Most manufacturers regularly release driver updates for their hardware that are specifically designed for this version of Windows. Below is a list of information on Windows 8 drivers and general compatibility information for major hardware and computer system makers, including Acer, Dell, Sony, NVIDIA, AMD, and much more. Acer’s Upgrade Assistant tool can be used to see if your computer is a compatible model. Another helpful resource on Acer’s site is their Affected Model List, which categorizes their Windows 8 compatible PCs by any issues you might encounter when installing Windows 8. If you’re clean installing Windows 8, which we always recommend, your only concern should be the BIOS category. In other words, be sure to update your listed Acer computer’s BIOS to the latest version before installing Windows 8. This Windows 8 driver is compatible with most AMD/ATI Radeon HD GPUs, including those in the R9 series, as well as the HD 7000, HD 6000, and HD 5000 series. That includes both desktop and mobile GPUs. Most of the Windows 8 drivers available right now from ASUS are beta drivers, but more and more are WQHL certified for Windows 8. There are Windows 8 drivers for several of ASUS’s more popular Intel and AMD based motherboards. You can see a current list of Windows 8 supported ASUS motherboards on their Windows 8-Ready Motherboards page. Most BIOSTAR boards that worked with Windows 7 should also work with Windows 8. Windows 8 drivers are available for chipsets CM102A+/S+, CM108AH, CM6120XL, CM6206-LX, CM6300, CMI8738-MX, plus several more. However, Windows 8’s built-in drivers might work best. Compaq used to be an independent computer company but is now part of HP. Creative has made available Windows 8 drivers for some of their popular Sound Blaster audio products but many of them are currently beta drivers. Many Alienware, Inspiron (desktop and laptop), Latitude, Optiplex, Precision, Vostro, and XPS models have Dell-provided Windows 8 drivers. Dell printers listed as Not supported may or may not have a Dell-provided Windows 8 driver. Check Dell’s standard support site, linked below, for a Windows 8 driver for that printer model. A number of models of Dell color laser printers, monochrome laser printers, and inkjet printers are fully compatible with Windows 8. eMachines lists a number of Windows 8 compatible systems on their Windows Upgrade Offer page. Your computer not being listed doesn’t necessarily mean that it won’t function properly with Windows 8 installed. Gateway lists a number of fully or mostly Windows 8 compatible systems on their Windows Upgrade Offer page. If your Gateway computer is not listed, it doesn’t necessarily mean that it won’t work with Windows 8. The default drivers included by Microsoft may work without issue on your computer. Many of HP’s computers have both 32-bit and 64-bit Windows 8 drivers available. The huge majority of printers and scanners manufactured in the several years prior to Windows 8’s release will have a driver included for it in Windows 8 or will have a driver available direct from HP. This includes many popular HP Inkjet, Designjet, Deskjet, LaserJet, ENVY, Officejet, Photosmart, PSC, and Scanjet printers, scanners, and all-in-one devices. From HP’s support page, you can see if your specific HP printer or scanner will work with a Windows 8 driver (a driver already installed as part of the operating system), via an update from Windows Update (Windows Update driver), or from a Windows 8 driver downloaded directly from HP (full-feature driver). HP’s Printing in Windows 8 page is also very helpful. This update isn’t actually a Windows 8 driver, it’s a collection of INF file updates that help Windows 8 properly identify Intel chipset hardware like USB controllers and other hardware integrated on Intel motherboards. This single update works with both 32-bit and 64-bit versions of Windows 8. We have yet to see a nicely organized list of Windows 8 compatible Intel motherboards or other hardware, but we’d expect anything manufactured in the several years prior to the release of Windows 8 to be fully compatible. There are Lenovo computers that they have determined are compatible with Windows 8. Most of Lexmark’s printers are already supported by Windows 8 driver, meaning a driver perfect for your Lexmark printer came included with Windows 8. A few others require Windows 8 drivers made by Lexmark, which you can download by locating the page for your printer from Lexmark’s support site, linked below. Windows 8 drivers for Microsoft’s products can all be found via the individual product pages found on their Accessories Help & Learning page, linked above. Microtek has no plans to release Windows 8 drivers for their older, but very popular scanners. If you have an older Microtek scanner that has a Windows 7 driver available, try that. This particular NVIDIA driver is compatible with the TITAN series and the GeForce 10, 900, 700, and 600 series desktop GPUs, as well as GeForce MX100, 10, 900M, 800M, 700M, and 600M series notebook GPUs. Both 32-bit and 64-bit versions of this Windows 8 driver are available. See Samsung’s Windows 8 Upgrade page for a list of PC models that are “supported for Windows 8 upgrade.” Even if your Samsung computer isn’t listed, it may work perfectly well with default drivers provided in Windows 8. Sony also has a Windows 8 Upgrade page with information about Sony computers and Windows 8, including a tool to see if Windows 8 drivers are available for your specific Sony computer. If you see the Congratulations! The [MODEL] is supported for Windows 8 message, then that means that Sony has tested your computer with Windows 8 and provides Windows 8 drivers. If you see The [MODEL] is not supported for Windows 8. Sony will not provide any support or drivers for installation of Windows 8 on this model. The message, that doesn’t necessarily mean that Windows 8 won’t install or work properly on your computer with Microsoft-provided drivers. It just means that Sony won’t be actively supporting Windows 8 on your PC. You can view a list of the latest Toshiba Windows 8 drivers by visiting their Dynabook and Toshiba Drivers & Software page and refining your search first to Windows 8 (64-bit) or Windows 8 (32-bit) and then by whatever category of driver you’re after. Toshiba also keeps a list of laptops that they’ve successfully tested with Windows 8: Computers tested and supported by Toshiba for an upgrade to Windows 8.
