Firmware Updates: How Long Will Your Laptop Get Them?

What BIOS and UEFI mean on a laptop

Firmware is the low-level software stored on a small chip in the laptop. It runs before the operating system starts and tells the hardware how to behave. The older name for this firmware is BIOS; the modern replacement is UEFI. When a maker releases a firmware update, it is usually called a BIOS or UEFI update.

Microsoft lists UEFI and Secure Boot as a minimum system requirement for Windows 11, alongside a Trusted Platform Module version 2.0. That means a current Windows editing laptop is expected to boot through UEFI and to check its firmware against Secure Boot. Understanding that line is part of reading a laptop listing, so see how to check laptop specs for the wider picture.

What a firmware update does for an editing laptop

For an editor, a firmware update matters for two reasons. It can fix compatibility issues between the laptop and newer hardware, such as a dock, a card reader, or an external SSD. It can also close security gaps in the parts of the system that run before Windows, which matters when you carry client footage on the road. The updates come from the maker, not from the operating system on its own.

A firmware update is separate from a graphics driver update. NVIDIA's Studio page describes its Studio Drivers as GPU-tuned updates that, in NVIDIA's words, help ensure stability for creative workflows. That page covers the driver, while the maker's support page covers the firmware. The BIOS settings and video editing article explains how the firmware settings area looks when you open it.

Where the maker's support page lists firmware updates

Every laptop maker organizes updates on its support site. The HP home page links to Software and Drivers and Support and Troubleshooting; Dell's page links to Drivers and Downloads and Warranty and Contracts; ASUS links to a Support section and a Register section. On those pages you look up the exact model, open the BIOS or UEFI category, and see whether a firmware download is listed and how it is dated.

A support page is also where the maker states warranty information. The warranty status section tells you whether the maker still treats a model as current. Read that section before you compare two listings, because it is the closest thing to a support timeline that the pages give.

• Open the maker's support page and search the model line.
• Look for a BIOS, UEFI, or firmware category.
• Check whether the download list shows a date or a version number.
• Check the warranty status section for how long the maker supports that model.

How long firmware support lasts

No maker page that this article reads states a fixed number of years for firmware updates. What a support page can tell you is whether a model still appears in the download list and whether its newest firmware has a recent date. A laptop whose model page still links to current downloads is still being maintained; one whose page has not changed for a long time may no longer be.

For video editing, the practical question is whether the laptop keeps working with the accessories you add over time. Reading the support page before you buy, rather than after, is the way to answer that question. The best video editing laptop guide compares lines that appear on those maker pages.

What to check before you buy

Add firmware support to the checklist you use when you read a listing. The listing itself rarely states how long the maker will update the firmware; the maker's support page is the place to look. If the model line you are considering is new, expect the support page to list current downloads. If the model line is older, check whether it is still listed at all.

Also check the Windows edition. A laptop listed with Windows 11 Home or Windows 11 Pro meets the UEFI and Secure Boot requirement on the Microsoft specs page, because Windows 11 requires that system firmware. That does not tell you how long the maker will keep updating the firmware, only that the laptop meets the requirement for the operating system.

Before you buy, visit the support page and follow links like Drivers and Downloads or Software and Drivers. See the mobile workstation guide if your work calls for a line that emphasizes long service life.

What firmware updates do not change

Firmware updates update the code on the laptop; they do not change the hardware. The RAM figure, the storage size, the graphics memory and the battery capacity written on a listing remain the same after a firmware update. A firmware update cannot add memory or make a screen larger.

Keep that in mind when you compare two listings on RAM and storage. See how much RAM for video editing and battery capacity in watt-hours for what those figures mean. The specs you read on the listing are the specs the laptop will keep.

What to pick for your situation

Questions

Does a firmware update make your laptop faster?

The pages this article reads make no claim about speed from a firmware update. A firmware update can fix compatibility issues and close security gaps, but the maker's support page lists what each update changes. Do not buy a laptop on a promise of faster exports; the maker's page will not state that.

How do you find the current firmware version?

On the maker's support page, look for the model and a BIOS or UEFI section. The page explains how to check the installed version before you download a new one. Microsoft's Windows 11 page confirms that the system firmware is UEFI with Secure Boot.

How long will a laptop keep getting firmware updates?

No maker page linked here states a fixed number of years. Check the support page for the model: whether the download list is current and whether the warranty status section still covers the laptop tells you more than any general number.

Do MacBooks receive firmware updates?

Apple delivers system software and firmware through macOS updates, and the MacBook Pro and MacBook Air pages list what each model supports. Firmware on a Mac is part of the operating system update cadence, not a separate BIOS download.

Is UEFI the same as BIOS?

UEFI is the modern firmware interface that replaced BIOS on current laptops. Microsoft's Windows 11 page lists UEFI with Secure Boot as a minimum system requirement, which is why current editing laptops boot through UEFI.

Should you avoid a laptop that no longer gets firmware updates?

A laptop whose support page no longer lists current downloads can still edit video, but it will not receive new fixes or support for newer accessories. Compare it with a supported model before you buy; the editing laptop guide compares the lines on that basis.

Where are firmware updates listed on a support page?

Under names such as Drivers and Downloads, Software and Drivers, or Support. HP, Dell and ASUS all link to those sections from their home pages. The firmware download is usually in a BIOS or UEFI category inside the model's page.

What is Secure Boot for?

Microsoft lists Secure Boot as part of the Windows 11 system firmware requirements. It checks that the boot process runs trusted firmware. It is a security feature, not a speed feature.