Which drivers should you use: WHQL, Beta, HOTFIX, or maybe a game-ready one?

Drivers for graphics cards are something graphics card enthusiasts should be aware of. The right drivers are crucial for optimal performance of graphics cards, so it’s important to keep them up-to-date. But not everyone is a gamer and not everyone always needs the latest drivers, so what’s the real difference between all driver types and which one should you use?

Each company has a different release schedule for their drivers, and each drier can enable or even disable functionality depending on what the company is aiming to achieve. The most recommended drivers are WHQL drivers or Game Ready/Game On drivers, which are the most stable branch and deliver the latest optimizations for games. But is actually WHQL?

What is WHQL?

WHQL stands for “Windows Hardware Quality Labs,” which is a certification program created by Microsoft. The purpose of WHQL certification is to ensure that device drivers, including graphics drivers, meet specific quality and compatibility standards with Windows operating systems.

WHQL-certified drivers undergo a series of rigorous tests to verify their compatibility, stability, and reliability with different Windows versions. Microsoft examines how the driver interacts with the OS, checks for potential system crashes, and assesses its overall performance. Once a driver passes these tests, it receives the WHQL certification.

The key advantages of WHQL-certified drivers are:

• Stability: WHQL-certified drivers are less likely to cause system crashes or conflicts with other software and hardware components.
• Compatibility: These drivers are guaranteed to work seamlessly with various Windows versions, reducing the chances of compatibility issues.
• Security: Microsoft ensures that WHQL-certified drivers do not contain malware or other security vulnerabilities.

If new drivers from GPU vendor pass the certification tests, they will add “WHQL” to their drivers. However, some companies may choose not to go through this process to speed up the release schedule.

What are BETA Drivers?

BETA drivers, often referred to as beta releases or beta versions, are pre-release versions of graphics drivers. These drivers are made available to the public for testing purposes before the final, stable release. Beta drivers typically contain new features, performance improvements, bug fixes, and optimizations.

The most probable use for BETA drivers is to try new features that are not yet ready for the public release. Beta drivers typically contain specific driver optimizations that will later be part of a larger release with more gaming titles. The beta drivers provide the following advantages:

• Early Access: BETA drivers offer users a chance to access new features and improvements before they become part of the stable driver release.
• Experimental: Since BETA drivers are in the testing phase, they may not be as stable as WHQL-certified drivers. Users might encounter unexpected issues or bugs.
• Feedback: Graphics card manufacturers encourage users to provide feedback on BETA drivers, helping them identify and fix any problems before the final release.

Intel WHQL and non-WHQL (Beta) drivers, Source: Intel

What are HOTFIX Drivers?

The idea of HOTFIX drivers was conceived by NVIDIA, and it’s the only company to use the term. These drivers are specialized updates designed to address specific issues or bugs that have been identified in the current driver version. These releases are intended to provide immediate solutions to critical issues without waiting for the next scheduled driver update, which may be a week or two away.

Key points about HOTFIX drivers include:

• Focused Fixes: HOTFIX drivers target specific issues, such as game compatibility problems, graphical glitches, or performance regressions.
• Quick Response: Graphics card manufacturers release HOTFIX drivers promptly to address urgent issues reported by users.
• Temporary Solutions: HOTFIX drivers are not long-term replacements for WHQL-certified drivers but rather temporary fixes until the next stable release.

Users should only use Hotfix drivers if they address a specific issue they encountered. These drivers won’t offer any other enhancements, and they’ll perform exactly the same way as the previously available Beta or WHQL version they’re based on.

What is a Game Ready or Game On driver?

Companies like NVIDIA or Intel tend to correlate their driver releases with upcoming game releases. The Game Ready or Game On driver may be for one game only or include many titles. These drivers may also be released for major game updates, such as patches or DLCs, so it is not extraordinary to see two drivers optimized for the same game.

NVIDIA Game Ready driver release schedule, Source: Intel

The Game Ready drivers go through an automated process of testing. The company claims that 1000 reliability tests per day are performed and in 2021 alone the company has spent 1.8M hours testing new GRD drivers. You can learn more about these drivers here .

What is NVIDIA Studio Driver?

NVIDIA has a separate package of drivers called Studio Drivers or SD (alongside GRD which stands for Game Ready). This driver is for artists, creators and 3D Developers who need the best performance and stability for their creative applications. In other words, these drivers are optimized for specific software that is used by this group of people, who may not always require as frequent driver updates as GRD branch. What is important to know is that SD drivers can be used for gaming just as easily as GRD drivers; however, some optimizations may be missing.

What is a Radeon PRO or ARC PRO driver?

These drivers will only work with workstation graphics cards. Such drivers are not optimized for gaming; however, they should still work depending on the card’s capabilities. These drivers have much less frequent release schedules (months or quarters) and typically offer optimizations for specific professional apps.

How to download the latest drivers and keep them up to date?

Each company has their software that can check if the GPU vendor has a new driver available. These tools are AMD Adrenalin Software, NVIDIA Experience and Intel Arc Control. Users who opted not to use this software can always check if there is a new driver available manually or by following our site for the latest updates. We keep our download section up to date with all major releases.

• AMD Driver website
• Intel Driver website
• NVIDIA Drivers website

TLDR: If you’re a gamer you should stick to stable WQHL/Game Ready releases, however if you need the best experience with optimizations and latest fixes for new games, sometimes BETA release may provide more optimal performance. Content creators and professional users should use either Studio Drivers or “PRO” branches that prioritize stability for such applications. The Hotfix drivers are not recommended for users who are not experiencing the specific problems that these drivers address.