Source: Windows Central
What you need to know
- Intel has decoupled its graphics drivers from customizations from your PC manufacturer.
- Now you can update the drivers as Intel releases them without losing OEM customizations.
- OEMs can distribute customizations via Windows Update, Intel says.
Intel released a new set of graphics driver updates today, and they bring a significant change for anyone using a laptop. The latest drivers decouple generic driver updates from OEM customizations, meaning that you can now update them as Intel releases them without losing out on customizations made by your PC's manufacturer. This eliminates the need to wait for OEM validation before receiving the latest Intel graphics driver updates on your PC.
From Intel's release notes (via @D2Kx_):
We heard how much our users want the freedom to upgrade their systems to our regularly released generic graphics drivers and enable our latest game enhancements, feature updates, and fixes. As of this release, Intel Graphics DCH drivers are now unlocked to upgrade freely between Computer Manufacturer (OEM) drivers and the Intel generic graphics drivers on Download Center.
According to Intel's release notes, you can just download the exe files and install the drivers on 6th Gen Intel processors and higher on the Windows 10 Fall Creators Update and newer. Computer manufacturer customizations will remain intact and can be updated separately by your manufacturer via Windows Update, according to Intel.
Theoretically, this means, for instance, that Surface users can update their graphics drivers at will, without worrying about customizatiosn that Microsoft has made specifically for Surface PCs. The same applies to any other PC manufacturer.
Beyond this significant change, these drivers verify that Gears Tactics and XCOM: Chimera Squad are playable on Intel Iris Plus graphics or better.
January's Surface Duo 2 update is now live: Here's what's new
The January 2022 update for Surface Duo 2 is now available. With it comes the ability to customize the Surface Slim Pen button to launch specific apps, take a screenshot, and more. There are also some bug fixes and more in the 559MB update.
Windows 11 product satisfaction is highest of all Windows, says Microsoft
According to Microsoft, Windows 11 is being adopted twice as quickly as Windows 10 via upgrade offers. Also, the Windows 11 upgrade offer is entering its final phase of availability, which Microsoft hadn't anticipated happening until mid-2022.
Intel’s €1.06 billion antitrust fine overturned by EU's General Court
The European Union's General Court just overturned a €1.06 billion fine issued against Intel in 2009. The fine was initially issued after the European Commission determined that Intel abused its dominant position in the CPU market to exclude competitors.
These processors go great with NVIDIA's RTX 3060 GPU
Have an NVIDIA RTX 3060 GPU? Need a CPU to go with it? Whether you prefer Intel or AMD, we have a bunch of great options right here.