Which Drivers do you install? Original or Manufacturer Updates?

[berryracer]

I am always confused about this...I know that sometimes the Audio Drivers are better off to be installed from the original drivers and not the updated ones you may find online...

Example.... Install original audio drivers or the updated Realtek HD Audio r2.68 Drivers....... I noticed that my original drivers gave me louder sound with the SRS Premium plugin as opposed to when I installed the latest ones.. or maybe it's just in my head...Im not sure

Another example: which is better. to install the intel chipset drivers, intel rapid storage technology drivers, intel management engine components, intel HD Graphics from the original ones provided with the Notebook or the latest Intel updated ones?

What about the nVIDIA Drivers? My findings:

1) Original Drivers although old, I can properly select which app to use which graphics chipset, my internal Intel HD Graphics 3000 or nVIDIA GU GT555M

2) When I installed the latest nVIDIA drivers from nVIDIA 296.10 I got 150 3DMarks more in 3DMark11 for example, BUT, I couldn't choose which Graphics chipset Windows Media Player or Media Player Classic would use, the option was greyed out. But for other programs I was able to select which chipset to use. So I was left with one option, to globally set my Notebook to ALWAYS use the nVIDIA Chipset for all programs. Offcourse that is not a very good idea when on the run and battery life matters but is not a deal breaker for me as long as I get the best performance... very confusing really

What do you guys normally and what is the consensus about this?

[mack_guy911]

i use what work best mostly original

on linux recently i update to new one it give me slowdown so i roll back to previouse one best is what work best for you if its working stable what wrong sticking with it.

[berryracer]

And what about the Intel chipset drivers and Intel rapid storage technology and intel management engine components?

[Noob]

Latest from the hardware manufactures itself. (Intel, Nvidia etc.)

[parsec]

I always use latest on my machines desktop/laptop

[NGRhodes]

OS original unless I encounter a problem/issue that can be easily fixed by installing manufacturers version.
If it ain't broke...

[Noob]

I hate looking for Realtek drivers, a pain in the butt.

The only driver that i update frequently is the graphics card. Everything else i just use OEM.

[noone_particular]

I usually try several from each and see which gives better results. With hardware that was available for more than one version of Windows (late XP and early Vista or late 98 and early XP), the latest driver is not always the best. If you run the older version of Windows for that hardware, you might find you'll get better results with a slightly earlier version of the drivers. It seems that the latest drivers are optimized for the newest OS at the expense of performance on the older OS. This has proved to be the case with display drivers on 3 different PCs I use with built in Intel graphics. If this was just one PC, I'd call it an oversight or an exception. 3 makes me think it's deliberate. A new OS looks so much better when the drivers deliberately handicap the previous OS. If you have such a system and a reliable way to restore it, give the previous 1 or 2 drivers a try. You might be very surprised.

As for the poll, most of the drivers I use come from the manufacturer, but are not the most recent available.

The latest/best I can find.

But after they are there and working well, I don't usually continue searching for new versions - unless I have valid reasons like new reports of security vulnerabilities etc.

[Firecat]

I keep updating the drivers from the hardware manufacturer. Helps in compatibility with newer APIs especially when you're tinkering with developer tools.

That being said, it does appear specific OEMs "optimize" drivers (especially audio ones) to give a different result from stock drivers. It's not always "better" though.

[narenbisht]

I only install the latest version if they are available for my system on my laptop manufacturers website i.e HP as they are tested on the system.

I once faced a major prob installing a latest driver for my system from the independent manufacturers website.

[1chaoticadult]

I install the latest drivers.