For me 6.0.1.7541 is offered if I uninstall the legacy HDA driver and keep internet connection active. Actually Windows starts download of this old driver as soon as Realtek HDA installer finish removing previous driver as part of the upgrade process. If I am running UAD driver I don't get any driver pushed, Windows only installs the inbox UAD HD Audio driver and that's it. This is on Windows 10.0.17134 x64. Hardware IDs HDAUDIO\FUNC_01&VEN_10EC&DEV_0282&SUBSYS_10280597&REV_1000 HDAUDIO\FUNC_01&VEN_10EC&DEV_0282&SUBSYS_10280597 For me only generic FF00 HDA and UAD generic drivers work (HDXRT.inf). I am currently on 8501 UAD generic and Realtek Audio Control store app works as expected.
Intended differences - UAD drivers only work with Windows 10 Creators Update (Version 1703) and newer; - they are only 64-bit, there are no 32-bit UAD drivers; - it allows for setting volume to store apps. Someone requested this on Feedback Hub and quickly got traction. Microsoft solution to this was a new audio driver framework known as UAD. Other, less relevant differences - shared kernel mode driver and extensions. Because the kernel mode driver and the extensions (MaxxAudio, DTS, RTK, Nahimic, etc) are present only once in the package, the whole package is much smaller; - it's only 64-bit so this almost halves its size relative to legacy HDA; - the interface service is also more compact and less bloated; - the Audio Console application is delivered via Windows store so this difference also slims the package. Similarity - the only similarity between the 2 is the fact they have vendor specific and generic versions,
Indeed it is less bloated. Minus the audio console, the installed size (according to the Control Panel) is only 98MB compared to the usual 400MB+.
Can't understand what driver version to use if i dont need maxxaudio, nahimic etc enhances. Saw on github.com/CHEF-KOCH/GamingTweaks/releases that drivers are broken. Not sure what this mean, and pretty confused what to use.
Safest is to use what your motherboard manufacturer puts on their site. If you're lucky, it's pretty recent. For example: - my ancient Gigabyte GA-990XA-UD3 (rev. 3.0) has v. 8447 on the site. - my MSI Z370 Gaming Plus has v. 8480 on the site - I use v. 8495 from here on the above MSI, and left the Gigabyte with whatever Windows 10 installed, cause I really don't care what's there, I only care if it's running. There are basically zero differences in all of these drivers from my experience, as long as they are the same version. Of course there would be differences between basic driver and Nahimic driver. Now, as for what version to use if you don't need any, just use the generic one or preferably what's suited for your motherboard type. For example, I'm using the "MSI (RTK)" from here, cause I have an MSI motherboard. You can install other types of drivers, but you might get additional services that do nothing. I think I got IceAudio/Sound or something by installing generic driver. They do nothing on my PC, so i had to delete them (from the registry as well) to get rid of them completely. Again, there's no rush to have the latest driver, Realtek seems to release a new driver/week at least, which is interesting, but also I have to wonder what's the point of it all? I would welcome any sort of changelog to these drivers.
The generic driver is most compatible. I was able to install 8501 which is the latest generic on a 2013 Dell Vostro 2521 with no issues. Vendor specific versions however only work for a few years. If your computer is old enough Windows won't find any hardware ID match and reject the driver installation.
Sonic Studio 3 is still broken even as UWP app. Many effects doesn't work, like Upmix/Surround. What the hell happened to it?!
But... why? My board uses generic drivers basically, I like changelogs, I don't care who provides them, but I can tell you that MSI just posts what I already see posted here, verified a few versions, compared folders, identical. Why would you be tired of people wanting a changelog?!? Don't you wanna know the changes? We had like 30-40 drivers the last few months. None has a damn changelog, we're installing cause... it's new? No driver offered any clear improvement either, after we had the UAD and UWP releases, which are great. I just can't see what's wrong wanting to know the changes.