The Coolstar drivers are the preferred choice over Generic Realtek drivers because they are specifically built for the I2S interfaces used in Chromebooks.

Intel Smart Sound Technology (SST) is an integrated audio DSP (Digital Signal Processor) found in modern Intel processors. Standard laptops use proprietary audio routing that Windows handles natively. Chromebooks route this audio differently through the firmware.

Ensure you are choosing the correct driver for your specific hardware ID. The SST audio drivers cover diverse platforms (Apollo Lake vs. Gemini Lake), and using the wrong one might still leave you without sound.

This is where CoolStar’s modified driver steps in.