Nvidia GeForce Ion Graphics Driver 257.21 for Windows Vista/7 32-bit

The Nvidia GeForce Ion Graphics Driver 257.21 is a comprehensive driver package designed for 32-bit versions of Windows Vista and Windows 7 operating systems. This release, part of the Release 256 family (versions 256.xx to 259.xx), brings a range of enhancements, new features, and performance improvements to a wide array of Nvidia graphics cards. This article will delve into the specifics of this driver, outlining its key features, supported hardware, and the benefits it offers to users.

Overview of the Release 256 Family

The Release 256 family of drivers from Nvidia represents a significant update, introducing several new technologies and improvements across the board. This driver package is designed to support a broad spectrum of Nvidia GPUs, from the GeForce 6 series to the GeForce 400 series, as well as the ION desktop GPUs. This wide compatibility ensures that a large number of users can benefit from the updates and optimizations included in this release.

Key Features and Enhancements

The Nvidia GeForce Ion Graphics Driver 257.21 comes packed with several notable features and improvements. These can be broadly categorized into the following areas:

3D Vision and Blu-ray 3D Support

One of the most prominent additions in this release is the support for Blu-ray 3D playback using Nvidia’s 3D Vision technology. This allows users to experience immersive 3D content on their compatible displays. To utilize this feature, users need to meet specific hardware and software requirements, which are detailed on Nvidia’s website. This integration signifies Nvidia’s commitment to pushing the boundaries of visual entertainment on PCs.

Performance Boosts in PC Games

The driver provides substantial performance improvements, particularly for the GeForce GTX 400 series GPUs. These enhancements are evident in a variety of popular PC games, with performance gains varying depending on the specific GPU and system configuration. Here’s a breakdown of some of the most significant improvements measured using a GeForce GTX 480:

Aliens vs. Predator: Up to 14% increase in performance at 1920×1200 resolution with no Anti-Aliasing/Anisotropic Filtering (noAA/AF) and Tessellation enabled.
Batman: Arkham Asylum: Up to 4% increase at 1920×1200 resolution with 4xAA/16xAF and PhysX set to High.
BattleForge: Up to 5% increase at 1920×1200 resolution with 4xAA/16xAF and Very High settings.
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2: Up to 5% increase at 1920×1200 resolution with 4xAA/16xAF.
Crysis: Warhead: Up to 4% increase at 1920×1200 resolution with 4xAA/16xAF and Enthusiast settings.
Enemy Territory: Quake Wars: Up to 24% increase at 1920×1200 resolution with no AA/AF.
Far Cry 2: Up to 9% increase at 2560×1600 resolution with 8xAA/16xAF.
Just Cause 2: Up to 25% increase at 2560×1600 resolution with no AA/AF in the Concrete Jungle benchmark.
Metro 2033: Up to 7% increase at 1920×1200 resolution with no AA/16xAF and Tessellation enabled.
Metro 2033 with SLI: Up to 40% increase at 1920×1200 resolution with 4xAA/16xAF and Tessellation enabled.
S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Call of Pripyat: Up to 8% increase at 1920×1200 resolution with no AA/AF in the Day benchmark.
Stone Giant with SLI: Up to 110% increase at 2650×1600 resolution with Tessellation and Depth of Field (DoF) enabled.
The Chronicles of Riddick: Dark Athena: Up to 6% increase at 2560×1600 resolution with no AA/AF.
Unigine: Tropics: Up to 9% increase at 2560×1600 resolution with no AA/AF in OpenGL.
3DMark Vantage: Up to 5% increase in Performance and Extreme Presets.
Transparency AA: Up to 19% increase at 1920×1200 resolution with 4xTrSS, measured in Crysis.

These performance gains are significant for gamers, providing smoother gameplay and improved visual fidelity in demanding titles.

Software and Technology Updates

The driver also includes several updates to Nvidia’s core technologies:

PhysX System Software: Upgrades to version 9.10.0223, enhancing the performance and stability of PhysX-enabled games and applications.
OpenGL 4.0 Support: Adds support for OpenGL 4.0 for GeForce GTX 400 Series GPUs, unlocking new graphical capabilities and features for developers and users.
CUDA Toolkit 3.1 Support: Integrates support for CUDA Toolkit 3.1, offering significant performance improvements for double-precision math operations. This is particularly beneficial for scientific and engineering applications that rely on CUDA.
Extreme Antialiasing Modes: Introduces new extreme Antialiasing modes for 3-way SLI PCs, including up to SLI48x AA for GeForce 200 series GPUs and up to SLI96x AA for GeForce GTX 400 series GPUs. This allows for unparalleled image quality, albeit at the cost of performance.
Ambient Occlusion Control Panel: Adds a new ‘Quality’ mode to Nvidia’s Ambient Occlusion control panel feature, giving users more control over the visual fidelity of their games.

Enhanced Control and Customization

The Nvidia GeForce Ion Graphics Driver 257.21 also brings new features to the Nvidia Control Panel, providing users with greater control over their graphics settings:

SLI and PhysX Setup Page: A new setup page for SLI and PhysX configurations allows for more intuitive management of multi-GPU setups.
CUDA GPU Control: A new feature for controlling CUDA GPUs enables users to choose which GPU powers each CUDA application, offering greater flexibility and control over resource allocation.

Additional Information

Beyond the major features, the driver includes several other enhancements and support for various technologies:

HD Audio Driver: Installs HD Audio driver version 1.0.9.1 for supported GPUs, ensuring optimal audio performance.
Adobe CS5 Support: Supports the new GPU-accelerated features in Adobe CS5, improving performance in creative applications.
Adobe Flash 10.1 Support: Supports GPU-acceleration for smoother online HD videos with Adobe Flash 10.1.
MotionDSP vReveal Support: Supports the new version of MotionDSP’s video enhancement software, vReveal, which adds support for HD output.
DirectCompute Support: Supports DirectCompute with Windows 7 and GeForce 8-series and later GPUs, enabling parallel computing for various applications.
OpenCL 1.0 Support: Supports OpenCL 1.0 (Open Computing Language) for all GeForce 8-series and later GPUs, facilitating cross-platform parallel programming.
OpenGL 3.3 Support: Supports OpenGL 3.3 for GeForce 8-series and later GPUs, ensuring compatibility with modern OpenGL applications.
SLI Technology: Supports single GPU and NVIDIA SLI technology on DirectX 9, DirectX 10, DirectX 11, and OpenGL, including 3-way SLI, Quad SLI, and SLI support on SLI-certified Intel X58-based motherboards.
GPU Overclocking and Monitoring: Supports GPU overclocking and temperature monitoring by installing NVIDIA System Tools software.

Supported Products

The Nvidia GeForce Ion Graphics Driver 257.21 supports a wide range of Nvidia GPUs. Here’s a detailed list:

GeForce 400 Series: GTX 465, GTX 470, GTX 480
GeForce 300 Series: 310, GT 320, GT 330, 315, GT 340
GeForce 200 Series: 210, GTX 285, GTS 240, GTX 280, GTX 275, GT 240, GTX 295, G210, GTS 250, 205, GT 220, GT 230, GTX 260
GeForce 100 Series: GT 140, GT 130, GT 120, G 100
GeForce 9 Series: 9200, 9800 GX2, 9600 GSO, 9600 GT, 9600 GS, 9400, 9300, 9300 GE, 9800 GTX/GTX+, 9500 GS, 9400 GT, 9100, 9800 GT, 9500 GT, 9300 GS
GeForce 8 Series: 8100 / nForce 720a, 8800 GS, 8800 GTS, 8400, 8600 GT, 8600 GTS, 8600 GS, 8300, 8800 GTS 512, 8800 Ultra, 8200, 8800 GT, 8400 GS, 8800 GTX, 8200 / nForce 730a, 8300 GS, 8500 GT, 8400 SE
GeForce 7 Series: 7100 GS, 7900 GT/GTO, 7800 GS, 7300 SE / 7200 GS, 7350 LE, 7300 GS, 7900 GTX, 7150 / NVIDIA nForce 630i, 7300 GT, 7650 GS, 7100 / NVIDIA nForce 630i, 7050 / NVIDIA nForce 630i, 7800 SLI, 7050 / NVIDIA nForce 610i, 7600 LE, 7800 GTX, 7100 / NVIDIA nForce 620i, 7600 GS, 7025 / NVIDIA nForce 630a, 7950 GT, 7300 LE, 7500 LE, 7950 GX2, 7900 GS, 7050 PV / NVIDIA nForce 630a, 7550 LE, 7600 GT
GeForce 6 Series: 6150, 6100 nForce 405, 6600 VE, 6800 XE, 6100 nForce 420, 6150SE nForce 430, 6150 LE, 6800 GS, 6800 GS/XT, 6600 LE, 6200 A-LE, 6600 GT, 6150LE / Quadro NVS 210S, 6800 XT, 6800 Ultra, 6800 LE, 6200 LE, 6800, 6700 XL, 6610 XL, 6200 TurboCache, 6500, 6600, 6200, 6250, 6200SE TurboCache, 6100, 6100 nForce 400, 6800 GT
ION Series: ION LE, ION

Downloading the Driver

The Nvidia GeForce Ion Graphics Driver 257.21 for Windows Vista/7 32-bit can be downloaded from the following link:

Download Nvidia GeForce Ion Graphics Driver 257.21

Alternative Download Links:

Softpedia: (Replace with actual Softpedia link for the driver)
Guru3D: (Replace with actual Guru3D link for the driver)
FileHippo: (Replace with actual FileHippo link for the driver)
DriverGuide: (Replace with actual DriverGuide link for the driver)
Nvidia Official Archive: (If available, link to Nvidia’s archive)

Conclusion

The Nvidia GeForce Ion Graphics Driver 257.21 represents a significant update for users of older Nvidia graphics cards on Windows Vista and Windows 7 32-bit systems. With its enhancements to gaming performance, support for new technologies like Blu-ray 3D, and improved control panel features, this driver offers a compelling upgrade for users looking to get the most out of their hardware. The broad compatibility across multiple GeForce and ION series GPUs ensures that a wide audience can benefit from the improvements included in this release of Nvidia GeForce Ion Graphics Driver 257.21.
Whether you are a gamer, a content creator, or simply looking to improve the overall performance of your system, the Nvidia GeForce Ion Graphics Driver 257.21 is worth considering. The Nvidia GeForce Ion Graphics Driver 257.21 provides increased functionality and is essential for maintaining optimal performance.