I installed fresh copy of Windows 8.1 last night and installed latest display drivers for my ATI card. When checking for Windows updates as an optional update i saw there's ATI's display driver and now i don't know should i install it or keep manufacturers latest (13.9)?
Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. - Graphics Adapter WDDM1.3 - AMD Radeon HD 6800 Series Download size: 112.5 MB
I'm no sure why windows shows me that update, there's no chance those drivers are newer than these already installed.
Answer
Microsoft's Windows Update is generally the best method for keeping drivers up to date. There are some caveats though. With drivers that are updated often, like video drivers, the manufacturers do not submit the drivers to MS for WHQL certification often, and therefore do not get updated by Windows Update. This means the "up to date" driver you received from Windows update is the latest Microsoft certified driver, not the latest from the manufacturer. AMD, NVidia, and other manufacturers that update their drivers often, have their own driver update software that you can use to keep their drivers up to date. If a manufacturer has their own driver updater, its best to use that, or just check their sites.
I stay away from 3rd party driver updaters. Some are outright malware, while others may work, but you do not know if their sources are correct or up to date. I have seen some 3rd party updates incorrectly detect a device and install the wrong drivers. This can be a PIA to fix. IMO, 3rd party device drivers software is not worth the headaches.
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