For mainstream chips, no.

For specialty chips (like SoC systems) YES.

Is it sometimes beneficial (not essential, just beneficial) for them on mainstrean chips?

Yes.

Long version:

Windows has built in reference drivers for many common chipsets, and fully supports all the features of those common chipsets. You dont lose features by using the ms supplied drivers.

For 'not mainstream' chipsets, like the ones in bespoke System on Chip (SoC) designs, not having the chipset drivers installed may mean 'oh, now all the sdcard slots, usb ports, i2c bus devices, etc dont work! Oh Darn!'

This happens a lot with hacked chromebooksbeung made to run windows for instance. (And is why coolstar is a thing.)

And, lastly-- while no features are missing from the windows drivers for mainstream chipsets, they might not be the most optimized. In some circumstances, the OEM chipset drivers are more performant. Some.

How did you get AHCI mode unless you had these https://winraid.level1techs.com/t/modded-inte … ly-signed/19691 - or maybe an already customized XP
Also, you don't have to go for a full snappy driver set (unless making an offline installer), just the indexes and then fetch what's needed.
The Intel INF mostly names devices and clears the ! for some no driver required

XP online? Safe enough if behind a router and you watch what you're doing

This time i used Easy2Boot which detects the correct AHCI driver. I am not using XP online, nothing to worry about!