Intel just released a graphics driver update that reportedly improves FPS performance by around 10% for Intel Core 200V (Lunar Lake) chips. According to Intel Gaming Access, Intel graphics driver 32.0.101.6734 optimizes the CPU’s power management, which allows the integrated Intel Arc 140V and 130V GPUs to deliver better performance while remaining at their default power setting of 17 watts.
The company tested the update on the MSI Claw 8 AI+ with nine different titles, and the results were promising. More than just the 10% uplift in FPS, the new driver also increased the 1% lows by 25%, making for much smoother gameplay. Intel said that it set the games at 1080p Medium quality during the tests, while the handheld console was at its default 17W TDP. These are the results that the chip maker published for each game:
The company said that the MSI Claw 8 AI+ and MSI Claw 7 AI+ can now install the latest driver version to enjoy the performance uplift. Other manufacturers that use Intel Core 200V chips will also push the updates to eligible models soon, pending validation. That means even non-gaming laptops could soon play these titles more comfortably (albeit, with some compromises in visual quality).
This isn’t the first time that Intel (or other companies) has boosted the performance of their chips long after their release. For example, a driver update for the same Lunar Lake processors released in December 2024 increased performance by 24%, while a 2023 update boosted DX11 performance for some discrete Intel Arc GPUs by up to 750%. AMD is also known for squeezing higher FPS from its GPUs through driver updates, and even Nvidia has just released a driver update that slightly improved performance by 6% to 8%.
These software improvements are very much welcomed by the general community, especially as they give gamers better performance for free. However, some updates can also cause stability issues, so we hope that Intel has thoroughly tested this driver before releasing it to everyone. After all, we have no use for higher FPS numbers if we can’t play our favorite titles at all.
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