Intel is rolling out a new version of the graphics driver for its processors with integrated graphics and discrete Iris Xe GPU. The new driver, version 30.0.101.1069, adds support for Intel's 12th-generation Alder Lake processors, which were launched earlier this month.
The latest driver still supports CPUs all the way back to the sixth generation of Intel Core processors (also known as Skylake), and it supports both Windows 10 and Windows 11. Based on the release notes, Intel's 12th-generation Alder Lake processors are supported on Windows 10 version 20H2 or later.
Aside from support for newly-launched processors, which should mean better performance and reliability with those processors, the new driver includes performance improvements in some games. Specifically, Intel says you can expect reduced load times in games including Assassin's Creed Valhalla, Deathloop, Horizon Zero Dawn, and Metro Exodus. This update also fixes a handful of known issues with some titles:
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Intermittent crash or hang seen in Moonlight Blade (DX12), Resident Evil Village (DX12) on 11th Generation Intel Core Processors with Intel Iris Xe graphics.
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Intermittent crash or hang seen in Call of duty: Warzone on 12th Generation Intel Core Processors with Intel UHD graphics.
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Intermittent crash or hang seen in Doom Eternal (Vulkan) on Intel Iris Xe Discrete graphics.
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Minor graphic anomalies seen in Fallout 4. Red Dead Redemption (Vulkan) (while pressing ESC), Resident Evil Village (DX12) (while pressing ESC)
Despite the updates, however, there are still a lot of known issues in this release. This includes some issues exclusive to Intel's new Alder Lake processors, including graphics annomalies in Netflix after unplugging and re-plugging an external display, crashes or hangs in games like Metro Exodus and Shadow of the Tomb Raider, and graphics anomalies in games including Gears 5, Genshin Impact, and Wolfenstein: Youngblood. You cam find the full list of issues below.
Known issues in Intel Graphics driver version 30.0.101.1069
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Intermittent crash or hang may be seen in Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War (DX12), Far Cry 6 (DX12), The Sims 4 (hot plug or unplug of external display).
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Minor graphic anomalies may be observed in Dark Souls 3, Far Cry 6 (DX12), Metro Exodus (DX12), Microsoft Flight Simulator (during installation), Mount & Blade II: Bannerlord, Red Dead Redemption 2 (DX12), Shadow of the Tomb Raider (DX11), The Surge 2 (Vulkan), Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon Breakpoint.
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“Update driver” pop-up error may be seen while launching Battlefield 1 after upgrading from 30.0.100.9955 or older drivers due to the driver version roll-over.
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[11th Generation Intel Core Processors with Intel Iris Xe graphics]: Crash or hang may be seen in Breathedge, Detroit: Become Human (Vulkan), FIFA 21, NBA 2K21 (DX12) (when switching resolution from 1920 x 1080 to 1600 x 900 and 1280 x 720), The Ascent.
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[11th Generation Intel Core Processors with Intel Iris Xe graphics]: Black screen may be seen in Arma 3 (when changing display mode to windowed or full screen).
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[11th Generation Intel Core Processors with Intel Iris Xe graphics]: Minor graphic anomalies may be seen in Adobe Premiere Pro 2020 during video playback, Baldur’s Gate 3 (Vulkan), Call of the Duty: Vanguard (DX12), Call of the Sea, Crysis Remastered, Elex, Just Cause 4 , Red Dead Redemption (Vulkan), The Ascent.
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[Intel Iris Xe Discrete graphics]: Intermittent crash or hang may be seen in Conan Exiles (Low End Laptop Mode” in game settings), Forza Horizon 4 (DX12), Forza Motorsport 6 (DX12), Spyro: Reignited Trilogy.
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[Intel Iris Xe Discrete graphics]: Minor graphic anomalies may be observed in Assassin’s Creed Valhalla (DX12), Code Vein, Death Stranding (DX12), Microsoft Flight Simulator, GRID 2019 (DX12).
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[11th and 12thGeneration Intel Core Processors]: Display is getting blanked out with 4K@60hz resolution connected via dock.
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[12th Generation Intel Core Processors with Intel UHD graphics]: Minor graphic anomalies may be observed in Netflix after quickly unplugging and re-plugging external displays during video playback.
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[12th Generation Intel Core Processors with Intel UHD graphics]: Intermittent crash or hang may be seen in Marvel’s Avengers (DX12), Metro Exodus (DX12) (after changing quality), Shadow of the Tomb Raider (Dx12), The Sims 4 (when loading save file).
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[12th Generation Intel Core Processors with Intel UHD graphics]: Minor graphic anomalies may be observed in Gears 5, Genshin Impact, Ring of Elysium (DX12), Wolfenstein: Youngblood (Vulkan).
If you're one of the early adopters of Intel's Alder Lake processors, and even if you're not, we'd recommend updating your graphics driver. You can download it here. And if you haven't yet, check out our review of the Intel Core i5-12600K and the Core i9-12900K, which we found to be a big leap over the previous generation.
