How Do I know If My Laptop Drivers and Video Cards Are Updated?

Dell XPS 15 9520 bought many years ago. I use bitlocker with it if that matters.


Windows 11 Pro
1920x1200 screen
I7-12700H processor
32gb ram
1tb ssd
86 whr battery
Nvidia Geforce RTX 3050
Iris Iris XE Graphics


I have done many dell firmware updates and many windows updates on it. So that means my laptop is fully updated right?


However, a while back I remember checking out task manager and checking out GPU 0 which is Intel Iris XE Graphics and GPU 1 which is Nvidia Geforce RTX 3050. I recalled it showed the versions of the Intel Iris XE and the Nvidia Geforce RTX 3050 and recalled it seemed to be a much older version and it might not ever been updated since I got the laptop for Nvidia. Is that possible or not? I think it showed this for the Nvidia Geforce RTX 3050 and not the Intel Iris XE Graphics as I recall manually doing downloading an Intel Arc driver from the Intel website a few times when my main external monitor didn't work until I downloaded an update for it several times. I use 2 external monitors with this laptop.


Can someone tell me how to check if my Nvidia Geforce RTX 3050 is updated? Is it possible I'm still using the oldest version possible like when I bought my laptop years ago or is that not possible? What about the Intel Iris XE Graphics?

You don't need to make sure all device drivers up to date as they say if its working then there is no need to be worried, but you can update your GPU driver from GPU manufacturer website.

I know about that part. However, is there a way to update it through windows updates or Dell Firmware update? I have went to Intel sites before when downloading Intel Arc driver which includes the Intel Iris XE graphics and did that few times previously because my main external monitor didn't work after a windows or Dell Firmware update and that fixed it.


The thing is I'm not sure if my Nvidia 3050 is updated or not as on task manager a while back, I recalled it showed this version and when I entered it in Google, it was few years old version? The nvidia 3050 works but is it possible I"m using a very old version that never has been updated?

You can view driver version from Nvidia control panel.

GPU 0 - Intel Iris Xe Graphics

Driver version 31.0.101.5186
Driver Date 1/18/2024
Directx version 12 (FL 12.1)



GPU 1 - Nvidia Geforce RTX 3050

Driver version 32.0.15.5612
Driver date 6/25/2024
Directx version 12 (FL 12.1)



So that is the driver versions for each? But are they each updated? So drivers are many months old at least and even more than a year old and updated?

What about using one of the Dell utilities? I wouldn't recommend Supportassist but Dell Update is a simple driver update program. Dell has warned me off using the hardware manufacturers websites for our old Dell as the drivers there, even if for your PC, may not work. Dell customises other items and they have to work jointly. New drivers aren't always best as I have found out. As long as what you have works, that's the main thing.

My Laptop hardware, different brand is almost the same though the Graphics is RTX 3070 Ti Laptop.

So I know you have been messing with drivers outside of Windows/Dell updates, and hardware is maybe 2-3 years old.

"The nvidia 3050 works but is it possible I"m using a very old version that never has been updated?"

You have been messing with a driver 556.12 dated June 2024 i.e. 2 years newer than was originally installed. So it has been updated and 7 months old.
Similarly for the Iris graphics.

Not a good idea to mess with an Advanced Optimus Laptop as the MUX switches for graphics etc are different hardware from a Desktop.

You can just leave it to Windows Updates. No effort, good result.

My Nvidia is version 546.30 dated Nov 2023, Iris graphics version 4502 dated Aug 2023.
Both via Windows Updates in May 2024, it shows in Windows Update history.
I do test when seeing an update, and as usual everything is OK Graphics wise. Been using Nvidia graphics for 25 years, always been older versions than the "latest".

There are two viewpoints for updating Nvidia drivers on laptops.
1. Update with latest version from support site for laptop
2. Update with latest version from Nvidia

I have found that OEMs only update Nvidia drivers for maybe a year or two after the laptop is manufactured. The older the laptop the more out of date the drivers become.

You can alternately get Nvidia drivers directly from Nvidia. Naturally Nvidia recommends you don't use these drivers and instead get laptop video drivers from the OEM. That is, they wave all responsibility if you use their drivers instead of the OEM ones.

I have the following laptop:

ASUS TUF Gaming A15 (2022) laptop
GPU0: AMD Radeon 680M
GPU1: Nvidia RTX 3060 Laptop

ASUS support site downloads shows Nvidia driver:
Version: 31.0.15.3645
Date: 2023/07/18

However if I use the NVidia App it shows that the latest driver is:
Version: 572.16
Date: 2025/01/30

There is some confusion in how Nvidia drivers are numbered. After I updated to 572.16 I get 32.0.15.7216 in the Device Manager. That means that these are actually the same thing.

Unless you're experiencing problems I agree with @FreeBooter's advice in post #2.

As long you are not experiencing any issue, you should not worry about latest drivers.

For GPU Drivers - is worth using the Manufacturer (Nvidia, Intel or AMD). GPU is the most complex component in your system - and updates can bring benefits (or fix issues). Same goes for Network if it's intel (also Blue-Tooth) - if not just go with OEM. Audio and Card drivers - would go for the ones released by the OEM. Some use Microsoft Update Catalog or some drivers sites (or even worst Driver Updating apps) - to get newer versions "from different OEM (like ASUS to be used on a Dell)" - and they do install but there's room for issues (basiclly a lotttery). That's my experience at least.

neves said:

For GPU Drivers - is worth using the Manufacturer (Nvidia, Intel or AMD). GPU is the most complex component in your system - and updates can bring benefits (or fix issues). Same goes for Network if it's intel (also Blue-Tooth) - if not just go with OEM. Audio and Card drivers - would go for the ones released by the OEM. Some use Microsoft Update Catalog or some drivers sites (or even worst Driver Updating apps) - to get newer versions "from different OEM (like ASUS to be used on a Dell)" - and they do install but there's room for issues (basiclly a lotttery). That's my experience at least.

Click to expand...

I have to ask. Why fix something that isn't broken? I'm not a fix it until it is broken kind of person. To be honest, going by the OP's past post, I'm not sure they are being serious or not.

Winuser said:

I have to ask. Why fix something that isn't broken? I'm not a fix it until it is broken kind of person. To be honest, going by the OP's past post, I'm not sure they are being serious or not.

Click to expand...

Generally speaking i tend to agree (abide by same motto) - but OEM GPU Drivers are a lottery (which the manufacturers keep trying to fix and improve with every monthly release). Even the manufacturers tend to release a bad batch of drivers at a given time (which the OEM devs pick-up and use it to build the OEM drivers). Personal experience wise - have a long long long list of bad GPU drivers (or simply poorly optimized). As we speak - Nvidia is actually struggling to release a stable driver for their latest GPUs (some of the people who bought them - and still have the older GPU reverted back to that one - till Nvidia solve this issue). You definitely can't count on OEM for GPU Drivers (unless you're a minimalist users - and the one you got happens to be good enough - for your GPU needs - even if it's buggy in some ways).,

There doesn't appear to be issues but there is still lag sometimes when I do certain things on a certain programs. So I want to know if my RTX 3050 is updated as that program uses it.


From the task manager, is my Intel iris XE graphics and Nvidia RTX 3050 updated? Or that information isn't there? It shows the version number of it.

newmann said:

There doesn't appear to be issues but there is still lag sometimes when I do certain things on a certain programs.

Click to expand...

Can you explain a little more about the lag and with what programs your seeing it?

Already said and illustrated what drivers I have on a very similar Laptop, there are no issues.

You can go directly to Intel and Nvidia lookup drivers and they may look "out of date".
There are bug fix notes for every Nvidia driver they issue. Around ~12 per year.
Take a look, 99.9% of the time the fixes are for Apps and possibly hardware you do not have. A lot is, ya boo AMD, we are better & get 10 fps faster in game XXX, probably game YYY and ZZZ gets a 20 fps cut, but they are not going to say that...

"there is still lag sometimes when I do certain things on a certain programs."

That is far too unspecific, but one thing is for sure it will not be your Graphics driver version.

The version number of your 2 Graphics drivers is in these areas:
1. Device Manager.
2. Task Manager.
3. Windows Tools > System Information > Components > Display.
4. Windows Update History(usually).
Depending on what you have installed may also appear in some Benchmark type Apps.