driver package notes about what is included and if there are any special features or additional utilities available only through their official downloads. It’s a good practice to check
both Windows Update
and the manufacturer’s website for the most comprehensive driver support and information.
PS: I recently downloaded the nVidia app. Apparently it allows for some more functions than those of nVidia Control Panel or Geforce Experience. No harm to try it.
Yeah, I read the news.
R.I.P. Control Panel?: Die neue Nvidia App löst GeForce Experience noch 2024 ab
