New Nvidia Drivers promise increased performance

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Bateluer

Bateluer

Lifer
Jun 23, 2001
27,730
8
0
As long as the performance increase doesn't result form a decrease in image quality, great :)
 
Zenoth

Zenoth

Diamond Member
Jan 29, 2005
5,202
216
106
I've just installed that new 178.13 driver on my XP SP3 x86 partition and when compared to my previously installed one, namely the 177.83 WHQL, it definitely boosts my performance in Source-based games, in Crysis (not Warhead) and in Kane's Wrath. Already the Counter-Strike: Source's Video Stress Test received a nice little +4 FPS boost, and in Lost Coast I got +6 FPS compared to my previous average (tested by in-game console commands, not FRAPS). I play many Source-based games so I'm happy with the new results.

In Crysis's GPU Benchmark, at 1024x768, I gained a noticeable +5 FPS, and at 1280x960 I got +4 FPS compared to my last tests. And most of us with mid-range systems know that +4 to +6 or so FPS boost in Crysis can certainly make a difference when all you had was 25 FPS previously, so it's now playing at a better 30 FPS in areas that are more demanding than others mostly. It's nothing huge per se, but I will certainly take that free performance boost without changing my GPU or without increasing the over-clock frequencies.

I also noticed that my previously (although rarely) occurring flashlight-related graphical artifacts at night in S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Clear Sky has been fixed with this new driver. That new driver is certainly a keeper for me. I haven't tested in my Vista x64 partition yet, but that's because only Clear Sky is installed on it for the moment, but I'm sure that it gives a performance boost also in Vista, since according to the posts I've read about the 178.13 at Guru3D's forums it looks like to be the case indeed, the general consensus/observations points towards a better overall driver compared to pretty much all of the previous ones we've had in months.
 
SoulAssassin

SoulAssassin

Diamond Member
Feb 1, 2001
6,135
2
0
Originally posted by: Zenoth
I've just installed that new 178.13 driver on my XP SP3 x86 partition and when compared to my previously installed one, namely the 177.83 WHQL, it definitely boosts my performance in Source-based games, in Crysis (not Warhead) and in Kane's Wrath. Already the Counter-Strike: Source's Video Stress Test received a nice little +4 FPS boost, and in Lost Coast I got +6 FPS compared to my previous average (tested by in-game console commands, not FRAPS). I play many Source-based games so I'm happy with the new results.

In Crysis's GPU Benchmark, at 1024x768, I gained a noticeable +5 FPS, and at 1280x960 I got +4 FPS compared to my last tests. And most of us with mid-range systems know that +4 to +6 or so FPS boost in Crysis can certainly make a difference when all you had was 25 FPS previously, so it's now playing at a better 30 FPS in areas that are more demanding than others mostly. It's nothing huge per se, but I will certainly take that free performance boost without changing my GPU or without increasing the over-clock frequencies.

I also noticed that my previously (although rarely) occurring flashlight-related graphical artifacts at night in S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Clear Sky has been fixed with this new driver. That new driver is certainly a keeper for me. I haven't tested in my Vista x64 partition yet, but that's because only Clear Sky is installed on it for the moment, but I'm sure that it gives a performance boost also in Vista, since according to the posts I've read about the 178.13 at Guru3D's forums it looks like to be the case indeed, the general consensus/observations points towards a better overall driver compared to pretty much all of the previous ones we've had in months.
Click to expand...


You have a lot of free time.
 
ConstipatedVigilante

ConstipatedVigilante

Diamond Member
Feb 22, 2006
7,670
1
0
I'll have to try this out. CoD4 and Crysis have been feeling sluggish lately - probably need a defrag as well.

Edit: And I didn't realize the 8 series had PPU abilities - that's pretty cool. Do we need to d/l anything else to activate it?
 
Zenoth

Zenoth

Diamond Member
Jan 29, 2005
5,202
216
106
Originally posted by: SoulAssassin
You have a lot of free time.
Click to expand...

You mean the 30 minutes it took me to make my tests? If that's a lot of free time I can't imagine how much is free time for you when people have week-ends to relax and not think of their jobs and do whatever they want to with their time. I really don't see the usefulness of your comment, how relevant is it for you that I do 'x' and 'y' with my time? I don't get it, and it's off-topic anyway.
 
R

Redox

Member
Aug 12, 2005
133
0
0
Thanks for the info Zenoth - very useful and exactly the type of information I come to this forum for. I was curious about the new drivers and your post gave me good reason to try them out.


Originally posted by: Zenoth
I've just installed that new 178.13 driver on my XP SP3 x86 partition and when compared to my previously installed one, namely the 177.83 WHQL, it definitely boosts my performance in Source-based games, in Crysis (not Warhead) and in Kane's Wrath. Already the Counter-Strike: Source's Video Stress Test received a nice little +4 FPS boost, and in Lost Coast I got +6 FPS compared to my previous average (tested by in-game console commands, not FRAPS). I play many Source-based games so I'm happy with the new results.

In Crysis's GPU Benchmark, at 1024x768, I gained a noticeable +5 FPS, and at 1280x960 I got +4 FPS compared to my last tests. And most of us with mid-range systems know that +4 to +6 or so FPS boost in Crysis can certainly make a difference when all you had was 25 FPS previously, so it's now playing at a better 30 FPS in areas that are more demanding than others mostly. It's nothing huge per se, but I will certainly take that free performance boost without changing my GPU or without increasing the over-clock frequencies.

I also noticed that my previously (although rarely) occurring flashlight-related graphical artifacts at night in S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Clear Sky has been fixed with this new driver. That new driver is certainly a keeper for me. I haven't tested in my Vista x64 partition yet, but that's because only Clear Sky is installed on it for the moment, but I'm sure that it gives a performance boost also in Vista, since according to the posts I've read about the 178.13 at Guru3D's forums it looks like to be the case indeed, the general consensus/observations points towards a better overall driver compared to pretty much all of the previous ones we've had in months.
Click to expand...

 
ConstipatedVigilante

ConstipatedVigilante

Diamond Member
Feb 22, 2006
7,670
1
0
Call of Duty 4 seems to be running more smoothly - I only noticed slowdown when smoke was popped - it used to stutter a fair bit. Now for Crysis.
 
Born2bwire

Born2bwire

Diamond Member
Oct 28, 2005
9,840
6
71
Will this trickle down into laptop drivers? I finally got a laptop this summer and I am not familiar with how Nvidia does the drivers for the mobile graphics systems but it seems to be separate from the regular desktop driver suite.
 
U

uli2000

Golden Member
Jul 28, 2006
1,257
1
71
Originally posted by: Born2bwire
Will this trickle down into laptop drivers? I finally got a laptop this summer and I am not familiar with how Nvidia does the drivers for the mobile graphics systems but it seems to be separate from the regular desktop driver suite.
Click to expand...

If their anything like ATI, dont count on it. Ive got a x1300 in my personal laptop and a x1400 in my work laptop, and neither one has had a driver update since 11/06! I think its because the drivers have to be configured by the manufacturer, and niether laptop manufacturer (Dell and Fujitsu) I guess has seen it necessary to update either. I do occasionally play source based games on both (drivers are so bad on the Fujitsu I have to run it in dx8 to make it playable) so updated drivers would be nice.
 
Zenoth

Zenoth

Diamond Member
Jan 29, 2005
5,202
216
106
Originally posted by: ConstipatedVigilante
Hmmm...digital vibrance doesn't seem to be working for me anymore. Anyone else having this problem?
Click to expand...

It's a known problem recently, since a number of releases it hasn't been working properly or not at all for some people, both in XP and Vista. In my case it works, but only by large increments, starting to work only at 33%, and then applying the next level at 66%, it's not working as it was before. To make it work as it should I'm using RivaTuner instead, and it works wonders.
 
D

DefRef

Diamond Member
Nov 9, 2000
4,041
1
81
Digital vibrance is for people who also crank the bass and treble all the way up on their stereos. The latest Vista drivers I have on my laptop have a bug where the DV cranks to 100% on every boot or resume from sleep/hibernation. I'm a photographer and calibrate my displays and I can't have fake hyped colors like the DV junkies do nor have the colors spontaneously shift. At least it's such an obvious and ugly effect, I am able to catch it. If the DV was only popping up 10-20%, it may have escaped my notice with terrible results.
 
GZFant

GZFant

Senior member
Feb 18, 2003
437
0
76
No Digital Vibrance for me either. That is such a wonderful little thing =(
 
ConstipatedVigilante

ConstipatedVigilante

Diamond Member
Feb 22, 2006
7,670
1
0
Originally posted by: GZFant
No Digital Vibrance for me either. That is such a wonderful little thing =(
Click to expand...

Yep, but Rivatuner fixes it. Just did it. Go to Driver settings->Desktop overlay and you can set it. Works just like before - now I'm happy.
 
F

fallenangel99

Golden Member
Aug 8, 2001
1,721
1
81
Hmm, Gears of War used to freeze on my pc (old old; athlon 3500+, 7800GT, 4 GIG PC3200 RAM, etc.)

With the new driver, so far no freezing for 30+mins :) Thanks for the link!!

(medium settings for all )
 
nerp

nerp

Diamond Member
Dec 31, 2005
9,865
105
106
Originally posted by: uli2000
Originally posted by: Born2bwire
Will this trickle down into laptop drivers? I finally got a laptop this summer and I am not familiar with how Nvidia does the drivers for the mobile graphics systems but it seems to be separate from the regular desktop driver suite.
Click to expand...

If their anything like ATI, dont count on it. Ive got a x1300 in my personal laptop and a x1400 in my work laptop, and neither one has had a driver update since 11/06! I think its because the drivers have to be configured by the manufacturer, and niether laptop manufacturer (Dell and Fujitsu) I guess has seen it necessary to update either. I do occasionally play source based games on both (drivers are so bad on the Fujitsu I have to run it in dx8 to make it playable) so updated drivers would be nice.
Click to expand...

What about modified .inf files for nvidia chipsets? I thought that was a quick and dirty way of getting the latest drivers without dealing with the manufacturer?

And I thought ATI updated it's integrated chipset stuff along with every other catalyst update? I have two 780G based systems in operation and have 8.9s for download at amd.com
 
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