Should I use drivers from motherboard manufacturer, or chipset vendors

Tomha · 12 Apr 2014

So just a brief question. I am going to be reinstalling windows again, so I want to grab all the latest drivers while I am at it. Question is, should I take the drivers off the website of my motherboard manufacturer (ASUS), or from the actual chipset providers.

I have a last gen ASUS Socket 1155 P8Z77-V Deluxe motherboard, and many of the drivers ASUS provides for it seen out of date, e.g. the chipset driver they provide was updated in September 2012. Whereas Intel has some very current chipset drivers. Can I rely on ASUS to be providing the latest and up to date drivers which are relevant to my motherboard? Or can I use newer versions I find on the websites of the other vendors like Intel and Realtek?

For example I can get the 2012 driver from ASUS' website, or go to Intel's website and get the Chipset Device Software (INF Update Utility), which I imagine is more likely to give me an up to date and appropriate driver.

Edit: Whoops this should have gone in the drivers section, my bad..Can someone move it please?

maxie · 12 Apr 2014

Hi there .. If its only the Chipset Driver you are after go to the Intel Website ...

Tomha · 12 Apr 2014

Yeah I did that for the chipset driver, and spent forever trying to find the likes of Realtek drivers and such, but couldn't find any more recent drivers from a reputable source, so I will just be using the ones provided by ASUS.

maxie · 12 Apr 2014

All Should be good then :)

Mark Phelps · 12 Apr 2014

My own approach is different ...

I always install the drivers from the motherboard vendor (usually come on a CD) first. Why? Because you know these drivers will work and you'll get complete functionality of the built-ion hardware as a result.

Then, I make an image backup of the install using Macrium Reflect.

Now, I go looking for updated drivers -- first to the Motherboard site. And, I install any updated versions I find there.

I make another image backup.

Then, I go looking for updated drivers from the hardware component vendor sites. I may or may not install drivers there, depending on what the updated version does.

After I'm done installing all the updated drivers, I make a final image backup. This one I save for a while because with it, I can restore a fully working setup.