The Nvidia GeForce Graphics Driver 368.39, released in June 2016, stands as a testament to Nvidia’s commitment to providing gamers and VR enthusiasts with the best possible experience. This driver package, marked by its "Game Ready" designation, arrived just in time for the launch of several anticipated titles, promising optimized performance, bug fixes, and support for cutting-edge technologies. This article will explore the key features, improvements, and supported hardware that defined the Nvidia GeForce Graphics Driver 368.39, offering a comprehensive overview for those interested in its capabilities and historical significance.
Game Ready: Primed for New Releases
Nvidia’s "Game Ready" drivers are designed to deliver the optimal gaming experience right from day one of a game’s release. The Nvidia GeForce Graphics Driver 368.39 was no exception, undergoing rigorous testing and optimization to ensure smooth performance and stability in the latest titles. Specifically, this driver was tailored to provide the best possible experience for Mirror’s Edge Catalyst and Edge of Nowhere, two games that pushed graphical boundaries and demanded the latest in GPU technology. The driver team worked tirelessly up to the last minute before release to incorporate every possible performance tweak and bug fix, reflecting Nvidia’s dedication to its user base.
Unleashing the Power of Pascal: GTX 1070 Support
One of the most significant aspects of the Nvidia GeForce Graphics Driver 368.39 was its support for the newly released GeForce GTX 1070 graphics card. This card, based on Nvidia’s Pascal architecture, represented a significant leap in performance and power efficiency. The Pascal architecture offered a new level of gaming experience, and this driver was crucial in unlocking the full potential of the GTX 1070, allowing gamers to enjoy unprecedented levels of detail, frame rates, and visual fidelity. Nvidia touted Pascal as the "most advanced GPU ever created," and the GTX 1070 quickly became a favorite among gamers seeking high-end performance without breaking the bank.
Virtual Reality Advancements: VRWorks Support
The Nvidia GeForce Graphics Driver 368.39 also made significant strides in supporting virtual reality (VR) technology. It provided support for the VRWorks features available on the new GeForce GTX 1080 and GTX 1070, including Lens Matched Shading and Single Pass Stereo.
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Lens Matched Shading: This technology optimizes rendering by aligning the shading workload with the unique distortion characteristics of VR lenses. By intelligently allocating processing power, Lens Matched Shading improves performance and reduces latency, resulting in a more immersive and comfortable VR experience.
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Single Pass Stereo: This rendering technique allows both eyes to be rendered simultaneously in a single pass, effectively halving the GPU workload compared to traditional multi-pass rendering. Single Pass Stereo significantly improves performance and reduces latency, making it a crucial technology for achieving smooth and responsive VR experiences.
The driver also included comprehensive support for GameWorks VR 1.0, including Multi-Res shading and Windows 10 support. GameWorks VR is a suite of tools and technologies designed to help developers create more immersive and performant VR experiences. Multi-Res shading allows developers to render different parts of the VR scene at different resolutions, focusing processing power on the areas that are most visually important. This can significantly improve performance without sacrificing visual quality.
Further, the driver offered updated support for the GameWorks VR SDK, adding notebook support, VR SLI enhancements, and bug fixes. VR SLI allows multiple GPUs to work together to render a single VR scene, providing a significant boost in performance. The addition of notebook support meant that users with powerful gaming laptops could also take advantage of the latest VR technologies.
Expanding Maxwell’s Reach: GTX 980 for Notebooks
Beyond Pascal, the Nvidia GeForce Graphics Driver 368.39 also extended support to the GeForce GTX 980 for notebooks. This mobile GPU, based on the second-generation Maxwell architecture, brought desktop-class gaming performance to laptops, allowing gamers to enjoy high-quality visuals and smooth frame rates on the go. The driver optimizations ensured that the GTX 980 for notebooks could deliver the best possible performance while managing power consumption effectively, making it an ideal solution for mobile gaming enthusiasts.
Fine-Tuning Gaming Experiences: G-SYNC, ULMB, and DSR
The Nvidia GeForce Graphics Driver 368.39 incorporated several technologies designed to enhance the overall gaming experience, including:
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G-SYNC Technology: G-SYNC synchronizes the refresh rate of the monitor with the frame rate of the GPU, eliminating screen tearing and minimizing stuttering. This driver added support for G-SYNC in windowed mode, providing users with more flexibility in how they configure their gaming setups. It also offered both G-SYNC (V-SYNC on) and G-SYNC (V-SYNC off) options, allowing gamers to choose the setting that best suits their preferences.
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Ultra-Low Motion Blur (ULMB): ULMB reduces motion blur by strobing the backlight of the monitor, resulting in a clearer and more responsive image. This driver made ULMB settings accessible through the NVIDIA Control Panel, giving users more control over their display settings.
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Dynamic Super Resolution (DSR): DSR allows users to render games at a higher resolution than their monitor’s native resolution and then downscale the image to fit the screen. This results in a sharper and more detailed image, even on lower-resolution displays. The driver provided DSR support for notebooks with discrete GeForce GPUs, allowing mobile gamers to enjoy the benefits of this technology.
The driver also included optimizations and bug fixes specifically targeted at Kepler-based GPUs, ensuring that users with older hardware could still benefit from improved performance and stability.
Supported Products and Download Links
While the original article does not list the supported products explicitly, it’s safe to assume that the Nvidia GeForce Graphics Driver 368.39 supported a wide range of GeForce GPUs, including the GTX 10 series, GTX 900 series, GTX 700 series, and GTX 600 series, as well as their mobile counterparts.
Download Link:
https://www.nvidia.com/download/driverResults.aspx/104500/en-us
Alternative Download Link:
https://drivers.softpedia.com/get/GRAPHICS-BOARD/NVIDIA/NVIDIA-GeForce-368-39-Driver.shtml
Conclusion
The Nvidia GeForce Graphics Driver 368.39 was a significant release that brought numerous improvements and new features to gamers and VR enthusiasts. With its "Game Ready" optimizations, support for the latest Pascal GPUs, advancements in VR technology, and enhancements to gaming experiences, this driver played a crucial role in shaping the landscape of PC gaming and virtual reality in 2016. Its legacy continues to be felt today, as many of the technologies and concepts introduced in this driver remain relevant and influential in the world of graphics processing. The Nvidia GeForce Graphics Driver 368.39 exemplified Nvidia’s dedication to innovation and its commitment to providing the best possible experience for its users.