What components need updates outside of the operating system during a PC clean-up?

Just to add to that, some users might forget about peripheral devices like printers or specialized external drives. Their firmware or drivers might also need updates that aren't handled through the operating system. It's worth checking the manufacturer's website for those manual updates as well.

I think you're mainly looking at components like the BIOS on your motherboard that need to be updated directly. Generally, the GPU drivers and other peripherals can be updated through the OS. It's good to also check if your network card and any other specialized hardware have their own firmware updates that might need manual installation, especially if you're working with high-performance equipment.