TechRadar Verdict
Ashampoo Driver Updater is a good tool for keeping your Windows drivers up to date to avoid performance issues. It scans your PC as quickly as possible for outdated drivers and lets you update them where required. However, the driver updater has some drawbacks, such as having no option to schedule driver scans and being costly compared to competitors.
Pros
- +
Fast hardware scans
- +
Fast driver downloads
- +
Backup and restore is available
- +
One-click update
Cons
- -
Relatively expensive
- -
Windows only, no Mac version
Why you can trust TechRadar We spend hours testing every product or service we review, so you can be sure you’re buying the best. Find out more about how we test.
Ashampoo Driver Updater is a device maintenance tool and driver updater for the Windows operating system. Usually, wrong or old drivers are an enemy to every computer system. Ashampoo keeps track of your drivers and ensures they’re updated when due.
Ashampoo is a software company that develops a broad range of software tools. It maintains its headquarters in Oldenburg, Germany.
We’ll evaluate Ashampoo Driver Updater based on specific criteria, including pricing, features, compatibility, customer support, and user interface.
Plans and pricing
Ashampoo Driver Updater is available through an annual subscription. It costs $19 for an annual license covering three personal computers in a downloadable format. If you want the software delivered in a DVD format, you’ll have to pay an extra $12.95. Also, you’ll need to pay another $4.95 if you require premium email support (for two years). This pricing structure is high compared to competitors like IObit Driver Booster Pro ($11.47).
There’s a free tier available but of limited functionality. For example, the free version takes longer to scan and update drivers than the paid version.
Features
Ashampoo Driver Updater has many of the features you'd expect to find in a driver updater software suite including:
Driver Detection
The Ashampoo Driver Updater can scan all drivers on your computer and identify which ones are outdated or not. The scan is rapid and easy to do. If you wish, you can set the driver updater to run a full scan whenever your PC boots up.
Automatic Updates
You can update your drivers with the tool after scanning. You can either install updates individually or update all of them with a single click. There are many benefits of updating your device drivers, including;
- Fixes wireless connection, sound, and printer issues
- Reduces risk of system crashes and freezes
- Improves your gaming experience
- Fully optimized system usage
Driver Backup and Restore
You can save your driver backups to an external device such as a hard disk or DVD and restore them when needed. Sometimes, you’ll need previous versions of your drivers, e.g., when an update results in failures. If this happens, it doesn’t mean the end of your PC. Instead, you could get the previous version from a backup and restore it with the Ashampoo Driver Updater.
Compatibility
The driver updater is compatible with Windows 10, Windows 8, and Windows 7. This widespread compatibility makes it a very versatile tool.
Interface and in use
It’s easy to download and use the Ashampoo Driver Updater. To do so, head on the company’s official website. You can pay online and download the software or have it shipped to you in DVD format. Picking the DVD format requires an extra payment.
After downloading, run the installer on your computer. The downloadable file is under 100 Megabytes, and its installation doesn’t take long from start to finish. After installing, you can open the driver updater and start using it.
The user interface is clear and straightforward. You have visible options to scan, backup, or restore. After scanning, it’ll show you the drivers that require updates and those that do not.
There is also a settings section where you have options to auto-scan your drivers every time you launch the software or whenever your PC boots afresh. The software is also multilingual, supporting over two dozen languages.
Support
There are various support options for the Ashampoo Driver Updater, including email, telephone, and live chat. The live chat and telephone support work pretty well, as did the company's email response. However, you also have the option to pay for premium email support that’ll make Ashampoo treat your inquiries as a top priority. This paid option costs $4.95 for two years.
There’s also an online Frequently Answered Questions (FAQ) page you can consult to resolve common problems.
The competition
Ashampoo Driver Updater has many competitors, such as IObit Driver Booster Pro and DriverDoc. Despite having similar features, Ashampoo costs $19 for a download and is more expensive than IObit ($11.50). On the other hand, DriverDoc (costing roughly $40) is more costly than Ashampoo but has more features.
Final verdict
Ashampoo Driver Updater is a tool that lives up to its promise. It’s effortless to use and performs its required functions very well. However, its main drawback is the cost, as it’s more expensive than many rivals. It’s also available only for Windows operating systems. We’d love to see one compatible with the Mac operating system.
We've also highlighted the best driver update software
