This article provides an overview of the Nvidia GeForce Graphics Driver 310.54 Beta, specifically designed for systems running the Windows XP 64-bit operating system. Released on November 12, 2012, this beta driver aimed to enhance the gaming experience, particularly in popular titles like Call of Duty: Black Ops 2 and Assassin’s Creed III, while also introducing performance improvements and updates for a range of GeForce graphics cards. This article will delve into the key features, performance enhancements, and supported products of the Nvidia GeForce Graphics Driver 310.54 Beta for Windows XP 64-bit.
Overview
The Nvidia GeForce Graphics Driver 310.54 Beta for Windows XP 64-bit was released as a performance-focused update targeting gamers and users seeking optimized graphics performance. Beta drivers, by their nature, are pre-release versions intended for testing and feedback. While they often offer performance improvements and new features, they may also contain bugs or instabilities not present in WHQL (Windows Hardware Quality Labs) certified drivers. Therefore, users opting to install beta drivers should be aware of the potential for encountering issues.
This particular driver was promoted as the recommended choice for playing Call of Duty: Black Ops 2 and Assassin’s Creed III. It promised significant performance gains and enhanced visual quality in these games. The file name for this driver is 310.54-desktop-winxp-64bit-english-beta.exe.
Key Features and What’s New
The core focus of the Nvidia GeForce Graphics Driver 310.54 Beta for Windows XP 64-bit was to deliver improved performance and visual fidelity in demanding game titles. The key updates and improvements introduced in this driver included:
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Performance Boost: The driver aimed to increase performance for GeForce 400, 500, and 600 Series GPUs in various PC games compared to the older GeForce 306.97 WHQL drivers. It’s crucial to note that the actual performance gains would vary depending on the specific GPU model, system configuration, and game settings.
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Game-Specific Optimizations: As mentioned, the driver was explicitly optimized for Call of Duty: Black Ops 2 and Assassin’s Creed III. Nvidia claimed performance improvements of up to 26% in Call of Duty: Black Ops 2 and up to 18% in Assassin’s Creed III. Furthermore, the driver integrated TXAA (Temporal Anti-Aliasing) antialiasing technology for smoother, shimmer-free graphics in both games. TXAA is designed to reduce temporal aliasing (shimmering) in motion, resulting in a more visually appealing gaming experience.
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Nvidia SLI Technology Updates: The driver included updates to SLI (Scalable Link Interface) profiles. SLI is Nvidia’s multi-GPU technology that allows users to combine the processing power of multiple Nvidia graphics cards to achieve higher frame rates and improved visual quality. These profiles are game-specific configurations that optimize SLI performance for individual titles. While the specific games receiving updated or new SLI profiles are not listed in the original article, such updates are crucial for ensuring proper SLI scaling and preventing graphical issues when using multiple GPUs.
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Other Profile Updates: In addition to SLI profiles, the driver also incorporated other unspecified profile updates. These updates likely addressed compatibility issues, improved performance, or enhanced visual quality in various other games and applications.
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Nvidia CUDA: The driver included updates or improvements related to Nvidia CUDA (Compute Unified Device Architecture). CUDA is a parallel computing platform and programming model developed by Nvidia. It allows developers to leverage the processing power of Nvidia GPUs for general-purpose computing tasks, such as video encoding, image processing, and scientific simulations. While the exact nature of the CUDA updates is not detailed, they likely contributed to improved performance and stability in CUDA-accelerated applications.
Supported Products
The Nvidia GeForce Graphics Driver 310.54 Beta for Windows XP 64-bit supported a range of GeForce graphics cards, primarily from the 400, 500, and 600 series. Although the original information doesn’t explicitly list the supported products, it is reasonable to assume it includes most of the cards in those series, like:
- GeForce 400 Series: GeForce GTX 480, GeForce GTX 470, GeForce GTX 465, GeForce GTX 460, GeForce GTS 450, GeForce GT 440, GeForce GT 430, GeForce GT 420
- GeForce 500 Series: GeForce GTX 590, GeForce GTX 580, GeForce GTX 570, GeForce GTX 560 Ti, GeForce GTX 560, GeForce GTX 550 Ti, GeForce GT 545, GeForce GT 530, GeForce GT 520, GeForce 510
- GeForce 600 Series: GeForce GTX 690, GeForce GTX 680, GeForce GTX 670, GeForce GTX 660 Ti, GeForce GTX 660, GeForce GTX 650 Ti BOOST, GeForce GTX 650 Ti, GeForce GTX 650, GeForce GT 640, GeForce GT 630, GeForce GT 620, GeForce 610
Users should always consult the official Nvidia documentation or release notes for a complete list of supported graphics cards before installing any driver.
Additional Details and Considerations
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Operating System: This driver was specifically designed for the Windows XP 64-bit operating system. It is not compatible with other operating systems, such as Windows 7, Windows 8, or Windows 10.
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Beta Status: As a beta driver, users should be aware of the potential for encountering bugs or instabilities. It is recommended to back up your system before installing a beta driver to ensure that you can easily revert to a previous driver version if necessary.
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WHQL Certification: This driver was not WHQL certified. WHQL certification indicates that a driver has been thoroughly tested by Microsoft and meets specific stability and compatibility standards. The absence of WHQL certification does not necessarily mean that the driver is unstable, but it does imply a higher risk of encountering issues compared to WHQL-certified drivers.
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Driver Download: The filename for this driver is
310.54-desktop-winxp-64bit-english-beta.exe. While the original download link may no longer be active, you might be able to find the driver on third-party driver repositories. It is essential to download drivers only from reputable sources to avoid malware or corrupted files.
It is important to note that, given the age of this driver, users still running Windows XP 64-bit may be better served by newer, more stable drivers if they can find them. However, for those specifically interested in the Nvidia GeForce Graphics Driver 310.54 Beta for Windows XP 64-bit due to its specific optimizations or features, it remains a historical artifact of Nvidia’s driver development.
Driver Download (Official Nvidia): Link unavailable due to the age of the driver.
Alternative Download Link (Third-Party): https://www.nvidia.com/en-us/geforce/drivers/ (This link directs to the generic Nvidia driver download page. You will need to manually search for the specific driver version.)