Graphics drivers get all the attention in performance discussions, but two less glamorous pieces of software – your motherboard's BIOS firmware and its chipset drivers – can also affect gaming performance, memory stability, and even how well your CPU and GPU talk to each other. They are also riskier to update than a graphics driver, so it is worth understanding when it is genuinely worth doing and when to leave things alone.
Key takeaway: chipset drivers are safe and often worth updating for stability and memory performance; BIOS updates can help in specific cases (better RAM support, CPU compatibility, power efficiency fixes) but carry real risk and should not be done casually.
What chipset drivers actually do
Chipset drivers manage communication between your CPU, motherboard, storage, USB controllers, and memory. An outdated chipset driver can occasionally cause stutter unrelated to your GPU at all, inconsistent USB device behaviour, or suboptimal memory timings. Unlike BIOS updates, chipset drivers are installed like any normal Windows software and carry essentially no risk of bricking your PC, which makes them worth keeping reasonably current.
- Identify your motherboard or laptop model (check the manufacturer's sticker, or run a system information tool like the free HWiNFO or Windows' own System Information app).
- Visit your motherboard or laptop manufacturer's support page and search by that exact model.
- Download the chipset driver package (for AMD systems, this is the "AMD Chipset Driver"; for Intel, the "Intel Chipset Device Software").
- Run the installer normally, like any other Windows application; no Safe Mode or special process is required.
- Restart your PC once finished.
What a BIOS update can and cannot fix
BIOS (or UEFI firmware) updates are lower-level and riskier, since they rewrite the firmware chip on your motherboard directly, and an interrupted update (a power cut mid-flash, for example) can leave the board unable to boot. That said, BIOS updates genuinely matter for a few specific gaming-relevant reasons: enabling support for faster RAM speeds via XMP/EXPO profiles, fixing CPU microcode issues that affect stability or security, and occasionally improving power management that affects sustained performance on laptops.
| Situation | Recommendation |
|---|---|
| Your RAM runs below its rated speed and a newer BIOS adds support | Worth updating |
| You installed a new CPU the current BIOS does not recognise | Necessary to update |
| Everything is stable and running as expected | Not necessary, leave it alone |
Before you start: only update BIOS using your exact motherboard or laptop model's official firmware file, never interrupt the process or turn off the PC while it is flashing, and use a laptop plugged into mains power, never on battery alone, for the entire update.
A safer middle ground
If you are not experiencing any specific problem – RAM running at its rated speed, no compatibility issues, stable performance – there is little reason to chase the newest BIOS version purely for its own sake. Chipset drivers, on the other hand, are low-risk enough that keeping them current every six months or so as routine maintenance is a reasonable habit, alongside your regular GPU driver updates.
Tip: if you do decide to update your BIOS, read the full changelog for every version between your current one and the target version, not just the latest entry, since some updates address issues that could affect you along the way.
Frequently asked questions
- Will a chipset driver update improve my FPS directly?
- Not usually on its own, but it can remove stutter or instability caused by poor CPU-to-storage or memory communication, which indirectly improves consistency.
- Can a BIOS update damage my PC?
- An interrupted update can, in rare cases, leave a motherboard unable to boot, which is why stable power and following the manufacturer's exact instructions matters.
- Do laptops need chipset and BIOS updates too?
- Yes, laptop manufacturers release both through their own support pages, though laptop BIOS updates are usually applied through a simpler in-Windows utility rather than a manual USB flash process.