Which nVIDIA Drivers Are For Your Video Card?

Discussion in 'Links' started by MastA, Jun 17, 2004.

  1. MastA

    MastA Guru3d's P.I.M.P.

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    ForceWare Or Detonator Series?

    Well this topic is discussed regularly on this forum and this STICKY should help you get the best drivers for your video card and save you time instead of writing a new thread and waiting for answers. First off nVIDIA drivers have changed ever since the new 50.XX driver series came out now they are called the ForceWare series (Recommended for FX and 6800 cards). The old 40.XX and lower drivers are called the Detonator Series (Recommended for GeForce 4 and lower GeForce series cards).
    But If You Play A New Game (Example:"Battlefield Vietnam or Doom3") you should always try out the new drivers for the best performance and quality even if you own a GeForce 2. Since nVIDIA fixes bugs and optimzes performance for the games in their new drivers. But if you play old games stick with older drivers since they were optimzed by nVIDIA back then. Detonator drivers can be good for your video card BUT!! they also may not include new features that are in the NEW forceware drivers such as (Example: new forceware drivers can let you use profiles for your games to adjust AA and AF automatically and a new modern menu... etc.. while old detonator drivers don't have these new features.) You'll have to choose if you want these features or not. Ether the New ForceWare or old Detonator Series can be downloaded @ The Guru3d nVIDIA drivers section by clicking "Here" or The new ForceWare "WHQL" certified ones from nVIDIA by clicking "Here"

    Most Of The Chosen Drivers By Guru3d Members For Each GeForce Series Are Found Below:

    GeForce 7 Series: TBA
    GeForce 6 Series: 71.84, 67.03, 66.93, 66.81, 66.31, 66.00, 65.73, 62.20, 61.77, 61.76, 61.71, 61.34.
    GeForce FX Series: 66.93, 66.00, 61.77, 61.71, 61.34, 61.12, 61.11, 60.72, 56.72, 56.64, 53.03.
    GeForce 4 Ti Series: 56,72, 53.03, 44.67, 45.23, 44.03, 43.51, 43.45, 41.09, 40.72, 30.82.
    GeForce 3 Series: 56.72, 44.03, 43.51, 43.45, 40.72, 30.82.
    TNT2 & GeForce 2 & 4MX Series: 56.72, 45.32, 45.23, 43.51, 43.45, 30.82, 22.50.



    MODDED DRIVERS

    There are modded ForceWare & Detonator series drivers such as the StarStorm drivers made by Xaero001 a friendly fellow Guru3d member. And there are Omega drivers made by Omegadrive if your video card likes the modded drivers they'll improve its performance or quality you can try them out by going to the The Guru3d nVIDIA drivers section by clicking "Here" or http://www.omegacorner.com Remember their is no guarantee if these drivers may improve your video card's performance or not it depends on your system. And if someone says i got 1000 points more in 3dmark beware because everyones system will react differently to different drivers.


    BETA DRIVERS

    Beta Drivers are sometimes WHQL Certified some of them can be the best drivers you ever tried out or the worst you ever tried remember each driver reacts differently to everyones syetem. Beta Drivers are great because they can give you a little taste on what the upcoming offical drivers will be like but they aren't perfect and can cause some stablity issues and bugs. Some Beta Drivers may give you errors on games or may not run your game as your older drivers did. If so, change immediately to your previous driver set and write your problem on our nvidia driver forum to prevent this to happening to another person. Also do not depend on benchmarks when testing new beta drivers use actual games to test the beta drivers and if you like them stick with them.


    Trying Out New Or Beta Drivers Are Driving Me Crazy!!

    This is one of the situations that people don't like (including myself). Wouldn't it be great if nVIDIA could just tell you which drivers are the best for your system? But thats not the case in this world your going to have to try out new drivers and benchmark your fps and keep an eye out in eye candy in those games to determine which drivers are the best for your video card. It would also come in handy to write your benchmark scores and its pros and cons while benchmarking so ill make your life easier into narrowing down which drivers you'll want.


    I Found The Drivers I Wantted!!! Now What Should I Choose Performance Or Quality??

    First off this depends on your video card as well. An (Example: FX5700, 5800 or 5900 or 6800 series card) If your video card is one of these spankin new ones go with quality and if you want you can use AA and AF although if you use them it will cause you performance. If your video card is ancient or slow (Example: GeForce FX 5200 & 5600 and GeForce 4 or lower series) Use Performance and prevent from using AA and AF.


    Games Look Different With These Drivers!!!??

    Although different drivers make your games look different such as more better image quality or worst image quality it all depends on you if you will be staying with them. You have to decide if you care about eyecandy or performance. Ask yourself do you need those extra 20 fps or more will it affect your gaming situation? (Example: Playing The Game Online with over 32 people.)


    Is There A Difference In Overclocking With Different Drivers?

    Yes, every different driver you use will affect your overclocking potentials for your video card.


    What Does "WHQL" Mean?

    WHQL is the abbreviation of Windows Hardware Quality Labs this means that it identifies hardware and software products that have been designed and tested to meet microsoft standards for compatability with the Windows® family of Operating Systems.

    I hope this topic will help all my fellow Guru's into choosing your drivers wisely and know which ones are for you. If am missing anything please PM me with some feedback and good luck into choosing which driver is for your video card!!.
     
    Last edited: Aug 19, 2005
  2. SaberJ2X

    SaberJ2X Ancient Guru

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    if you add what drivers are the "best" for each nvidia card... that's gonna kill the "what's the best driver for my ************ card?" threads

    if you add that..
    you have a vote from me for a sticky
     
  3. volkov956

    volkov956 Ancient Guru

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    damn the way to fix that question is

    Try drivers out Trial and Error will determine the best driver

    If they still whine ban them
     
  4. NeoFX

    NeoFX Guest

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    I think this is sticky material anyway... Very thoughtout and organized. Good post :D

    Drivers are completely random for each individual card.... but this could help find which series of drivers to use.

    I think my best driver so far has been the 53.03 for benchmark scores but the newer 60.xx series have fixed gaming problems.
     

  5. SaberJ2X

    SaberJ2X Ancient Guru

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    53.03 = no problems
    56.72 = FASTER!!!!
    44.03 ultra-fast in benchies
     
  6. jbscotchman

    jbscotchman Guest

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    61.34

    They're flawless.
     
  7. double_cut

    double_cut Ancient Guru

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    'til u enable AF from teh control panel in Halo or UT2k4.
     
  8. app__

    app__ New Member

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    61.40 is the best for my card. 3532 in 3dmarks2001se. (Its not much...but its something :) )
     
  9. Street_man

    Street_man Guest

  10. MastA

    MastA Guru3d's P.I.M.P.

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    added most common drivers that people experienced to be one of the greatest drivers for their video cards
     

  11. jbscotchman

    jbscotchman Guest

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    I don't own Halo but AF works just fine with UT2K4.
     
  12. nexah

    nexah Guest

    56.64 are the best for me .. atm
     
  13. Ayune

    Ayune Master Guru

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    56.72 still..., ive been tried 61.40 but I found weird colour in UT2K4 at Rustatorium map & enabling AA + AF are smoother vision with 56.72
     
  14. flyswatter

    flyswatter Guest

    seems 2 me the 61.34 are the best so far, those 61.40 were evil
     
  15. Supremeboy

    Supremeboy Active Member

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    Cuz of Battlefield vietnam im using 61.34 - yep thats true with ti4800. Strange but 56.72 are not good for me at all. 4x.xx i cant even play bfv. Maybe in some games my fps is lower than with 5x.xx but new games just run better with 61.34
    So im waiting for official fw drivers.
     

  16. Ranger56

    Ranger56 Guest

    Im So confused! Arent Drivers Suppose To Be Better As Their Version Goes Higher? And I Have A GeForce FX5600 And i Have V61.32 Intalled Is That Good? And How Do You Intal Version 61.40? I Tried Intalling It Manualy But It Said It Couldnt Find A Driver Thats Better And There Was No Setup.exe file
     
  17. MastA

    MastA Guru3d's P.I.M.P.

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    no bro because each driver is optimzed for each series card ;) its like you take your FX5600 and try to use new drivers with it in like 4 years or something...the new drivers will only fix bugs and thats it but your vc be supported BY THE DRIVERS but not by nvidia its like microsoft in a way they support your windows for 4 years and then thats it ;)
     
    Last edited: Jun 19, 2004
  18. Ayune

    Ayune Master Guru

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    Supremeboy Im using StarStorm 56.72, not ForceWare 56.72
     
  19. flyswatter

    flyswatter Guest

    DO not install 61.40,they are from the devil,they screwed my keyboard up and everything.....stupid evil drivers....
     
  20. bo selecta

    bo selecta Guest

    i used to always use the 53.03Xq drivers and had great results in benchmarks, im using 61.32 and these are the only 61.xx series that doesnt cause the texture problem in ut 2004, the only 3 i would recomend is

    53.03xq
    56.72
    61.32
     

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