NVIDIA GeForce 7800 GTX
New Forceware Drivers - Rel. 75
Typically, when NVIDIA launches a new GPU, it also releases a fresh set of drivers that exploit the unique features available in the new architecture and occasionally squeeze more performance out of older products. With the release of the GeForce 7800 GTX, NVIDIA is also officially unveiling the new Forceware Release 75 drivers that do both of these things, and then some.
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NVIDIA's new Rel. 75 Forceware drivers, pictured above, resemble the 70 series drivers that have been posted on NVIDIA's Web site for the past few months. Virtually all aspects of the user interface have been carried over, but when coupled with the new GeForce 7800 GTX, a few new features are unlocked, namely those for gamma corrected and transparency anti-aliasing. But there are other benefits to the Rel. 75 drivers, as well. Gamers specifically should like the larger number of SLI profiles available and direct control of SLI modes. The Rel. 75 drivers also offer better management of application profiles between driver updates (old profiles can be kept or updated now), improved TurboCache performance, and now 64-bit driver performance is on par with the 32-bit drivers in GPU bound circumstances.
High Def and LCD Enhancements:
Video enthusiasts will also benefit from the new Rel. 75 drivers through their improved HDTV support, new video de-interlacing algorithm, and high-definition 1080i de-interlacing. They also have built-in support for inverse 2:2 pulldown detection and correction, full COPP and HDCP support, and new Windows Media Center Extensions. There is enhanced remote desktop support for multi-display Windows and Linux users present, as well as improved "SmartDimmer" controls that dim an LCD when running on battery power, which should prolong battery life for mobile users.
Performance, Dual-Core CPU Support and Improved Flexibility To Come:
The Rel. 75 drivers also promise improved overall performance for owners of older cards because they further reduce CPU overhead of the driver and optimize memory use efficiency for GPUs with smaller frame buffers. To top things off, the Rel. 75 drivers also allow users to capture SLI screens, something that wasn't always possible with older drivers. In an interesting move, NVIDIA gave us a few hints as to what's coming in its future Release 80 drivers as well. Along with the proposed better overall performance, Rel. 80 drivers will bring with them Dual-Core CPU support, improved TV / HDTV support, seamless switching to and from SLI without having to reboot, and more games should scale in SLI mode, without any user interaction.
