Driver Updaters utilities allow the hardware components of one’s device to function properly. This is because these components use software commonly called drivers in order to function properly.
Keeping your computer’s drivers constantly updated prevents its malfunction or in the worst cases sudden system crashes. Some devices do not need any drivers installed, because they use Plug and Play technology, but others require drivers for proper operation. These drivers may be provided by the manufacturer when the hardware or peripheral is purchased, or directions are given as to where they can be found on the Web. However, there are some software tools that make this task easier for us, saving us from having to search manually for drivers for each PC component every time we follow formatting, updating or similar operations.
It is always recommended to back up your system or create a restore point before using such tools.
Let’s look at some of these driver updaters and their features:
1. Driver Easy
Driver Easy is a good tool for updating drivers in both newer and not-so-new (but not excessively old) computers. This tool initiates an initial scan of your system regarding installed hardware components, compares current driver versions with your database, and then compiles a final report listing the drivers to be updated and those already updated.
This driver updater is available either for free or by purchasing a Pro license.
In the free version the drivers are not updated automatically, but only downloaded, and it is then up to the user to update them by manual procedure. In addition, the download of the drivers themselves takes place at a moderate speed and can be particularly long in case of drivers with large files.
In the Pro version the downloading and installation of drivers is immediate and automatic, even the speed limit in downloading drivers is eliminated, making the software more immediate.
The use of this software in the free version only is recommended for experienced users, as the downloaded drivers often come in the form of non-executable files, which must then be loaded into the corresponding device, which in turn must be searched for from the Windows “Device Manager” panel. The operation is somewhat cumbersome and for this very reason may discourage users who are not particularly experienced.
2. IObit Driver Booster
Driver Booster is also a particularly good tool for updating your device’s drivers, proving to be particularly geared toward particular types of users such as gamers and users who want to update their device’s drivers without wasting too much time and in an easy way. Once installed, the software allows you to do the classic preliminary scan of the system and once it finds the drivers to be updated, it gives us the possibility to update them automatically without us having to worry about doing so.
Good aspect of Driver Booster is that drivers that demonstrate more stability and provide more performance in gaming are selected as a priority, which justifies what was said earlier about the tool’s orientation with respect to the type of users. It also optimizes the services currently active on one’s device so that there is no interference during gaming sessions.
This driver updater is available in free license and Pro license.
The Free version provides access to a driver database of about 6 million entries but with a reduced download speed.
The Pro version, on the other hand, gives access to a driver database that has more than 8 million entries (so we will have drivers for even particularly old and obsolete devices), full download speed, a priority update for “Game Ready” drivers giving an extra focus on gamers. Finally, the Pro version also gives access to customer support and automatic update to the latest available version of the application software.
In both the free and Pro versions, updating drivers is easy and automatic. We can guess from what has been written that Driver Booster, compared to other driver updaters, is particularly suitable for those who use their PC basically for gaming.
3. DriverMax
DriverMax does not present very different functions from the solutions mentioned so far in our article. The interface is very simple and user-friendly. During our testing, however, it proved more effective in finding drivers even of components more than ten years old, demonstrating that it has a large database from which it relies during scanning operations.
This tool also has a free and a paid version.
With the free version we have only two driver updates per day, no limit regarding the entries in the database, and automatic updates once the driver to be updated is downloaded.
The pro version allows to eliminate the daily drivers update limit, simultaneous download of multiple drivers, customer service and priority download.
DriverMax is especially good for users who want to update their drivers without worrying too much about the procedure. On a positive note, the extensive database present, which allowed us, as mentioned before, to find updated drivers even for components that are not exactly very recent.
4. Snappy Driver Installer Origin
Snappy Driver Installer Origin (aka SDIO), is a completely free tool that allows us to update or find missing drivers in our system.
This tool allows you to download the latest drivers both online and offline, while also giving you a convenient portable version that can be booted from USB flash drives.
Its strength, compared to other driver updaters is definitely the fact that it is completely free and without annoying advertisements inside.
Full list of features:
- No installation required, it is portable;
- Drivers to update downloaded directly from the program or if necessary you can download the entire database to the latest available update;
- No invasive advertisements or unwanted software;
- No speed limits when downloading drivers;
- Choice of creating restore points before making updates.
Aspect that may create some difficulties is the not very immediate interface that may slightly disorient the user at the moment. However, once the operation of the software is understood, use is more straightforward.
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