Premium Peripheral Companion Software and the Drivers That Make RGB Sing
How the peripheral maker's drivers and companion software work together, and what to install if you only want the basics.
What The Peripheral Maker's Drivers Actually Do
The peripheral maker's device software is the peripheral companion software, which extends well beyond mice and keyboards into RAM, fans, AIO coolers, and PSUs — almost everything this peripheral maker makes. The devices themselves work without the same software, but the cross-device lighting orchestration is the peripheral companion software's main appeal.
The peripheral companion software has a heavier resident footprint than some competitors because it manages so many device families at once. Users who only own one or two of these premium peripherals sometimes choose to skip it and live with default lighting and basic input behaviour.
- The peripheral companion software handles devices plus other peripheral hardware
- Without the peripheral companion software the device runs on Windows' generic input driver
- Synchronised RGB across devices is the peripheral companion software's headline feature
Optional Companion Apps and Their Footprint
Almost every modern device brand ships a companion app for lighting, button mapping, and macros. The peripheral maker's app is one of these — it is not strictly required for the device to function as a basic mouse, keyboard, or headset, but it unlocks the more interesting customisation features.
If your priority is a lean install, you can use the basic Windows class driver and skip the companion app entirely. You lose macros and lighting but gain a much smaller resident footprint.
Updating Without the Companion App
Most these premium peripherals receive firmware updates through their companion app. If you skip the app, firmware updates simply do not arrive — usually fine for years, but worth knowing in case a real fix appears.
If you eventually want a firmware update, install the app temporarily, apply the update, and uninstall it again. The device keeps the new firmware permanently.
Quick Answers
Frequently Asked Questions
The questions readers send us most often on this topic.
No — basic typing and clicking work without it. The peripheral companion software adds lighting, macros, and cross-device synchronisation.
It manages many device families simultaneously and persists in the tray. On systems with little RAM you may prefer to skip it.
The peripheral companion software has limited integration with some third-party RGB software via the open SignalRGB and similar projects, but its primary focus is the premium peripheral maker ecosystem.
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