Surface Pro 3 gets 30% performance boost with new Intel driver

Surface Pro 3 with Type Cover at Surface event in NYC

The beauty of software is that they can always get better with updates, and this week Intel is releasing new driver for its graphic chip series HD4400/5000 that offers up to 30 percent performance improvement on Intel’s 4th generation Haswell processors, like the ones in Surface Pro 3. The new driver also add support for the new Intel Core M processor with the new HD5300 graphic chip.

Intel is also claiming up to 10 percent performance improvement on gaming, which for a simple update this is incredible. And if you think this new improvements will affect the battery life, Intel will say that you’re wrong, as new driver should also improve battery performance.

Here is what Intel says in its documentation:

This driver provides significant gaming performance for 4th generation Intel® Core processors with Intel HD, Iris™ and Iris Pro graphics provides improvements while enhancing battery life through newer power conservation techniques such as CMAA* and Adaptive Rendering Control. Experience up to 30% improvement in performance in certain OpenCL workloads and up to 10% improvement certain games. The new and enhanced control panel offers additional media and display customization capabilities.

The drawback is that the new driver isn’t part of the Windows Update, which means that you’ll have to perform a manual installation. Also be aware that Windows will recommend you not to install the driver, because they are an old version, but it is OK to install.

Source Intel(Intel’s change log PDF file) via Neowin

About the author

Mauro Huculak is a Windows How-To Expert who started Pureinfotech in 2010 as an independent online publication. He has also been a Windows Central contributor for nearly a decade. Mauro has over 14 years of experience writing comprehensive guides and creating professional videos about Windows and software, including Android and Linux. Before becoming a technology writer, he was an IT administrator for seven years. In total, Mauro has over 20 years of combined experience in technology. Throughout his career, he achieved different professional certifications from Microsoft (MSCA), Cisco (CCNP), VMware (VCP), and CompTIA (A+ and Network+), and he has been recognized as a Microsoft MVP for many years. You can follow him on X (Twitter), YouTube, LinkedIn and About.me.