Latest Intel Arc and Iris Xe driver updates promise up to 750% in-game performance improvements

Intel has released new drivers for all its graphics cards, including Iris Xe integrated solutions. According to the company's website, the new update will arrive as Intel Graphics Driver 31.0.101.4952 and replaces 31.0.101.4900, which began rolling out on October 23. For reference, Intel has only designed the updates to work with Windows 10 20H2 onwards and Windows 11.

In its release notes, Intel explains that 31.0.101.4952 introduces official support for various new games, including Call of Duty: Modern Warfare III, Robocop: Rogue City and The Talos Principle 2. While adding support for new games has come to be expected from graphics card driver updates, Intel also claims to have brought substantial performance improvements to several older titles through undisclosed optimisations.

Arguably, the most eye-catching uplift lies with Halo: The Master Chief Collection, which Intel states should run up to 750% faster in DX11 mode at 1080p with Enhanced graphics settings. Elsewhere, 31.0.101.4952 is said to deliver 53% higher average FPS in Guild Wars 2 at 1080p and Ultra settings, plus 113% and 154% improvements in World War Z and Yakusa 0, respectively, with the resolution and graphics settings. There are comparable improvements for some DX12 games, too. Other minor performance enhancements are as follows:

• Alien: Isolation: 9% (DX11)
• Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare: 20% (DX11)
• Euro Truck Simulator 2: 27% (DX11)
• Far Cry 5: 14% (DX11)
• Far Cry New Dawn: 11% (DX11)
• Far Cry Primal: 14% (DX11)
• Lost Ark: 15% (DX11)
• Sid Meier's Civilization V: 6% (DX11)
• Sniper Elite 3: 37% (DX11)
• The Talos Principle 2: 19% (DX12)
• Total War: Warhammer: 10% (DX11)
• Warhammer: Vermintide 2: 16% (DX11)

Purchase the Acer Predator BiFrost Intel Arc A770 on Amazon