The drivers on your computer are the individual pieces of software that go with the hardware. Your computer has hundreds of drivers, all made by different manufacturers. Driver updates are designed to improve compatibility, improve performance, and fix errors. However, it can be difficult to keep track of things.
A driver updater program can help here. It will scan your computer and look for outdated drivers. If any are found, the driver update software can download and install the updates.
In our Driver booster 8 Review, we are putting this driver installer against the best driver update software to help you decide if it is right for your home or office.
Plans and prices
Driver Booster 8 PRO costs $ 22.95 / year ($ 1.81 / month) for three PCs. Alternatively, you can purchase it as part of a bundle that includes IObit Uninstaller Pro, Smart Defrag Pro, and Protected Folder for $ 24.95 / year ($ 2.90 / month). We’ve had positive reviews of these other software utilities in the past, so it may be worth paying the extra $ 2 per year.
You can download a trial version of Driver Booster from the IObit website. Apart from the fact that the trial version expires after 14 days, there is no option to automatically update drivers when your computer is idle. You can also update two drivers per day. This is a significant limitation if you don’t plan to purchase the full version. If you’d like to try the PRO version, it’s backed by a 60-day money-back guarantee.
characteristics
The main function of Driver Booster is called Update. It will scan your computer for outdated drivers and list all available updates. You can then install all updates at the same time or select them individually. In addition to the drivers, the software also checks for updates for common components used by games like Adobe AIR and Microsoft Silverlight.
The PRO version of Driver Booster 8 can be set to periodically check your computer for required driver updates and automatically download them if necessary.
The software includes a backup and restore feature that you can use if you are concerned about testing a new, cutting-edge driver. With one click, you can back up all the drivers on your system or restore them from backup. A system restore point manager is built into the software that allows you to create, remove, and restore the state of your computer.
Interface and in use
Driver Booster 8 has a modern, clear and clear interface that is easy to use. However, if you don’t plan on installing IObit’s other utilities, you may find these products keep selling. You’ll be asked if you’d like to install other IObit products during the installation, and many of the key buttons in Driver Booster 8 such as: B. Smart Game Booster, System Optimizer, and Software Updater do little but invite you to buy more software.
That means you will find useful settings in the menu. You can choose to search for game components and / or device drivers and whether you want the latest or the most stable drivers. You can set the Driver Booster of a folder for downloaded drivers and backups and select devices to ignore.
When performing a driver update, the software first creates a system restore point and backs up your current drivers. You can automatically restart your computer after the driver installation is complete.
In total, Driver Booster 8 found 30 out of date drivers and 12 out of date game components on our two test machines. This is the highest number of missing drivers reported in our tests. This indicates that Driver Booster 8 has an extensive database of drivers and can accurately detect old drivers.
support
Driver Booster has a small FAQ section on the IObit website. There is also an up-to-date online user manual with around 20 well-written pages on the main features of the product.
Support is available via the contact form. During our tests, we received answers to our questions within 12 hours. IObit also has a community support forum so you can reach out to other Driver Booster 8 users if you have any problems.
The competition
Driver Reviver by ReviverSoft is a viable alternative to Driver Booster 8. It focuses on driver updates and does not include any of Driver Booster’s additional system management tools, but has a solid driver scanning and updating feature.
Driver Genius is also worth checking out as all of the features are available in the free trial version. With the free version of Driver Booster, you can only install two drivers per day. However, Driver Genius allows you to install all of the driver updates at the same time.
Final verdict
Driver Booster 8 stands out as a driver update software solution. More outdated drivers were found on our test machines than other driver update tools, and it’s easy to update them with the click of a button. It goes beyond most of the competition and includes an automatic driver update service, an offline driver update service, and a solid driver backup solution.
However, the trial version is severely limited and other IObit software must be installed for many functions. So we don’t recommend them if you’re just looking for a free tool to use to update your drivers every now and then. However, if you manage an office full of PCs or want to always have the latest drivers on your PC, Driver Booster 8 is an excellent choice.
Source link : https://www.techradar.com/reviews/driver-booster-8/
