Solved Windows vs. Dell Drivers?


Alexey2912

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Location
Aiea, Honolulu HI
OS
Windows 11 Pro 23H2 (22631.3296).
Hi,

After W11 install and updating, should I let windows drivers install OR update later by Dell laptop drivers, or it doesn't matter.

If it does, all Dell drivers or only the urgent, latest for the 5510?

Thanks.
 
Windows Build/Version
21H2. 22000.434
Last edited:

My Computers

System One System Two

  • OS
    Windows 11 Pro 23H2 (22631.3296).
    Computer type
    Laptop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Dell Inspiron i5 5510
    CPU
    core i7 11th gen
    Memory
    16 GB DDR4 @3200 MHz
    Hard Drives
    1 TB SSD M.2 NVMe
    Keyboard
    Dell Premier Multi-Device Wireless Keyboard and Mouse – KM7321W
    Browser
    Brave.
    Other Info
    Edifier speakers. (Thanks to @Edwin).
  • Operating System
    W11
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    Manufacturer/Model
    XPS Special Edition
    CPU
    11th Gen Intel® Core i7-11700 processor
    Memory
    32 GB, 2 x 16 GB, DDR4, 2933 MHz, dual channel
    Graphics card(s)
    NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 12GB GDDR6
    Hard Drives
    2TB M.2 PCIe NVMe SSD
Is it possible to downland multiple Dell drivers for the laptop in 1 go vs. downloading each?

Thanks.DR.png
 
Last edited:

My Computers

System One System Two

  • OS
    Windows 11 Pro 23H2 (22631.3296).
    Computer type
    Laptop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Dell Inspiron i5 5510
    CPU
    core i7 11th gen
    Memory
    16 GB DDR4 @3200 MHz
    Hard Drives
    1 TB SSD M.2 NVMe
    Keyboard
    Dell Premier Multi-Device Wireless Keyboard and Mouse – KM7321W
    Browser
    Brave.
    Other Info
    Edifier speakers. (Thanks to @Edwin).
  • Operating System
    W11
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    Manufacturer/Model
    XPS Special Edition
    CPU
    11th Gen Intel® Core i7-11700 processor
    Memory
    32 GB, 2 x 16 GB, DDR4, 2933 MHz, dual channel
    Graphics card(s)
    NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 12GB GDDR6
    Hard Drives
    2TB M.2 PCIe NVMe SSD
Dell, HP, and Lenovo have software to find the latest drivers.
These are the best tested drivers.
Windows updates can be used too.

Dell updates are specific for the Dell model.

Windows updates may be applicable for multiple models or manufacturers (for the hardware).

The HP software can run overnight.
For Dell you'll need to view/test the options.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 10
    Computer type
    Laptop
    Manufacturer/Model
    HP
    CPU
    Intel(R) Core(TM) i7-4800MQ CPU @ 2.70GHz
    Motherboard
    Product : 190A Version : KBC Version 94.56
    Memory
    16 GB Total: Manufacturer : Samsung MemoryType : DDR3 FormFactor : SODIMM Capacity : 8GB Speed : 1600
    Graphics Card(s)
    NVIDIA Quadro K3100M; Intel(R) HD Graphics 4600
    Sound Card
    IDT High Definition Audio CODEC; PNP Device ID HDAUDIO\FUNC_01&VEN_111D&DEV_76E0
    Hard Drives
    Model Hitachi HTS727575A9E364
    Antivirus
    Microsoft Defender
    Other Info
    Mobile Workstation
Dell, HP, and Lenovo have software to find the latest drivers.
These are the best tested drivers.
Windows updates can be used too.

Dell updates are specific for the Dell model.

Windows updates may be applicable for multiple models or manufacturers (for the hardware).

The HP software can run overnight.
For Dell you'll need to view/test the options.


Thanks for the expert advice. Like this Dell Assist agentDA.png
 

My Computers

System One System Two

  • OS
    Windows 11 Pro 23H2 (22631.3296).
    Computer type
    Laptop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Dell Inspiron i5 5510
    CPU
    core i7 11th gen
    Memory
    16 GB DDR4 @3200 MHz
    Hard Drives
    1 TB SSD M.2 NVMe
    Keyboard
    Dell Premier Multi-Device Wireless Keyboard and Mouse – KM7321W
    Browser
    Brave.
    Other Info
    Edifier speakers. (Thanks to @Edwin).
  • Operating System
    W11
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    Manufacturer/Model
    XPS Special Edition
    CPU
    11th Gen Intel® Core i7-11700 processor
    Memory
    32 GB, 2 x 16 GB, DDR4, 2933 MHz, dual channel
    Graphics card(s)
    NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 12GB GDDR6
    Hard Drives
    2TB M.2 PCIe NVMe SSD
Yes, please run Get drivers & downloads.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 10
    Computer type
    Laptop
    Manufacturer/Model
    HP
    CPU
    Intel(R) Core(TM) i7-4800MQ CPU @ 2.70GHz
    Motherboard
    Product : 190A Version : KBC Version 94.56
    Memory
    16 GB Total: Manufacturer : Samsung MemoryType : DDR3 FormFactor : SODIMM Capacity : 8GB Speed : 1600
    Graphics Card(s)
    NVIDIA Quadro K3100M; Intel(R) HD Graphics 4600
    Sound Card
    IDT High Definition Audio CODEC; PNP Device ID HDAUDIO\FUNC_01&VEN_111D&DEV_76E0
    Hard Drives
    Model Hitachi HTS727575A9E364
    Antivirus
    Microsoft Defender
    Other Info
    Mobile Workstation
Yes, please run Get drivers & downloads.

I did, had 3 new software updates, downloaded, installed required a reboot besides other tests.

Thanks.
 

My Computers

System One System Two

  • OS
    Windows 11 Pro 23H2 (22631.3296).
    Computer type
    Laptop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Dell Inspiron i5 5510
    CPU
    core i7 11th gen
    Memory
    16 GB DDR4 @3200 MHz
    Hard Drives
    1 TB SSD M.2 NVMe
    Keyboard
    Dell Premier Multi-Device Wireless Keyboard and Mouse – KM7321W
    Browser
    Brave.
    Other Info
    Edifier speakers. (Thanks to @Edwin).
  • Operating System
    W11
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    Manufacturer/Model
    XPS Special Edition
    CPU
    11th Gen Intel® Core i7-11700 processor
    Memory
    32 GB, 2 x 16 GB, DDR4, 2933 MHz, dual channel
    Graphics card(s)
    NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 12GB GDDR6
    Hard Drives
    2TB M.2 PCIe NVMe SSD
I've noticed some of the Dell drivers are several versions older then the windows or manufacturer drivers especially the Intel and NVIDIA drivers. For example the latest Dell NVIDIA is 23 Sep ver 30.0.14.7135 vs the 15 Dec ver 30.0.14.9729 from NVIDIA so I'm never sure which Intel and NVIDIA drivers I should go with. There doesn't seem to be a general consensus on which to use. I usually go with the latest and haven't noticed a problem thus far. I'm curious what Dell specific benefits if any are in their driver versions.
 

My Computers

System One System Two

  • OS
    Windows 11 22H2
    Computer type
    Laptop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Alienware M17 R3
    CPU
    Intel Core i7-10750H (Comet Lake)
    Motherboard
    Alienware
    Memory
    32GB DDR4
    Graphics Card(s)
    NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 and Intel UHD Graphics
    Sound Card
    Realtek ALC3281-CG
    Monitor(s) Displays
    17"
    Screen Resolution
    3840x2160
    Hard Drives
    Micron 2300 NVMe 1TB
    PC SN530 NVMe WDC 512GB
    Mouse
    Logitech MX Master 3
    Internet Speed
    60mbps
    Browser
    Vivaldi and Firefox
    Antivirus
    MS Defender and Malwarebytes Free
  • Operating System
    Windows 11 22H2
    Computer type
    Laptop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Microsoft Surface Laptop 3
    CPU
    Intel Core i7-1065G7 (Ice Lake)
    Motherboard
    Microsoft Corp.
    Memory
    16GB DDR4
    Graphics card(s)
    Intel Iris Plus Graphics
    Sound Card
    Omnisonic Speakers with Dolby Audio
    Monitor(s) Displays
    13.5” PixelSense Touchscreen Display
    Screen Resolution
    2256x1504
    Hard Drives
    Toshiba Memory 512GB
    Mouse
    Surface Arc Mouse
    Internet Speed
    60 mbps
    Browser
    Vivaldi and Firefox
    Antivirus
    MS Defender and Malwarebytes Free
The drivers posted on the Dell website are the best tested drivers.

Dell cannot continue updating the drivers (in a timely fashion) for each model and this happens with Windows updates.

So Windows often has the latest drivers.

There can be bugs with the latest drivers (they are the least tested).

So when there are problems you can start with the best tested drivers and modify drivers to the most up to date drivers.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 10
    Computer type
    Laptop
    Manufacturer/Model
    HP
    CPU
    Intel(R) Core(TM) i7-4800MQ CPU @ 2.70GHz
    Motherboard
    Product : 190A Version : KBC Version 94.56
    Memory
    16 GB Total: Manufacturer : Samsung MemoryType : DDR3 FormFactor : SODIMM Capacity : 8GB Speed : 1600
    Graphics Card(s)
    NVIDIA Quadro K3100M; Intel(R) HD Graphics 4600
    Sound Card
    IDT High Definition Audio CODEC; PNP Device ID HDAUDIO\FUNC_01&VEN_111D&DEV_76E0
    Hard Drives
    Model Hitachi HTS727575A9E364
    Antivirus
    Microsoft Defender
    Other Info
    Mobile Workstation
The drivers posted on the Dell website are the best tested drivers.

Dell cannot continue updating the drivers (in a timely fashion) for each model and this happens with Windows updates.

So Windows often has the latest drivers.

There can be bugs with the latest drivers (they are the least tested).

So when there are problems you can start with the best tested drivers and modify drivers to the most up to date drivers.
I guess that makes since then, go with the latest and roll back to Dell's if you have any problems.
 

My Computers

System One System Two

  • OS
    Windows 11 22H2
    Computer type
    Laptop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Alienware M17 R3
    CPU
    Intel Core i7-10750H (Comet Lake)
    Motherboard
    Alienware
    Memory
    32GB DDR4
    Graphics Card(s)
    NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 and Intel UHD Graphics
    Sound Card
    Realtek ALC3281-CG
    Monitor(s) Displays
    17"
    Screen Resolution
    3840x2160
    Hard Drives
    Micron 2300 NVMe 1TB
    PC SN530 NVMe WDC 512GB
    Mouse
    Logitech MX Master 3
    Internet Speed
    60mbps
    Browser
    Vivaldi and Firefox
    Antivirus
    MS Defender and Malwarebytes Free
  • Operating System
    Windows 11 22H2
    Computer type
    Laptop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Microsoft Surface Laptop 3
    CPU
    Intel Core i7-1065G7 (Ice Lake)
    Motherboard
    Microsoft Corp.
    Memory
    16GB DDR4
    Graphics card(s)
    Intel Iris Plus Graphics
    Sound Card
    Omnisonic Speakers with Dolby Audio
    Monitor(s) Displays
    13.5” PixelSense Touchscreen Display
    Screen Resolution
    2256x1504
    Hard Drives
    Toshiba Memory 512GB
    Mouse
    Surface Arc Mouse
    Internet Speed
    60 mbps
    Browser
    Vivaldi and Firefox
    Antivirus
    MS Defender and Malwarebytes Free
As an expert user and Computer Technician, I would install all official Dell drivers, avoid Windows Update, and then update only the graphics drivers from nVidia to have the latest. For fellows with old hardware, any Windows 11 or 10 64-bit or 8 64-bit or 7 64-bit or even Vista 64-bit driver works in 11, except for some Intel Windows 7 64-bit graphics drivers that are deliberately made to fail when trying to install on Windows 8 or newer to force us upgrade our systems.
 

My Computers

System One System Two

  • OS
    Windows 11 Pro 23H2 64-bit (build 22631.3235)
    Computer type
    Laptop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Acer Extensa 5630EZ
    CPU
    Mobile DualCore Intel Core 2 Duo T7250, 2000 MHz
    Motherboard
    Acer Extensa 5630
    Memory
    4GB
    Graphics Card(s)
    Mobile Intel(R) GMA 4500M (Mobile 4 series)
    Sound Card
    Realtek ALC268 @ Intel 82801IB ICH9 - High Definition Audio Controller
    Monitor(s) Displays
    1
    Screen Resolution
    1280x800
    Hard Drives
    Samsung SSD 850 EVO 250GB SATA Device (250 GB, SATA-III)
    Internet Speed
    VDSL 50 Mbps
    Browser
    MICROSOFT EDGE
    Antivirus
    WINDOWS DEFENDER
    Other Info
    Legacy MBR installation, no TPM, no Secure Boot, no WDDM 2.0 graphics drivers, cannot get more unsupported ;) This is only my test laptop. I had installed Windows 11 here before upgrading my main PC. For my main PC I use everyday see my 2nd system specs.
  • Operating System
    Windows 11 Pro v23H2 (build 22631.3235)
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Custom-built PC
    CPU
    Intel Core-i7 3770 3.40GHz s1155 (3rd generation)
    Motherboard
    Asus P8H61 s1155 ATX
    Memory
    2x Kingston Hyper-X Blu 8GB DDR3-1600
    Graphics card(s)
    Gainward NE5105T018G1-1070F (nVidia GeForce GTX 1050Ti 4GB GDDR5)
    Sound Card
    Realtek HD audio (ALC887)
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Sony Bravia KDL-19L4000 19" LCD TV via VGA
    Screen Resolution
    1440x900 32-bit 60Hz
    Hard Drives
    Patriot Burst Elite 480GB SSD as system disk, Western Digital Caviar Purple 4TB SATA III (WD40PURZ) as second
    PSU
    Thermaltake Litepower RGB 550W Full Wired
    Case
    SUPERCASE MIDI-TOWER
    Cooling
    Stock Intel CPU Fan, 1x 8cm fan at the back
    Mouse
    Sunnyline OptiEye PS/2
    Keyboard
    Mitsumi 101-key PS/2
    Internet Speed
    100Mbps
    Browser
    Microsoft Edge, Mozilla Firefox
    Antivirus
    Microsoft Windows Defender
    Other Info
    Legacy BIOS (MBR) installation, no TPM, no Secure Boot, WDDM 3.0 graphics drivers, WEI score 7.4
Other than graphics drivers, if something is working with the driver it has, regardless of where it came from, I leave it alone. Updated drivers are really not necessary in most cases. I only do it if the newer driver has security fixes or has better features. I go with the drivers that Windows provides 95% of the time.
 

My Computers

System One System Two

  • OS
    Windows 11 Home
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Custom built
    CPU
    AMD Ryzen 5 5600X
    Motherboard
    MSI B550-A Pro
    Memory
    16 GB Corsair Vengeance LPX DDR4-3200
    Graphics Card(s)
    PowerColor Red Devil Radeon RX 6600XT with 8GB GDDR6
    Sound Card
    Realtek integrated
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Acer Nitro 24" RG241Y 144hz refresh rate
    Screen Resolution
    1920 X 1080
    Hard Drives
    Western Digital Black SN770 1 TB NVMe SSD
    Samsung 860 QVO 1 TB SATA SSD
    Seagate Barracuda 1 TB HDD
    PSU
    LEPA B650 650 watt
    Case
    Enermax Coenus
    Cooling
    Cooler Master Hyper T4 air
    Keyboard
    CM Storm Devastator
    Mouse
    E-Blue Cobra Jr.
    Internet Speed
    100mbs
    Browser
    Microsoft Edge Chromium
    Antivirus
    Microsoft Defender
    Other Info
    Optical Drives: LG DVD-RW and Pioneer BluRay/ DVD burner
  • Operating System
    Windows 11 Home
    Computer type
    Laptop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Asus ROG Zephyrus G14
    CPU
    AMD Ryzen 9 6900HS
    Motherboard
    Asus board (GA402RK)
    Memory
    16 GB Samsung DDR5-4800
    Graphics card(s)
    Integrated Radeon 680M and discrete Radeon RX 6800S with 8GB GDDR6
    Sound Card
    Integrated Realtek with Dolby Atmos
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Laptop screen 14" WQXGA, IPS, 120hz refresh rate
    Screen Resolution
    2560 X 1600
    Hard Drives
    1TB PCIe Gen 4 SSD (WD Black SN850)
    PSU
    Battery power and Asus power brick/adapter. Also has USB-C charging
    Case
    Laptop
    Cooling
    Laptop fans in vapor chamber
    Mouse
    Touchpad and Omoton bluetooth mouse
    Keyboard
    Built in RGB backlit
    Internet Speed
    100mbps
    Browser
    Edge Chromium
    Antivirus
    Microsoft Defender
Drivers from Windows Update or an automatic utility such as Snappy Driver Installer usually just make the device work with basic features. No control panel to tweak performance, no advanced features, only very basic stuff. If you want maximum compatibility, control panel and access to all the advanced features, you must install the official manufacturer drivers. Don't rely on Windows Update or other utility.
 

My Computers

System One System Two

  • OS
    Windows 11 Pro 23H2 64-bit (build 22631.3235)
    Computer type
    Laptop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Acer Extensa 5630EZ
    CPU
    Mobile DualCore Intel Core 2 Duo T7250, 2000 MHz
    Motherboard
    Acer Extensa 5630
    Memory
    4GB
    Graphics Card(s)
    Mobile Intel(R) GMA 4500M (Mobile 4 series)
    Sound Card
    Realtek ALC268 @ Intel 82801IB ICH9 - High Definition Audio Controller
    Monitor(s) Displays
    1
    Screen Resolution
    1280x800
    Hard Drives
    Samsung SSD 850 EVO 250GB SATA Device (250 GB, SATA-III)
    Internet Speed
    VDSL 50 Mbps
    Browser
    MICROSOFT EDGE
    Antivirus
    WINDOWS DEFENDER
    Other Info
    Legacy MBR installation, no TPM, no Secure Boot, no WDDM 2.0 graphics drivers, cannot get more unsupported ;) This is only my test laptop. I had installed Windows 11 here before upgrading my main PC. For my main PC I use everyday see my 2nd system specs.
  • Operating System
    Windows 11 Pro v23H2 (build 22631.3235)
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Custom-built PC
    CPU
    Intel Core-i7 3770 3.40GHz s1155 (3rd generation)
    Motherboard
    Asus P8H61 s1155 ATX
    Memory
    2x Kingston Hyper-X Blu 8GB DDR3-1600
    Graphics card(s)
    Gainward NE5105T018G1-1070F (nVidia GeForce GTX 1050Ti 4GB GDDR5)
    Sound Card
    Realtek HD audio (ALC887)
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Sony Bravia KDL-19L4000 19" LCD TV via VGA
    Screen Resolution
    1440x900 32-bit 60Hz
    Hard Drives
    Patriot Burst Elite 480GB SSD as system disk, Western Digital Caviar Purple 4TB SATA III (WD40PURZ) as second
    PSU
    Thermaltake Litepower RGB 550W Full Wired
    Case
    SUPERCASE MIDI-TOWER
    Cooling
    Stock Intel CPU Fan, 1x 8cm fan at the back
    Mouse
    Sunnyline OptiEye PS/2
    Keyboard
    Mitsumi 101-key PS/2
    Internet Speed
    100Mbps
    Browser
    Microsoft Edge, Mozilla Firefox
    Antivirus
    Microsoft Windows Defender
    Other Info
    Legacy BIOS (MBR) installation, no TPM, no Secure Boot, WDDM 3.0 graphics drivers, WEI score 7.4
The only people who make drivers for Dell hardware are Dell, They supply basic versions to Microsoft and others to give basic functionality on first install. Some of these drivers will give basic functionality to several items of Dell Hardware.

I would always advise any user to install the certified Dell drivers to get the best performance and reliability. There are some third party versions of drivers that appear from time to time, issues by groups not related to Dell or any other official source - mostly to achieve better performance in games, using these would usually invalidate any warranty or support contracts in place.

EDIT

There is one other legitimate driver source, drivers are often written by the manufacturers, of discrete components used on motherboards etc, such as a sound or network chip built into the MB - these are usually safe to use, and should not invalidate warranties, though YMMV dependent on the MB manufacturer
 

My Computers

System One System Two

  • OS
    Windows 11 Pro x64 [Latest Release Preview] [Win11 PRO HighEnd MUP-00005 DD]
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Scan 3XS to my design
    CPU
    AMD RYZEN 9 7950X OEM
    Motherboard
    *3XS*ASUS TUF B650 PLUS WIFI
    Memory
    64GB [2x32GB Corsair Vengeance 560 AMD DDR5]
    Graphics Card(s)
    3XS* ASUS DUAL RTX 4060 OC 8G
    Sound Card
    On motherboard Feeding SPDiF 5.1 system [plus local sound to each monitor]
    Monitor(s) Displays
    32" UHD 32 Bit HDR Monitor + 43" UHD 4K 32Bit HDR TV
    Screen Resolution
    2 x 3840 x 2160
    Hard Drives
    3XS Samsung 980Pro 2TB M.2 PCIe4 4 x 8TB Data + Various Externals from 1TB to 8TB, 10TB NAS
    PSU
    3XS Corsair RM850x 850w Fully Modular
    Case
    FDesign Define 7 XL BK TGL Case - Black
    Cooling
    3XS iCUE H150i ELITE Liquid Cool, Quiet Case fans
    Keyboard
    Wireless Logitec MX Keys + K830 [Depending on where I'm Sat]
    Mouse
    Wireless Logitec - MX Master 3S +
    Internet Speed
    950 MB Down 55 MB Up
    Browser
    Latest Chrome
    Antivirus
    BitDefender Total Security [Latest]
    Other Info
    Also run...
    Dell XPS 17 Laptop
    HP Laptop 8GB - Windows 10 Pro x64 HP 15.2"
    Nexus 7 Android tablet [x2]
    Samsung 10.2" tablet
    Blackview 10.2 Tablet
    Sony Z3 Android Smartphone
    Samsung S9 Plus Smartphone
    Wacom Pro Medium Pen Pad
    Wacom Pro Small Pen Pad
    Wacom ExpressKey Remote
    Loopdeck+ Graphics Controller
    Shuttle Pro v2 Control Pad
  • Operating System
    Windows 11 Pro x64 [Latest release]
    Computer type
    Laptop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Dell XPS 17 9700
    CPU
    i7 10750H
    Motherboard
    Stock
    Memory
    32 GB
    Graphics card(s)
    Stock Intel + GTX 1650 Ti
    Sound Card
    Stock 4 speaker
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Stock 17" + 32" 4K 3840 x 2160 HDR-10
    Screen Resolution
    3840 x 2400 HDR touchscreen
    Hard Drives
    2TB M2 NVMe
    PSU
    Stock
    Case
    Stock Aluminium / Carbon Fibre
    Cooling
    Stock + 2 fan cooling pad
    Mouse
    Stock Trackpad +Logi Mx Master 3 or MX Ergo Trackball
    Keyboard
    Stock Illuminated + Logi - MX Keys
    Internet Speed
    950 MB Down 55 MB Up
    Browser
    Latest Chrome
    Antivirus
    BitDefender Total Security 2021
    Other Info
    Also use an Adjustable Support for Laptop and Adjustable stand for monitor
Drivers from Windows Update or an automatic utility such as Snappy Driver Installer usually just make the device work with basic features. No control panel to tweak performance, no advanced features, only very basic stuff. If you want maximum compatibility, control panel and access to all the advanced features, you must install the official manufacturer drivers. Don't rely on Windows Update or other utility.
Most of the time, no control panel or advanced features are needed, I have found that only sound and graphics drivers can need those things. Interestingly enough, the graphics drivers now provided by Windows (both AMD and Nvidia) do give you the control software. That wasn't always the case previously. They just may not be the most recent versions.
 

My Computers

System One System Two

  • OS
    Windows 11 Home
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Custom built
    CPU
    AMD Ryzen 5 5600X
    Motherboard
    MSI B550-A Pro
    Memory
    16 GB Corsair Vengeance LPX DDR4-3200
    Graphics Card(s)
    PowerColor Red Devil Radeon RX 6600XT with 8GB GDDR6
    Sound Card
    Realtek integrated
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Acer Nitro 24" RG241Y 144hz refresh rate
    Screen Resolution
    1920 X 1080
    Hard Drives
    Western Digital Black SN770 1 TB NVMe SSD
    Samsung 860 QVO 1 TB SATA SSD
    Seagate Barracuda 1 TB HDD
    PSU
    LEPA B650 650 watt
    Case
    Enermax Coenus
    Cooling
    Cooler Master Hyper T4 air
    Keyboard
    CM Storm Devastator
    Mouse
    E-Blue Cobra Jr.
    Internet Speed
    100mbs
    Browser
    Microsoft Edge Chromium
    Antivirus
    Microsoft Defender
    Other Info
    Optical Drives: LG DVD-RW and Pioneer BluRay/ DVD burner
  • Operating System
    Windows 11 Home
    Computer type
    Laptop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Asus ROG Zephyrus G14
    CPU
    AMD Ryzen 9 6900HS
    Motherboard
    Asus board (GA402RK)
    Memory
    16 GB Samsung DDR5-4800
    Graphics card(s)
    Integrated Radeon 680M and discrete Radeon RX 6800S with 8GB GDDR6
    Sound Card
    Integrated Realtek with Dolby Atmos
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Laptop screen 14" WQXGA, IPS, 120hz refresh rate
    Screen Resolution
    2560 X 1600
    Hard Drives
    1TB PCIe Gen 4 SSD (WD Black SN850)
    PSU
    Battery power and Asus power brick/adapter. Also has USB-C charging
    Case
    Laptop
    Cooling
    Laptop fans in vapor chamber
    Mouse
    Touchpad and Omoton bluetooth mouse
    Keyboard
    Built in RGB backlit
    Internet Speed
    100mbps
    Browser
    Edge Chromium
    Antivirus
    Microsoft Defender
Best to use Dell for the drivers and to avoid these programs that check for available drivers other than SupportAssist. You can also go onto their website under find drivers and enter you service tag and find drivers just for your pc
 

My Computers

System One System Two

  • OS
    Windows 11 Pro
    Computer type
    Laptop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Alienware M18 R1
    CPU
    13th Gen Core i9 13900HX
    Memory
    32GB DDR5 @4800MHz 2x16GB
    Graphics Card(s)
    Geforce RTX 4090HX 16GB
    Sound Card
    Nvidia HD / Realtek ALC3254
    Monitor(s) Displays
    18" QHD+
    Screen Resolution
    25660 X 1600
    Hard Drives
    C: KIOXIA (Toshiba) 2TB KXG80ZNV2T04 NVMe PCIe M.2 SSD
    D: KIOXIA (Toshiba) 2TB KXG80ZNV2T04 NVMe PCIe M.2 SSD
    Case
    Dark Metallic Moon
    Keyboard
    Alienware M Series per-key AlienFX RGB
    Mouse
    Alienware AW610M
    Browser
    Chrome and Firefox
    Antivirus
    Norton
    Other Info
    Killer E3000 Ethernet Controller
    Killer Killer AX1690 Wi-Fi Network Adaptor Wi-Fi 6E
    Bluetooth 5.2
    Alienware Z01G Graphic Amplifier
  • Operating System
    Windows 11 Pro
    Computer type
    Laptop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Alienware Area 51m R2
    CPU
    10th Gen i-9 10900 K
    Memory
    32Gb Dual Channel DDR4 @ 8843MHz
    Graphics card(s)
    Nvidia RTX 2080 Super
    Sound Card
    Nvidia
    Screen Resolution
    1920 x 1080
    Hard Drives
    Hard Drive C: Samsung 2TB SSD PM981a NVMe
    Hard Drive D:Samsung 2TB SSD 970 EVO Plus
    Mouse
    Alienware 610M
    Browser
    Chrome
    Antivirus
    Norton
Using Dell drivers is safe, but for most recent graphics drivers it normally doesn't harm to download the latest from Intel/nVidia/AMD. There are a few rare exceptions that the hardware is customized by Dell or whatever the laptop manufacturer is and the official drivers may produce BSOD. In these rare circumstances you have to stick with Dell drivers only. In all other cases I prefer the official chip manufacturer drivers for best performance. My job is to install Windows among others. After every installation, I install the manufacturer drivers for everything but the graphics. I always install the latest official Intel/nVidia/AMD graphics drivers to get the best out of the graphics card. If a chipset driver is available for Windows 7 64-bit or later, I will install this before anything else to maximize system stability and performance.
 

My Computers

System One System Two

  • OS
    Windows 11 Pro 23H2 64-bit (build 22631.3235)
    Computer type
    Laptop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Acer Extensa 5630EZ
    CPU
    Mobile DualCore Intel Core 2 Duo T7250, 2000 MHz
    Motherboard
    Acer Extensa 5630
    Memory
    4GB
    Graphics Card(s)
    Mobile Intel(R) GMA 4500M (Mobile 4 series)
    Sound Card
    Realtek ALC268 @ Intel 82801IB ICH9 - High Definition Audio Controller
    Monitor(s) Displays
    1
    Screen Resolution
    1280x800
    Hard Drives
    Samsung SSD 850 EVO 250GB SATA Device (250 GB, SATA-III)
    Internet Speed
    VDSL 50 Mbps
    Browser
    MICROSOFT EDGE
    Antivirus
    WINDOWS DEFENDER
    Other Info
    Legacy MBR installation, no TPM, no Secure Boot, no WDDM 2.0 graphics drivers, cannot get more unsupported ;) This is only my test laptop. I had installed Windows 11 here before upgrading my main PC. For my main PC I use everyday see my 2nd system specs.
  • Operating System
    Windows 11 Pro v23H2 (build 22631.3235)
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Custom-built PC
    CPU
    Intel Core-i7 3770 3.40GHz s1155 (3rd generation)
    Motherboard
    Asus P8H61 s1155 ATX
    Memory
    2x Kingston Hyper-X Blu 8GB DDR3-1600
    Graphics card(s)
    Gainward NE5105T018G1-1070F (nVidia GeForce GTX 1050Ti 4GB GDDR5)
    Sound Card
    Realtek HD audio (ALC887)
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Sony Bravia KDL-19L4000 19" LCD TV via VGA
    Screen Resolution
    1440x900 32-bit 60Hz
    Hard Drives
    Patriot Burst Elite 480GB SSD as system disk, Western Digital Caviar Purple 4TB SATA III (WD40PURZ) as second
    PSU
    Thermaltake Litepower RGB 550W Full Wired
    Case
    SUPERCASE MIDI-TOWER
    Cooling
    Stock Intel CPU Fan, 1x 8cm fan at the back
    Mouse
    Sunnyline OptiEye PS/2
    Keyboard
    Mitsumi 101-key PS/2
    Internet Speed
    100Mbps
    Browser
    Microsoft Edge, Mozilla Firefox
    Antivirus
    Microsoft Windows Defender
    Other Info
    Legacy BIOS (MBR) installation, no TPM, no Secure Boot, WDDM 3.0 graphics drivers, WEI score 7.4
For discrete devices that plug into the PCIe or other system bus then I would always use the latest driver from the chip or card manufacturer, in the case of devices incorporated into the motherboard or otherwize into the system, the Dell, (or other system manufacturers), are usually best drivers to install as it is usual for the manufacturer to modify the setup of the device to some extent
 

My Computers

System One System Two

  • OS
    Windows 11 Pro x64 [Latest Release Preview] [Win11 PRO HighEnd MUP-00005 DD]
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Scan 3XS to my design
    CPU
    AMD RYZEN 9 7950X OEM
    Motherboard
    *3XS*ASUS TUF B650 PLUS WIFI
    Memory
    64GB [2x32GB Corsair Vengeance 560 AMD DDR5]
    Graphics Card(s)
    3XS* ASUS DUAL RTX 4060 OC 8G
    Sound Card
    On motherboard Feeding SPDiF 5.1 system [plus local sound to each monitor]
    Monitor(s) Displays
    32" UHD 32 Bit HDR Monitor + 43" UHD 4K 32Bit HDR TV
    Screen Resolution
    2 x 3840 x 2160
    Hard Drives
    3XS Samsung 980Pro 2TB M.2 PCIe4 4 x 8TB Data + Various Externals from 1TB to 8TB, 10TB NAS
    PSU
    3XS Corsair RM850x 850w Fully Modular
    Case
    FDesign Define 7 XL BK TGL Case - Black
    Cooling
    3XS iCUE H150i ELITE Liquid Cool, Quiet Case fans
    Keyboard
    Wireless Logitec MX Keys + K830 [Depending on where I'm Sat]
    Mouse
    Wireless Logitec - MX Master 3S +
    Internet Speed
    950 MB Down 55 MB Up
    Browser
    Latest Chrome
    Antivirus
    BitDefender Total Security [Latest]
    Other Info
    Also run...
    Dell XPS 17 Laptop
    HP Laptop 8GB - Windows 10 Pro x64 HP 15.2"
    Nexus 7 Android tablet [x2]
    Samsung 10.2" tablet
    Blackview 10.2 Tablet
    Sony Z3 Android Smartphone
    Samsung S9 Plus Smartphone
    Wacom Pro Medium Pen Pad
    Wacom Pro Small Pen Pad
    Wacom ExpressKey Remote
    Loopdeck+ Graphics Controller
    Shuttle Pro v2 Control Pad
  • Operating System
    Windows 11 Pro x64 [Latest release]
    Computer type
    Laptop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Dell XPS 17 9700
    CPU
    i7 10750H
    Motherboard
    Stock
    Memory
    32 GB
    Graphics card(s)
    Stock Intel + GTX 1650 Ti
    Sound Card
    Stock 4 speaker
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Stock 17" + 32" 4K 3840 x 2160 HDR-10
    Screen Resolution
    3840 x 2400 HDR touchscreen
    Hard Drives
    2TB M2 NVMe
    PSU
    Stock
    Case
    Stock Aluminium / Carbon Fibre
    Cooling
    Stock + 2 fan cooling pad
    Mouse
    Stock Trackpad +Logi Mx Master 3 or MX Ergo Trackball
    Keyboard
    Stock Illuminated + Logi - MX Keys
    Internet Speed
    950 MB Down 55 MB Up
    Browser
    Latest Chrome
    Antivirus
    BitDefender Total Security 2021
    Other Info
    Also use an Adjustable Support for Laptop and Adjustable stand for monitor
Best to use Dell for the drivers and to avoid these programs that check for available drivers other than SupportAssist. You can also go onto their website under find drivers and enter you service tag and find drivers just for your pc
As said above, the Dell graphic, chipset and network drivers are woefully out of date though. I always update these from the respective manufacturer sites
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 11 Pro Beta, 11 Dev, W11 Canary
    Computer type
    Laptop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Dell Alienware M15 Ryzen Edition R6
    CPU
    AMD Ryzen™ 9 5900HX
    Memory
    32GB
    Graphics Card(s)
    NVIDIA® GeForce RTX™ 3070 8GB GDDR6
    Hard Drives
    1 x Samsung 980 Pro 1TB
    1 x Samsung 970 Evo Plus 1TB
In computers that have third-party components (graphics, audio, Wi-Fi etc) the best is to visit each manufacturer site and download the latest drivers. Download from Dell or whatever other manufacturer drivers for only their own components. Of course this is rather tedious and the next best thing is to download everything from Dell and upgrade only the graphics drivers from the chip manufacturer. For my own systems I prefer the first option (visit the individual components download site) to maximize performance. First install the chipset (platform) drivers, if available, then the graphics drivers and then everything else. Using this order minimizes the risk of BSOD because other devices depend on the chipset and you may cause an incompatibility if you install the chipset drivers after the rest components. This is mostly a risk for older systems. Newer systems rarely have this issue, but better safe than sorry.
 

My Computers

System One System Two

  • OS
    Windows 11 Pro 23H2 64-bit (build 22631.3235)
    Computer type
    Laptop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Acer Extensa 5630EZ
    CPU
    Mobile DualCore Intel Core 2 Duo T7250, 2000 MHz
    Motherboard
    Acer Extensa 5630
    Memory
    4GB
    Graphics Card(s)
    Mobile Intel(R) GMA 4500M (Mobile 4 series)
    Sound Card
    Realtek ALC268 @ Intel 82801IB ICH9 - High Definition Audio Controller
    Monitor(s) Displays
    1
    Screen Resolution
    1280x800
    Hard Drives
    Samsung SSD 850 EVO 250GB SATA Device (250 GB, SATA-III)
    Internet Speed
    VDSL 50 Mbps
    Browser
    MICROSOFT EDGE
    Antivirus
    WINDOWS DEFENDER
    Other Info
    Legacy MBR installation, no TPM, no Secure Boot, no WDDM 2.0 graphics drivers, cannot get more unsupported ;) This is only my test laptop. I had installed Windows 11 here before upgrading my main PC. For my main PC I use everyday see my 2nd system specs.
  • Operating System
    Windows 11 Pro v23H2 (build 22631.3235)
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Custom-built PC
    CPU
    Intel Core-i7 3770 3.40GHz s1155 (3rd generation)
    Motherboard
    Asus P8H61 s1155 ATX
    Memory
    2x Kingston Hyper-X Blu 8GB DDR3-1600
    Graphics card(s)
    Gainward NE5105T018G1-1070F (nVidia GeForce GTX 1050Ti 4GB GDDR5)
    Sound Card
    Realtek HD audio (ALC887)
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Sony Bravia KDL-19L4000 19" LCD TV via VGA
    Screen Resolution
    1440x900 32-bit 60Hz
    Hard Drives
    Patriot Burst Elite 480GB SSD as system disk, Western Digital Caviar Purple 4TB SATA III (WD40PURZ) as second
    PSU
    Thermaltake Litepower RGB 550W Full Wired
    Case
    SUPERCASE MIDI-TOWER
    Cooling
    Stock Intel CPU Fan, 1x 8cm fan at the back
    Mouse
    Sunnyline OptiEye PS/2
    Keyboard
    Mitsumi 101-key PS/2
    Internet Speed
    100Mbps
    Browser
    Microsoft Edge, Mozilla Firefox
    Antivirus
    Microsoft Windows Defender
    Other Info
    Legacy BIOS (MBR) installation, no TPM, no Secure Boot, WDDM 3.0 graphics drivers, WEI score 7.4
As said above, the Dell graphic, chipset and network drivers are woefully out of date though. I always update these from the respective manufacturer sites
I am never in any great rush to update, I wait for them except for Chipset and Bios, always Alienware/Dell Nvidia etc. I agree with Barman in posts #13 and #17
 

My Computers

System One System Two

  • OS
    Windows 11 Pro
    Computer type
    Laptop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Alienware M18 R1
    CPU
    13th Gen Core i9 13900HX
    Memory
    32GB DDR5 @4800MHz 2x16GB
    Graphics Card(s)
    Geforce RTX 4090HX 16GB
    Sound Card
    Nvidia HD / Realtek ALC3254
    Monitor(s) Displays
    18" QHD+
    Screen Resolution
    25660 X 1600
    Hard Drives
    C: KIOXIA (Toshiba) 2TB KXG80ZNV2T04 NVMe PCIe M.2 SSD
    D: KIOXIA (Toshiba) 2TB KXG80ZNV2T04 NVMe PCIe M.2 SSD
    Case
    Dark Metallic Moon
    Keyboard
    Alienware M Series per-key AlienFX RGB
    Mouse
    Alienware AW610M
    Browser
    Chrome and Firefox
    Antivirus
    Norton
    Other Info
    Killer E3000 Ethernet Controller
    Killer Killer AX1690 Wi-Fi Network Adaptor Wi-Fi 6E
    Bluetooth 5.2
    Alienware Z01G Graphic Amplifier
  • Operating System
    Windows 11 Pro
    Computer type
    Laptop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Alienware Area 51m R2
    CPU
    10th Gen i-9 10900 K
    Memory
    32Gb Dual Channel DDR4 @ 8843MHz
    Graphics card(s)
    Nvidia RTX 2080 Super
    Sound Card
    Nvidia
    Screen Resolution
    1920 x 1080
    Hard Drives
    Hard Drive C: Samsung 2TB SSD PM981a NVMe
    Hard Drive D:Samsung 2TB SSD 970 EVO Plus
    Mouse
    Alienware 610M
    Browser
    Chrome
    Antivirus
    Norton

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