Intel just released a new graphics driver right on time for the Windows 10 October 2018 update. The driver is numbered 25.20.100.6323 and adds support…
Intel just released a new graphics driver right on time for the Windows 10 October 2018 update. The driver is numbered 25.20.100.6323 and adds support for the WinML machine learning framework and HDR10 output for laptop internal displays. As usual, this latest release also adds game-specific support for a few titles and fixes a few bugs.
Driver 25.20.100.6323 is a full WDDM 2.5 driver with support for DirectX 12 Shader Model 6.3 as well as HDR10 output. Some Intel IGPs already supported outputting HDR10 to external displays, but not to built-in laptop panels. Intel notes that this driver also improves the quality of the dynamic-range-expanding EDR mode.
Zone of the Enders the 2nd Runner: M∀RS should run well even on slower Intel graphics hardware.
WinML is—as savvy gerbils have no doubt already surmised from the name—the Windows Machine Learning framework. It implements the ONNX format for neural network models and is supported on every Windows 10 device running the 1809 update that just dropped. Intel’s driver adds support for running WinML applications on its graphics processors, but only on systems sporting Kaby Lake and later processors. Intel says that doing so can bring « a substantial speedup » to machine learning applications, presumably in comparison to running them on the CPU alone.
We’re all about gaming on discrete graphics cards around here, but I’ve played quite a few games on my 8700K’s built-in GPU. It’s pretty competent, and if I so chose, I could now enjoy official support for NBA 2K19, PlayStation 2 port Zone of the Enders the 2nd Runner: M∀RS, or the Bruno-recommended Two Point Hospital. Intel notes that playing these games is only recommended on Intel UHD Graphics 620 or faster adapters.
Wolfenstein II: The New Colossus probably won’t look this good on your IGP.
There are a fair few bugs fixed in this release. Some long-standing graphical anomalies in personal-favorite Phantasy Star Online 2 have finally been addressed. Crash bugs in Wolfenstein II: The New Colossus and Adobe Premiere Pro CC 2019 should be crushed. Panel Self Refresh should re-enable properly on laptops after watching full-screen videos. Miracast should once again go full-screen, and « multi-refresh-rate » displays should stop flickering intermittently. Finally, virtual machines should stop blanking their displays when testing 3D benchmarks.
All of the above goodness is only available for machines running Windows 10 64-bit on Skylake and newer CPUs. For the uninitiated, that means sixth-, seventh-, and eighth-generation chips. You can check the full list of supported IGPs in the release notes. Interested users can go right ahead and grab the 25.20.100.6323 driver from Intel’s download site .
