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NVIDIA Drivers Receive Windows 8 Certification

2012-06-01T02:29:20Z

In conjunction with today’s launch of Microsoft Windows 8 Release Preview and the opening of the Microsoft Windows Hardware Quality Labs (WHQL) for Windows 8, NVIDIA has received Windows 8 certification for its new R302 graphics drivers.

The WHQL certification of R302 drivers highlights the fact that NVIDIA is in lock-step with Microsoft and is fully prepared for Windows 8.

The new Windows 8 WHQL-certified GeForce R302 drivers will be available for download early next week from GeForce.com (Note: R302 drivers will be Windows 8 only. Other Windows operating systems will continue to use R300 drivers).

NVIDIA’s Windows 8 drivers support all the features in the new Windows Display Driver Model (WDDM) v1.2. The drivers also support award-winning NVIDIA 3D Vision and 3DTV Play products, allowing you to play more than 600 games, watch Blu-ray movies and view photos – all in 3D.

For more information on the Microsoft Windows 8 Release Preview, please visit: http://preview.windows.com

Enhance Max Payne 3, Diablo III with GeForce R300 Drivers

2012-05-24T18:11:25Z

Gamers: a couple of the hottest games of 2012, Diablo III and Max Payne 3, are now upon us. That means it’s time for some new GeForce R300 drivers.

Released today, the new NVIDIA GeForce R300 drivers are WHQL-certified and primed for both Diablo III and Max Payne 3. Looking for SLI, Ambient Occlusion, or FXAA? GeForce R300 drivers deliver those features in spades.

Download the new GeForce R300 drivers on GeForce.com.

We previously released a beta version of GeForce R300 drivers to give all you gamers out there an early look at the latest industry-defining features like NVIDIA FXAA, Adaptive VSync, and Frame Rate Target. We also highlighted numerous performance gains as high as 23 percent in The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim.

Today’s new GeForce R300 drivers (version 301.42) support all of the new GeForce GTX 600-series products, including GeForce GTX 690, GeForce GTX 680 and GeForce GTX 670. It also adds support for several new GeForce GT 600-series GPUs.

R300 highlights:

Boosts performance in several top PC games by up to 23 percent with a single GPU (tested on The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim) and by up to 23 percent with SLI (tested on Just Cause 2), when compared to the R295 drivers. Read our R300 article on GeForce.com for details and a complete list of performance increases.
Adds NVIDIA FXAA technology to the NVIDIA Control Panel, enabling ultra-fast anti-aliasing (up to 60 percent faster than MSAA).
Enables NVIDIA Adaptive VSync, which provides a smoother gaming experience by dynamically enabling and disabling vertical sync based on your current frame rate.
Enables NVIDIA Frame Rate Target in third-party applications, like EVGA Precision X, for automatic and dynamic adjustment of frame rate to a user-specified target.
Introduces several new NVIDIA Surround capabilities:

Add a fourth accessory display for access to email, web, or other applications while you game with GeForce GTX 600-series GPUs.
Maximize an application to a single physical display when in Surround mode.
Confine the Windows Taskbar to the center display.
Enable bezel peeking to temporarily peek behind the monitor bezels when using bezel-corrected resolutions.
Add or remove resolution settings from the list of Surround resolutions.
Full center display acceleration for single-wide display modes.

Adds or updates NVIDIA SLI support for numerous new games such as Max Payne 3, Counter-Strike: Global Offensive, Street Fighter X Tekken, Resident Evil: Operation Raccoon City, Risen 2: Dark Waters and more.
Adds or updates NVIDIA 3D Vision support for several new games such as Dirt: Showdown (rated Good), World of Tanks (now rated Excellent), Oil Rush (rated 3D Vision Ready), Rayman Origins (rated Good), and Wargame: European Escalation (rated Good) and more.

For more details, refer to the release highlights on the driver download pages and read the GeForce R300 article on GeForce.com.

Enjoy the new GeForce R300 driver and let us know what you think.

GeForce R300 Drivers Rock New Features, Performance

2012-05-24T18:12:31Z

Cutting-edge gamers, take note: the latest NVIDIA GeForce R300 drivers bring many of the industry-leading features we launched with the-next generation GeForce GTX 680 GPU to millions of GeForce GPUs as far back as 2006. This continues our tradition of bringing new features and performance to previous generation products. The R300 drivers also boost performance in several top games – we recorded increases as high as 23 percent in The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim.

All GeForce 8-series and later GPUs running on Windows 7 or Windows Vista can now take advantage of the ground-breaking benefits of NVIDIA FXAA, NVIDIA Adaptive VSync, and NVIDIA Frame Rate Target. In addition, all NVIDIA Surround-capable GPUs now support the new NVIDIA Surround features~~, like a fourth accessory display.~~

The GeForce R300 drivers are available for download today as a beta release.

Notebook customers can upgrade to the equivalent Verde R300 drivers, also available for download for on GeForce.com.

R300 highlights:

Boosts performance in several top PC games by up to 23 percent with a single GPU (tested on The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim) and by up to 23 percent with SLI (tested on Just Cause 2), when compared with the R295 drivers. Read our R300 article on GeForce.com for details and a complete list of performance increases.
Adds NVIDIA FXAA technology to the NVIDIA Control Panel, enabling ultra-fast anti-aliasing (up to 60 percent faster than MSAA).
Enables NVIDIA Adaptive VSync, which provides a smoother gaming experience by dynamically enabling and disabling vertical sync based on your current frame rate.
Enables NVIDIA Frame Rate Target in third-party applications, like EVGA Precision X, for automatic and dynamic adjustment of frame rate to a user-specified target.
Introduces several new NVIDIA Surround capabilities:
- Add a fourth accessory display for access to email, web, or other applications while you game.
- Maximize an application to a single physical display when in Surround mode.
- Confine the Windows Taskbar to the center display.
- Enable bezel peeking to temporarily peek behind the monitor bezels when using bezel-corrected resolutions.
- Add or remove resolution settings from the list of Surround resolutions.
- Full center display acceleration for single-wide display modes.
Adds or updates NVIDIA SLI support for numerous new games such as Alan Wake (previously enabled via NVIDIA Update in R295 drivers), Counter-Strike: Global Offensive, Risen 2: Dark Waters and more.
Adds or updates NVIDIA 3D Vision support for several new games such as Oil Rush (rated 3D Vision Ready), Rayman Origins (rated Good), and Wargame: European Escalation (rated Good).

For more details, refer to the release highlights on the driver download pages and read the GeForce R300 article on GeForce.com.

Enjoy the first GeForce R300 beta driver and let us know what you think.

GeForce R295 Drivers Are WHQL-Certified And Boost Latest Games

2012-03-08T15:31:44Z

Some of the hottest gaming titles in the market include Diablo III, Mass Effect 3 and The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim. But you won’t get the most out of them without the latest GeForce R295 drivers.

Our new drivers come packed with GeForce-exclusive performance and quality enhancements, and they are now Microsoft WHQL-certified.

Download GeForce 295.73 drivers from GeForce.com.

GeForce R295 highlights (performance measured on GeForce GTX 560 at 1080p resolution):

Game-changing performance boost of up to 45 percent in The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim, “the fastest selling title in Steam’s history”
Up to twice the performance in Mass Effect 3 with SLI technology.
GeForce-exclusive quality enhancements with ambient occlusion support for Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3, Diablo III, and The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim.
New 3D Vision and SLI profiles for over 50 titles.
New PhysX software for the best experience in top PhysX titles like Alice: Madness Returns and Batman: Arkham City.

For more detail, read the GeForce R295 article on GeForce.com.

Enjoy the new drivers, and let us know what you think in the comments below.

Beta GeForce R295 Drivers Ready for Mass Effect 3

2012-01-31T17:05:53Z

We have just today released new GeForce R295 beta drivers, with optimizations for upcoming games like Mass Effect 3.

Download the new GeForce 295.51 drivers from GeForce.com.

These drivers are available for both desktop and notebook GeForce GPUs running Windows 7 or Windows Vista. They are also available for GeForce desktop GPUs running Windows XP.

GeForce R295 highlights:

Adds SLI profile profiles for several new games, such as Mass Effect 3, Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning, and Oil Rush.
Adds or updates 3D Vision profiles for many new games, such as The Adventures of Tintin, The Haunted: Hells Reach, Tera, and Tropico 4.
Updates PhysX to the latest version 9.11.1111.
Updates HD Audio to the latest version 1.3.12.0
Fixes some instances of driver timeouts while simultaneously watching multiple videos.
Adds an edit/delete option for custom resolutions.

For more detail, refer to the release highlights on the driver download page, or read the GeForce R295 article on GeForce.com.

Enjoy the new R295 beta drivers and let us know what you think in the comments below.

Give Skyrim A Boost With New GeForce R290 Drivers

2012-01-20T19:47:58Z

Just in time for your 2011 holiday gaming, NVIDIA has released a new R290 beta driver with even more optimizations for one of the hottest games of 2011, The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim.

Earlier this month, Bethesda reported that it has shipped 10 million copies of Skyrim, and Steam reported the game to be the “fastest selling title” in its history.

Download GeForce 290.53 drivers from GeForce.com.

Skyrim optimizations in 290.53:

Increases performance by up to 25 percent vs. 290.36 drivers on indoor scenes (measured with GeForce GTX 560 at 19×10 Ultra).
Updates the NVIDIA Control Panel ambient occlusion support to a higher performance profile.
Adds new 3D Vision laser sight /crosshair options to better match Skyrim crosshairs.

Check out the full guide for optimizing Skyrim on GeForce.com.

GeForce 290.53 also adds new SLI and 3D Vision profiles for several new titles. These drivers are available for both desktop and notebook GeForce GPUs running Windows 7 or Windows Vista. They are also available for GeForce desktop GPUs running Windows XP.

You can read the GeForce 290.53 article on GeForce.com for more information on what’s new in 290.53.

Enjoy the new R290 beta drivers. And let us know what you think in the comments below!

Arm Yourself For The Battlefield 3 Beta With New GeForce R285 Drivers

2012-05-24T18:13:44Z

At long last, the wait for Battlefield 3 is over.

No more window-gazing at awe-inspiring BF3 screenshots and trailers. It’s time to play. And, to help you make the most of your PC, we’ve released new GeForce R285.38 beta drivers built for Battlefield 3 beta.

Join me in the open beta of Battlefield 3, starting Sept. 29^th (or as early as Sept. 27^th if you pre-ordered through Origin).

Before you go into battle, make sure your PC meets the game’s recommended specs and download our new GeForce 285.38 beta drivers.

GeForce 285.38 highlights:

Increases performance in Battlefield 3 by up to 38 percent^*.
Improves overall stability and image quality in Battlefield 3.
Adds or updates SLI profiles for Battlefield 3, Dead Island, Diablo III, Dragon Age 2, Need for Speed: The Run, and Saints Row: The Third.

For more detail, refer to the release highlights on the driver download page. Also, read the GeForce R285 article on GeForce.com.

Enjoy the Battlefield 3 beta, and let us know what you think of the new drivers in the comments below.

*Performance measured vs. GeForce 285.27 driver on GeForce GTX 570 at 2650×1600 (DX11 enabled)

Beta GeForce R285 Drivers Are Now Available For Download

2012-05-24T18:13:50Z

GeForce users, take note – our first batch of GeForce R285 drivers are now available for download on GeForce.com. This new driver provides yet another performance boost for GeForce 400 and 500 series users and provides updated features and functionality for 3D Vision, PhysX and SLI. The equivalent notebook R285 Verde driver is also available for download for on GeForce.com.

Here are some GeForce R285 driver highlights:

Performance boost across a variety of games with a single GeForce 400 series or 500 series GPU, including Bulletstorm (4%), Call of Duty: Black Ops (6%), and StarCraft 2 (7%).[i]
Performance boost across a variety of games with NVIDIA SLI technology, including Battlefield: Bad Company 2 (5%), Crysis 2 – DirectX 11 (5%), Dragon Age 2 (7%), F1 2010 (7%), Metro 2033 (7%), S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Call of Pripyat (11%), and more. [ii]
New PhysX System Software version 9.11.06.21.
Support for viewing 3DVisionLive.com and YouTube 3D with NVIDIA SLI technology.
Window mode is now the default viewing option for the 3D Vision Photo Viewer.

More than 550 3D Vision game profiles, including new additions or updates for Dead Rising 2: Off the Record, Dirt 3, From Dust, Rage, and Serious Sam 3: BFE.

Support for OpenGL 4.2 for GeForce 400 series and 500 series GPUs.

For more detail, refer to the release highlights on the driver download page and also read the GeForce R285 article on GeForce.com.

Crank up your graphics performance with the GeForce R285 beta driver and let us know what you think in the comments below.

Notes:
[i] Measured on v285.22 vs. v280.26 on Win7-64 with GeForce GTX 560: Bulletstorm (25×16, Max); Call of Duty: Black Ops (19×12, Jungle Map); StarCraft 2 (25×16, Ultra).
[ii] Measured on v285.22 vs. v280.26 on Win7-64 with GeForce GTX 560 SLI: Battlefield: Bad Company 2 (25×16 4xAA, High); Crysis 2 (25×16, Extreme DX11); Dragon Age 2 (25×16, Max); F1 2010 (19×12, Ultra DX11); Metro 2033 (19×12 4xAA, High), S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Call of Pripyat (19×12, 4xAA SunShafts).

Beta GeForce R275 Drivers are Now Available for Download

2012-05-24T18:14:14Z

Beta GeForce R275 drivers are now available for download on GeForce.com. This new driver set brings increased performance and enhanced functionality aimed at making your game and display setup faster and easier. Notebook PC users can download the equivalent Verde R275 driver, also available for download on GeForce.com.

R275 highlights:

Performance boost across a variety of games, including Crysis 2 (6%), Bulletstorm (15%), and Portal 2 (8%)*
NVIDIA Update technology now includes automatic update of SLI profiles
Improved desktop scaling experience with new user interface and features
Improved resizing experience for HDTVs
More than 525 3D Vision profiles, including new additions for Portal 2, Duke Nukem Forever, Age of Empires Online, Assassin’s Creed Brotherhood and Dungeon Siege III, among others
New 3D Vision Photo Viewer with Windowed Mode Support
Support for the world’s largest ecosystem of the newest 3D notebooks, monitors, projectors, software, and 3D content via NVIDIA 3D Vision technology

For more detail, refer to the release highlights on the driver download page and also read the GeForce R275 article on GeForce.com.

Enjoy the first GeForce R275 beta driver and let us know what you think!

*Measured on 275.27 vs. 270.61 on Win7-64: Bulletstorm (19×12 8xAA/16xAF, Max); 8% in Portal 2 (25×16 4xAA Max); 6% in Crysis 2 (19×12 High)

RELEASE 270 WHQL-CERTIFIED DRIVERS ARE AVAILABLE FOR DOWNLOAD

2012-05-24T18:14:20Z

Today we posted our first Release 270 WHQL-certified driver for GeForce GPUs, including an equivalent Verde driver for notebook PCs. Version 270.61 is available for download on GeForce.com.

For those that previously installed the v270.51 beta which included the new NVIDIA Update software, you will automatically get a notification on your PC for this new WHQL-certified driver. If you haven’t already seen Tom Petersen’s video featuring NVIDIA Update, you can check it out here:

Let us know your thoughts about NVIDIA Update here on the GeForce forums.

Release 270 has nice performance optimizations that provide up to 6x the gaming performance. You can read details about the gains and the new Release 270 features on GeForce.com.

Enjoy the v270.61 drivers and stay tuned. Next month I’ll be back on the blog to tell you about our upcoming Release 275 drivers.