Driver Update Tool Review | DeviceDriverFinder.com

Driver Update Program Review Page

Driver update programs can be a great help in finding and updating Windows drivers. If you are missing your hardware’s installation CD, or don’t want to search the internet for hours to find drivers for unrecognized devices, a driver update program is the solution. But there are many driver update programs, so comparing and reviewing driver update programs will help in selecting the right one.
The results shown on the Driver Update Tool Review table below are based on test runs done on three different PCs. The test PC system specs are shown in the table below the review.

Frequently Asked Questions:

What is a device driver?

A device driver is a computer application that enables communication between your PC’s operating system and a hardware device. For example, if you need to print something, a printer driver is required to relay that Print command from your PC to your printer.

What is a driver update tool?

A driver update tool or driver scanner tool is software program whose main purpose is to ensure that your PC has the latest device drivers. The driver update software will scan your computer, detect all hardware and then update the drivers for the detected hardware devices.

What are the most important features I should look for in a driver update tool?

The first most important feature is the level of accuracy of its hardware detection technology. If the tool cannot scan your system’s hardware devices correctly, including the details of any existing drivers, then it will not pick up device drivers that need updating.
The second most important feature is the completeness of its driver database. If the tool has a small database of drivers then update recommendations will not be complete, or even invalid, and you will end up updating only a handful of your devices. Equally important is the support for all Windows versions. If your Windows version is not supported or a limited number of drivers is available for it, the driver update tool will not be of much help.
Side-By-Side Comparison
DriverFinder
DriverFinder		Driver Detective
Driver Detective		DriverCure
DriverCure		Driver Scanner
DriverScanner		Driver Agent
Driver Agent
Overall Rating98/10095/10093/10089/10081/100
Free Driver Scan
Feature Set
Ease of Use
Effectiveness
Program Mgnt.
Feature Sets
ProductDriverFinderDriver DetectiveDriverCureDriverScannerDriver Agent
Scan Summary
System Information12
Backup and Restore33
Ignore Devices
Show Driver Details
OS supportedXP/Vista/W7/W8XP/Vista/W7/W8XP/Vista/W74XP/Vista/W7/W8XP/Vista/W7/W8
OS architecture32-bit & 64-bit32-bit & 64-bit32-bit & 64-bit32-bit & 64-bit32-bit & 64-bit
Ease of Use
ProductDriverFinderDriver DetectiveDriverCureDriverScannerDriver Agent
Windows Familiar GUI
Show Scan Progress
System Tray Icon
Local Help File
Online Support
Effectiveness
ProductDriverFinderDriver DetectiveDriverCureDriverScannerDriver Agent
Devices Detected96 / 133 / 13649 / 74 / 9183 / 88 / 95?? / ?? / ??46 / 69 / 73
Download Speed
Individual Downloads
Unplugged Devices Scan
False Positives
Driver Updates Found23 / 26 / 920 / 16 / 1110 / 16 / 132 / 2 / 413 / 11 / 7
Program Management
ProductDriverFinderDriver DetectiveDriverCureDriverScannerDriver Agent
Install and Uninstall
Memory Usage (TSR)4 MB8 MB10 MB38 MB5 MB
Automated Update
Scheduled Scan
Price$29.95$29.95$29.97$29.95$29.95
PC license coverage3 PCs10 PC1 PC3 PCs10 PCs
Software Trials
ProductDriverFinderDriver DetectiveDriverCureDriverScannerDriver Agent
Download size0.3 MB1.9 MB53.2 MB5.3 MB0.9 MB6
Free Driver Scan
Websitewww.driverfinderpro.comwww.drivershq.comwww.drivercure.comwww.uniblue.comwww.driveragent.com
1 Only in registered version
2 Incomplete details
3 Creates System Restore Points
4 XP in 32-bit only
5 Requires Microsoft .NET Framework
6 Browser based ActiveX component

What are the BENEFITS of running a driver scanner tool on my PC?

Hardware manufacturers release new drivers all the time, so installation CDs/DVDs that came with your PC often do not contain the latest drivers. Manufacturer's update the drivers to ensure that their products provide you with the best functionality and performance, and without problems. At any given time, however, your system is using dozens of devices. As such, using a driver update program provides you the following benefits:
  • Saves you time. It can take several hours to track down each and every driver for every single piece of hardware connected to your PC. A driver update tool accomplishes this in minutes.
  • Saves you money. There are driver sites out there from which you can get drivers on a “per download” basis. Since your system will probably require hundreds of downloads in its lifetime, you will end up spending hundreds of dollars. In contrast, the number of drivers you can download using a driver update program is limitless.
  • Prevents you from incorrectly using the wrong driver. As Wikipedia notes, “Drivers are hardware-dependent and operating-system-specific.” This means that drivers (1) must be compatible to your PC's operating system, and (2) be suited to your hardware's brand and model. Driver update software already works on this basis so you're assured that driver update recommendations are suited to your system and hardware.
  • No need to be tech-savvy. It takes a bit of PC knowledge to scan for drivers, download them, and install them properly. Driver update tools do all this for you.
  • Ensures all your hardware devices are performing at peak performance levels. Missing out on the latest driver releases means your PC and hardware devices are being cheated from bug fixes, performance improvements, and potential new features from the manufacturer. Driver update tools ensure this doesn't happen to you.

The Three (3) Test PCs Used for this Review

Test PC1Test PC2Test PC3
ProcessorIntel® Core™ Duo T5250 1.5GHzIntel® Core™ Duo T5600 1.83GHzIntel® Core™ Quad Q8200 2.33GHz
ChipsetMobile Intel® GM965 Express ChipsetMobile Intel® 945PM Express ChipsetIntel® G33 Express Chipset
Memory2 GB DDR2 RAM at 667 MHz1 GB DDR2 RAM at 667 MHz4 GB DDR2 RAM at 800 Mhz
Video CardATI® Mobility™ Radeon® HD 2400XTATI® Mobility™ Radeon® X1450NVidia® GeForce® 8600 GS
Hard Disk160GB HDD SATA120GB HDD SATA2x500GB HDD SATA
Audio CardIntel® 82801HB HD Audio (Realtek ALC268)Intel® 82801GB HD Audio (Realtek ALC660)Intel® 82801IB HD Audio (Realtek ALC888S)
NetworkBroadcom NetLink™ Gigabit EthernetRealtek RTL8168B/8111B PCI-E GBE ControllerRealtek RTL8168C(P)/8111C(P) PCI-E GBE Controller
WirelessIntel® PRO/Wireless 3945ABGIntel® PRO/Wireless 3945ABGLite-On 802.11 b/g/n Wireless PCI-E
OSWindows Vista® Home Premium (32-bit) SP2Windows XP (32-bit) with SP3Windows Vista® HOME Basic (64-bit) with SP2
Have you used any of these tools or maybe used yet another driver update tool? Share your experiences with us!

73 Comments Add your own

  • 1. Andy  |  September 4th, 2011 at 5:55 pm

    @shane – I think none of the products are life time. DriverFinder is also a 1 year license, with an option to extend a year during the initial sale for a lower amount.
    I doubt they will give you a life time version, as there is a cost involved to keep the driver database up to date all the time.
    But you can always try and contact them and ask. The main website, http://www.driverfinderpro.com has a support link that you can try.

  • 2. Fr. Tom Beasley  |  December 4th, 2012 at 7:00 am

    I downloaded the drivers but am unable to install because I do not have an Administrator or proxie. I am the only user on this computer.

  • 3. Mr. Reginald Chislett Sr. ( Reg )  |  March 22nd, 2014 at 6:49 pm

    I have a Driver Update in my system…
    2 questions

    #1. In the simples terms: What does a Driver Update do?

    #2. How do I know which one I have in my system…It was already there…When I bought my Lap-Top…?

    JUST-A-SIMPLE-MAN
    FRIEND-TO-ALL

    REG SR.
    CALGARY, ALBERTA

  • 4. Andy  |  March 22nd, 2014 at 11:16 pm

    @Mr. Reginald Chislett Sr. – Let me try to answer your questions:

    #1 – A driver update is basically an updated version of the software that takes care of the communication between a hardware device and your operating system (Windows). A driver update can improve performance of the hardware device, or fix bugs, and improve the reliability, or lastly, it can add new features if the software is improved.

    #2 – Not sure I understand this question. The new computer will come with some drivers installed, so there will not be a driver update on the computer. Actually a lot of new computers have old drivers, because new versions were released since they came from the factory.

    Hope this helps! If not, please clarify your 2nd question.

  • 5. Jack  |  March 29th, 2015 at 4:42 am

    I have a pop up on my computer that is called “Driver Tool” and tells me that they have the latest driver updates for me. There is no company name attached to this so I don’t know if it is legitimate. How can I tell if they are legitimate?
    Also in reading some of your articles I noticed that “Drive Finder” is recommended and then in another article “Driverhound” is recommended. Is there a difference or a reason for recommending one over the other?

  • 6. Andy  |  March 30th, 2015 at 12:58 am

    @Jack – If a product is vague about it’s name or product ownership, there is definitely reason to not trust it. So I’d be carefull of the “Driver Tool” you mention.
    It should really be easy to check which company is behind a product, from the website, and by checking the digital code signing certificate used for the EXE file. From that you can check the EULA, and privacy policy to check if they are legit and can be trusted.

    This is partly the reason why DriverFinder ranks high. It all checks out, is a company and product that has been around for quite a few years, and their driver database is one of the best.
    I am not familiar with the Driverhound product that you mention. Can you give me the link where it is recommended?

  • 7. OSWALD ALLISON  |  November 11th, 2015 at 5:12 pm

    HOPING MY DRIVER UPDATES WERE DOWN LOADED CORRECTLY

  • 8. charles t robinson  |  March 29th, 2017 at 10:17 pm

    Have an Epson printer thats 5 years old and wont copy or print something on my computer. Can print items scanned into my documents is all. Think my drivers are out of date. Which driver update tool would be recommended for this task?

  • 9. Andy  |  March 31st, 2017 at 2:14 pm

    @charles t robinson – Older drivers can certainly be problematic on newer Windows versions, but actualy 5 years is not that old for this.
    Our recommendation from the review actually still holds true, I suggest you try DriverFinder.
    Even if you don’t get the driver listed, their tech support is great and should be able to help you get the printer working correctly.

  • 10. roderick  |  November 14th, 2017 at 5:08 pm

    i have just joined driver turner for seven days and then I was told that I would be automatically be charged twenty nine pounds if I continued at this stage I do not wish to continue and will advise you at a later date thankyou

  • 11. Andy  |  November 15th, 2017 at 3:01 pm

    @Roderick – I assume you mean drivertuner?
    We have no relationship with that program or its maker.
    But thank you for sharing your experience regarding their business practice of trialware with an automatic charge. This is why we prefer programs that simply allow you to test it without providing payment details, even if the program’s functionality is limited.

  • 12. Anne Mobarry  |  January 18th, 2019 at 6:39 pm

    Driver Support Website is deceptive. Although they like you to sign up for a subscription, it appeared that you could also receive a missing driver for a one time fee. Nope. You get hit with an automatic billing for a subscription,instead. So be aware.

  • 13. tony wright  |  May 6th, 2019 at 6:50 pm

    Driver scanner is no more. Check their web and they have withdrawn it.

Leave a Comment

*

*

CAPTCHA

*

Trackback this post  |  Subscribe to the comments via RSS Feed