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Latest post 10-01-2008 3:55 PM by Marco C. 16 replies.
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  • 09-26-2008 12:19 PM

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    NVIDIA Releases WQHL Forceware 178.13 Drivers

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    NVIDIA Announces Partnership with MotionDSPNVIDIA has posted a fresh set of Forceware drivers for all of you GeForce owners out there. The new Forceware 178.13s are WHQL-certified drivers for GeForce 6-series, 7-series, 8-series, 9-series, and 200-series GPUs, including the recently released GeForce 9800 GTX+, 9800 GT, 9500 GT and 9400 GT GPUs.

    In addition to a number of bug fixes, NVIDIA has updated support for PysX in these new drivers and they also allow for two- and three-way SLI configurations on the Skulltrail platform.

    A number of performance enhancement are offered with the drivers as well, which include...



    • Single GPU increases up to 11% in 3DMark Vantage (performance preset)

    • Single GPU increases up to 11% in Assassin's Creed DX10

    • Single GPU increases up to 15% in Bioshock DX10

    • Single GPU increases up to 15% in Call of Duty 4

    • Single GPU increases up to 8% in Enemy Territory: Quake Wars

    • 2-way SLI increases up to 7% in Bioshock DX10

    • 2-way SLI increases up to 10% in Company of Heroes: Opposing Fronts DX10

    • 2-way SLI increases up to 12% in Enemy Territory: Quake Wars

    • 2-way SLI increases up to 10% in World in Conflict DX10
    That's a healthy dose of "free" performance if those games are currently on your playlist. I have tried these drivers on my personal Vista 64-bit machine with a 9800 GX2 and on a Vista 32-bit tech machine with a handful of mid-range cards and so far all is well. Go grab 'em if you need 'em.
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  • 09-26-2008 12:27 PM In reply to

    • 3vi1
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    RE: NVIDIA Releases WQHL Forceware 178.13 Drivers

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    WTG nVidia!

    I'm wondering if any of these increases will carry over into the Linux drivers. Looks like 177.76 is still the newest there.
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  • 09-26-2008 8:37 PM In reply to

    • warlord
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    RE: NVIDIA Releases WQHL Forceware 178.13 Drivers

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    All seems good so far for me with these.
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  • 09-26-2008 8:55 PM In reply to

    • 3vi1
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    RE: NVIDIA Releases WQHL Forceware 178.13 Drivers

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    Sweet. It would be nice to see HHW run through their own time-demos and post the results so that we can see how honest nVidia was in their estimates.

    Wink, wink, nudge, nudge....
    • Post Points: 20

  • 09-26-2008 9:28 PM In reply to

    Re: RE: NVIDIA Releases WQHL Forceware 178.13 Drivers

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    3vi1:
    Sweet. It would be nice to see HHW run through their own time-demos and post the results so that we can see how honest nVidia was in their estimates.
    I 2nd the notion.

    a cpu, a board, some ram, a gfx card, an opty, a hdd and a psu... all in a case

    • Post Points: 20

  • 09-26-2008 9:43 PM In reply to

    Re: RE: NVIDIA Releases WQHL Forceware 178.13 Drivers

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    recoveringknowitall:

    3vi1:
    Sweet. It would be nice to see HHW run through their own time-demos and post the results so that we can see how honest nVidia was in their estimates.
    I 2nd the notion.

    3rd! I love to jump on the banwagonEmbarrassed

    If you'r upset because you can't afford shoes look at the man that has no legs. Lifes not so badBig Smile
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  • 09-26-2008 10:08 PM In reply to

    • 3vi1
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    RE: NVIDIA Releases WQHL Forceware 178.13 Drivers

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    Ironically, the same day: http://www.custompc.co.uk/news/604923/nvidia-settles-gpu-price-fixing-class-action-case.html
    • Post Points: 20

  • 09-26-2008 10:23 PM In reply to

    Re: RE: NVIDIA Releases WQHL Forceware 178.13 Drivers

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    Collusion FTW!!! lol

    a cpu, a board, some ram, a gfx card, an opty, a hdd and a psu... all in a case

    • Post Points: 20

  • 09-26-2008 10:56 PM In reply to

    • Der Meister
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    Re: RE: NVIDIA Releases WQHL Forceware 178.13 Drivers

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    I am running them now and hope to see how stalker runs on them soon

    "Never trust a computer you can't throw out a window."

    E6600 @ 3.28 (35c/54c)
    Evga 680i
    Evga 8800GTX
    4gb 2x2gb Gskill 6-6-6-18
    Sesonic S12
    Zalaman 9700Led
    • Post Points: 20

  • 09-26-2008 11:17 PM In reply to

    Re: RE: NVIDIA Releases WQHL Forceware 178.13 Drivers

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    Der Meister:

    I am running them now and hope to see how stalker runs on them soon

    So is me lady. Seems to be running good on her 9600gt

    If you'r upset because you can't afford shoes look at the man that has no legs. Lifes not so badBig Smile
    • Post Points: 20

  • 09-27-2008 1:05 AM In reply to

    • zombiemaster
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    Re: RE: NVIDIA Releases WQHL Forceware 178.13 Drivers

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    I'll load 'em up this weekend

      

    Q6600@3.6GHz | ASUS X38 MF SE | 4GB OCZ DDR2 800 | eVGA GTX 280 & 8800GT | Silverstone 850W | Vista (32bit)

    Water Cooling: DDC-3.2 w/Petra Top > Black Ice GTS240 > D-Tek FuZion > ASUS Fusion NB || OCZ Flex RAM > DD Bay

    Opteron 170@2.0GHz | DFI LP Ultra-D | 2GB G.Skill DDR 500 | eVGA GTX 260 | Enermax 500W | Xigmatek S1283 | XP  

     
    • Post Points: 5

  • 09-28-2008 1:47 AM In reply to

    • Marco C
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    RE: NVIDIA Releases WQHL Forceware 178.13 Drivers

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    Heh...I'm working on an article that's due late Monday evening, so I can't jump on this right away, but I will right after...

    Marco Chiappetta
    Managing Editor @ HotHardware.com
    The Hottest PC Hardware Tested and Burned In!
    Join the HotHardware Folding Team Today!
    • Post Points: 20

  • 09-28-2008 8:29 PM In reply to

    Re: RE: NVIDIA Releases WQHL Forceware 178.13 Drivers

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     I,ve downloaded the file will use it at the appropriate time.Hopefully when I get me a 8800 or 9800 on sale when I can afford it! Hey maybe since my daughter has moved back in here she can get it as a Christmas present / Birthday present! Hmmmmmmmmmm.

    Current Rig Specs: Amd K7/600mhz 384mb PC133 32 mg Video Every time u see my specs you,ll love yours more!! Working on a New Rig!

     

     

     

     

     
    • Post Points: 20

  • 09-28-2008 8:35 PM In reply to

    Re: RE: NVIDIA Releases WQHL Forceware 178.13 Drivers

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    amdcrankitup:

     I,ve downloaded the file will use it at the appropriate time.Hopefully when I get me a 8800 or 9800 on sale when I can afford it! Hey maybe since my daughter has moved back in here she can get it as a Christmas present / Birthday present! Hmmmmmmmmmm.

    Better hit her up for it before the little one arrives. Babies cost a lot of money.Stick out tongue

     

    If you'r upset because you can't afford shoes look at the man that has no legs. Lifes not so badBig Smile
    • Post Points: 20

  • 09-28-2008 9:43 PM In reply to

    Re: RE: NVIDIA Releases WQHL Forceware 178.13 Drivers

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    bob_on_the_cob:
    Better hit her up for it before the little one arrives. Babies cost a lot of money.Stick out tongue
     

    No doubt when my daughter was born my boy was still in diapers so I had two in them at once! Yikes I think Pampers stock jumped at that time!Everything bottles, formula evrything.Crying, colluck poopy diapers got it all! If I had any sence at that time I should have invested in anything kids because they will always be kids.DA!Super Angry I could have sold of a couple shares and bought me a 280 by now, and a few more toys for the ultimate Rig like RAID! Hm well there you are still poor! Of( financially challenged) sounds beter when I say it that way.Ill just wait for Raid to get rid of is video cards (LOL) on the Old! because he,ll build another one soon!

    Current Rig Specs: Amd K7/600mhz 384mb PC133 32 mg Video Every time u see my specs you,ll love yours more!! Working on a New Rig!

     

     

     

     

     
    • Post Points: 20

  • 09-28-2008 11:27 PM In reply to

    Re: RE: NVIDIA Releases WQHL Forceware 178.13 Drivers

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    Sounds like good stuff.  Impressive increases too.  Makes me wish my lappy had an nvidia gpu.
    • Post Points: 5

  • 10-01-2008 3:55 PM In reply to

    • Marco C
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    RE: NVIDIA Releases WQHL Forceware 178.13 Drivers

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    Well, I did some quick and dirty tests with the 9500 GT that was sitting in my test system and here's what I found...

    3DMark Vantage (Performance Preset)

    177.92 - 1729 (overall), GPU Test 1 - 3.69, GPU Test 2 - 4.11

    178.13 - 1726 (overall), GPU Test 1 - 3.69, GPU Test 2 - 4.10

    Enemry Territory Quake Wars

    1680x1050 (4x AA + 16x aniso) 177.92 - 20.4, 178.13 - 20.5 = .5% Increase

    1280x1024 (4x AA + 16x aniso) 177.92 - 27.1, 178.13 - 27.3 = .7% Increase

    Against older drivers (older than 177.92), the increases in ETQW would probably be larger and Vantage would have some kind of delta. But if you're on top of things and use the beta drivers posted on nZone when they come out, these increases have probably come inrementally over the last few months.

    Marco Chiappetta
    Managing Editor @ HotHardware.com
    The Hottest PC Hardware Tested and Burned In!
    Join the HotHardware Folding Team Today!
    • Post Points: 5
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