The Nvidia GeForce Graphics Driver 372.90, released on September 22, 2016, represents a significant update aimed at enhancing the gaming experience for a variety of titles, particularly those that were newly released or gaining popularity at the time. This driver, with the filename 372.90-desktop-win10-64bit-international-whql.exe, was meticulously crafted to deliver performance tweaks and bug fixes, ensuring optimal day-one gaming for users. This article delves into the key features and improvements offered by this driver, highlighting its support for specific games, virtual reality (VR) experiences, and innovative technologies.
Game Ready Optimization
The primary focus of the Nvidia GeForce Graphics Driver 372.90 was to provide a "Game Ready" experience. This meant that Nvidia’s driver team dedicated significant effort to fine-tuning the driver to work seamlessly with the latest game releases. A prominent example of this optimization was for Forza Horizon 3. The driver incorporated specific enhancements to maximize performance, stability, and visual fidelity within the game. This "Game Ready" designation served as a guarantee to gamers that they could expect a smooth and enjoyable experience when playing these titles on Nvidia GeForce graphics cards.
VR Game Ready Enhancements
Recognizing the burgeoning VR landscape, Nvidia GeForce Graphics Driver 372.90 also delivered "VR Game Ready" optimizations. This meant that the driver was specifically engineered to provide the best possible experience for a range of new and upcoming VR titles. The driver included optimizations for:
- NVIDIA VR Funhouse: Nvidia’s own collection of VR mini-games, showcasing the capabilities of VR technology.
- Everest VR: An immersive VR experience that allowed users to virtually climb Mount Everest.
- Obduction: A visually stunning puzzle adventure game developed by the creators of Myst.
- Raw Data: A dynamic VR action game that immerses players in intense firefights.
- The Assembly: A mature VR interactive story that explores moral dilemmas.
By optimizing for these VR titles, Nvidia aimed to reduce latency, improve frame rates, and minimize graphical artifacts, resulting in a more comfortable and immersive VR experience for users with compatible hardware.
Ansel Technology Support
The Nvidia GeForce Graphics Driver 372.90 introduced support for Ansel, a revolutionary in-game photography tool developed by Nvidia. Ansel allowed gamers to capture stunning screenshots from virtually any angle within supported games. Unlike traditional screenshot methods, Ansel provided unparalleled flexibility and control over the image capture process.
Key features of Ansel included:
- Free Camera: Users could detach the camera from the player character and position it anywhere within the game world.
- Post-Processing Filters: Ansel offered a range of post-processing filters that could be applied to the captured image, allowing users to adjust the look and feel of their screenshots.
- 2D and 360° Capture: Ansel supported the capture of both traditional 2D screenshots and immersive 360° panoramic images.
- Super Resolution: Ansel could capture screenshots at resolutions far exceeding the native resolution of the display, resulting in incredibly detailed images.
At the time of the driver’s release, Mirror’s Edge Catalyst was among the first games to support Ansel. Gamers could use Ansel to capture breathtaking shots of the game’s futuristic cityscape and engage in creative in-game photography.
GeForce GTX 10-Series Notebook Support
The Nvidia GeForce Graphics Driver 372.90 extended its support to the new GeForce GTX 10-series GPUs powering the latest gaming notebooks. These notebooks offered desktop-class gaming performance in a portable form factor. The driver ensured that users of these notebooks could take full advantage of the power of their GTX 10-series GPUs, delivering smooth and responsive gaming experiences.
VR Ready Hardware
The driver was designed to work optimally with VR-ready GeForce GTX 1080, 1070, and 980 Ti graphics cards. Users with these cards were encouraged to download NVIDIA VR Funhouse from Steam to experience the capabilities of VR technology.
Driver Download Links
The Nvidia GeForce Graphics Driver 372.90, designed to enhance the gaming experience with specific optimizations and new features, can be downloaded from the following link:
Download Nvidia GeForce Graphics Driver 372.90
For an alternative download source, you can also find the driver available on Softpedia:
Alternative Download: Nvidia GeForce Graphics Driver 372.90 on Softpedia
Previous Versions
Nvidia regularly releases new drivers to improve performance, fix bugs, and add support for new games and technologies. Here’s a brief overview of some previous driver versions:
- Nvidia GeForce Graphics Driver 365.19 (2016-05-13): This driver likely included performance improvements and bug fixes for games released around that time.
- Nvidia GeForce Graphics Driver 365.10 (2016-05-02): Similar to the previous version, this driver likely focused on enhancing the gaming experience for recently released titles.
- Nvidia GeForce Graphics Driver 364.51 (2016-03-10): This driver may have included support for new hardware or technologies, as well as performance optimizations.
- Nvidia GeForce Graphics Driver 364.47 (2016-03-07): This driver provided the optimal experience for Tom Clancy’s The Division, Hitman, Need for Speed, Ashes of the Singularity, and Rise of the Tomb Raider.
- Nvidia GeForce Graphics Driver 361.91 (2016-02-15): This driver provided the optimal experience for ARMA 3, Street Fighter V, Monster Hunter Online, and HITMAN (Beta).
- Nvidia GeForce Graphics Driver 361.43: This driver added support for GameWorks VR 1.1 including VR SLI support for OpenGL applications and support for the latest Oculus SDK.
- Nvidia GeForce Graphics Driver 359.06: This driver provided the best gaming experience for Just Cause 3 and Rainbow Six: Siege.
- Nvidia GeForce Graphics Driver 359.00: This driver provided the best gaming experience for Assassin’s Creed: Syndicate and Overwatch: Beta.
- Nvidia GeForce Graphics Driver 358.91: This driver provided the best gaming experience for Fallout 4, Star Wars: Battlefront, and StarCraft II: Legacy of the Void.
It is important to note that older drivers may not include the latest features, performance improvements, or bug fixes. Therefore, it is generally recommended to use the latest driver version that is compatible with your hardware and operating system. The Nvidia GeForce Graphics Driver 372.90 was a significant step forward in providing optimal gaming experiences for its time.