Nvidia GeForce Ion Graphics Driver 257.21 for Windows Vista/7 64-bit

The Nvidia GeForce Ion Graphics Driver 257.21 is a comprehensive driver package designed to enhance the performance and capabilities of a wide range of Nvidia graphics cards running on 64-bit versions of Windows Vista and Windows 7. This release, part of the Release 256 family (versions 256.xx to 259.xx), offers a multitude of improvements, new features, and bug fixes, making it a worthwhile update for users seeking to optimize their system’s graphics performance.

This article will provide a detailed overview of the Nvidia GeForce Ion Graphics Driver 257.21, including its key features, performance enhancements, supported hardware, and additional information relevant to users considering this driver update.

Driver Overview: Release 256

The 257.21 driver is the initial release from the Release 256 driver family, encompassing versions 256.xx through 259.xx. This driver package is notable for its broad compatibility, extending support to a variety of Nvidia GPUs, including:

• GeForce 6, 7, 8, 9, 100, 200, 300, and 400-series desktop GPUs
• ION desktop GPUs

This extensive support ensures that a large number of users can benefit from the improvements and features included in this release.

Key Features and Enhancements

The Nvidia GeForce Ion Graphics Driver 257.21 introduces several key features and enhancements designed to improve the user experience and overall system performance.

3D Vision and Blu-ray 3D Support

One of the most significant additions is the support for Blu-ray 3D playback using Nvidia 3D Vision technology. This allows users with compatible hardware to enjoy immersive 3D movies on their PCs. 3D Vision requires specific hardware and software configurations, which are detailed in the linked documentation provided by Nvidia.

Performance Improvements for GeForce GTX 400 Series

The driver significantly boosts performance for GeForce GTX 400 series GPUs in various PC games. The performance improvements were measured using a GeForce GTX 480, and the results highlight the potential gains users can expect. However, it’s crucial to note that actual performance improvements will vary depending on the specific GPU and overall system configuration. Some notable improvements include:

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

These performance improvements demonstrate the driver’s focus on optimizing gaming experiences for users with high-end Nvidia GPUs.

PhysX, OpenGL, and CUDA Updates

The Nvidia GeForce Ion Graphics Driver 257.21 also includes updates to key software components:

• PhysX System Software: Upgraded to version 9.10.0223, enhancing physics processing capabilities in games and applications that utilize PhysX technology.
• OpenGL 4.0: Adds support for OpenGL 4.0 for GeForce GTX 400 Series GPUs, enabling developers to leverage the latest OpenGL features for improved graphics rendering.
• CUDA Toolkit 3.1: Includes support for CUDA Toolkit 3.1, which provides significant performance increases for double-precision math operations, benefiting scientific and engineering applications that rely on CUDA.

Enhanced Antialiasing and Control Panel Features

The driver introduces new features aimed at providing users with more control over their graphics settings:

• Extreme Antialiasing Modes for 3-way SLI: Introduces SLI48x AA for GeForce 200 series GPUs and SLI96x AA for GeForce GTX 400 series GPUs, offering extreme antialiasing capabilities for users with 3-way SLI configurations.
• Ambient Occlusion ‘Quality’ Mode: Adds a new ‘Quality’ mode to Nvidia’s Ambient Occlusion control panel feature, allowing users to fine-tune the visual quality of ambient occlusion effects.
• SLI and PhysX Control Panel Setup: Introduces a new Nvidia Control Panel setup page for SLI and PhysX, providing users with comprehensive control over multi-GPU configurations.
• CUDA GPU Control: Adds a new Nvidia Control Panel feature that allows users to select which GPU will power each CUDA application, providing granular control over CUDA resource allocation.

Additional Information

Beyond the major features, the Nvidia GeForce Ion Graphics Driver 257.21 includes several additional enhancements and supports various technologies:

• HD Audio Driver: Installs HD Audio driver version 1.0.9.1 for supported GPUs.
• 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.
• OpenCL 1.0 Support: Supports OpenCL 1.0 (Open Computing Language) for all GeForce 8-series and later GPUs.
• OpenGL 3.3 Support: Supports OpenGL 3.3 for GeForce 8-series and later GPUs.
• SLI Technology Support: 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 Temperature 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, including:

• 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

Download Links

You can download the Nvidia GeForce Ion Graphics Driver 257.21 for Windows Vista/7 64-bit from the following locations:

• TechSpot: https://www.techspot.com/drivers/driver/file/information/13906/
• Alternative Download Links: (Please use caution when downloading from third-party sites and ensure the file is legitimate.)
  1. Softpedia
  2. Guru3D
  3. FileHippo
  4. DriverGuide
  5. Nvidia Official Website (search archived drivers)

It is recommended to download the driver directly from TechSpot or the Nvidia website if available.

Conclusion

The Nvidia GeForce Ion Graphics Driver 257.21 is a significant update for users of Nvidia graphics cards on Windows Vista and Windows 7 64-bit. With its support for Blu-ray 3D, performance improvements for GeForce GTX 400 series GPUs, and enhancements to PhysX, OpenGL, and CUDA, this driver offers a compelling upgrade for gamers, creative professionals, and general users alike. Furthermore, the new antialiasing modes and control panel features provide users with greater control over their graphics settings. If you own a supported GPU, updating to the Nvidia GeForce Ion Graphics Driver 257.21 is highly recommended to take advantage of the improvements and features it offers. Remember to always back up your system before installing new drivers.