Nvidia GeForce Ion Graphics Driver 257.21 for Windows XP

The Nvidia GeForce Ion Graphics Driver 257.21 for Windows XP marks a significant update for users of older Nvidia graphics cards running on the Windows XP operating system. As the first release from the Release 256 family of drivers (versions 256.xx to 259.xx), this driver package provides a range of enhancements, new features, and bug fixes designed to improve the overall performance and functionality of supported GPUs. This article delves into the specifics of this driver release, outlining its key improvements, supported hardware, and additional functionalities it brings to the table.

Overview of Release 256 Drivers

The Release 256 driver family represents a pivotal point in Nvidia’s driver development cycle. These drivers are designed to support a wide array of Nvidia GPUs, spanning from the GeForce 6 series to the GeForce 400 series, as well as ION desktop GPUs. This broad compatibility ensures that a large number of users can benefit from the optimizations and features included in this release.

Key Features and Improvements

The Nvidia GeForce Ion Graphics Driver 257.21 for Windows XP introduces several notable improvements and new features, catering to both gaming enthusiasts and general users.

Blu-ray 3D Support with NVIDIA 3D Vision

One of the most significant additions is the support for Blu-ray 3D playback using NVIDIA 3D Vision technology. This feature allows users to experience immersive 3D content on their compatible displays. To utilize this functionality, users must meet specific hardware and software requirements, which can be found on the Nvidia website. This enhancement brings a modern entertainment experience to older systems, provided the necessary components are in place.

Performance Enhancements for GeForce GTX 400 Series GPUs

A primary focus of this driver release is to enhance the performance of GeForce GTX 400 series GPUs in various PC games. The driver incorporates optimizations that yield measurable improvements in frame rates and overall smoothness. The following are examples of performance gains measured with a GeForce GTX 480, with the understanding that results may vary based on the user’s specific GPU and system configuration:

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

These performance improvements underscore Nvidia’s commitment to optimizing their drivers for the latest games, even for older GPU series.

Updated PhysX System Software

The Nvidia GeForce Ion Graphics Driver 257.21 for Windows XP includes an upgrade to PhysX System Software version 9.10.0223. PhysX is Nvidia’s physics engine, which adds realistic environmental interactions and effects to games. This update ensures better compatibility and performance for games that utilize PhysX.

OpenGL 4.0 Support

For GeForce GTX 400 series GPUs, the driver adds support for OpenGL 4.0. OpenGL is a cross-language, cross-platform API for rendering 2D and 3D vector graphics. This support enables developers to utilize the latest OpenGL features and optimizations, leading to improved visual quality and performance in applications that leverage this API.

CUDA Toolkit 3.1 Support

The driver package introduces support for CUDA Toolkit 3.1. CUDA (Compute Unified Device Architecture) is Nvidia’s parallel computing platform and programming model. CUDA Toolkit 3.1 brings significant performance increases for double-precision math operations, benefiting applications in scientific computing, financial modeling, and other computationally intensive fields.

Enhanced Antialiasing Modes for SLI Configurations

Users with 3-way SLI PCs can now take advantage of new extreme Antialiasing (AA) modes. This includes support for up to SLI48x AA for GeForce 200 series GPUs and up to SLI96x AA for GeForce GTX 400 series GPUs. These extreme AA modes reduce aliasing artifacts, resulting in smoother and more visually appealing images.

New ‘Quality’ Mode for Ambient Occlusion

The Nvidia GeForce Ion Graphics Driver 257.21 for Windows XP adds a new ‘Quality’ mode to Nvidia’s Ambient Occlusion control panel feature. Ambient Occlusion is a rendering technique that adds depth and realism to scenes by simulating the shadowing effects of indirect lighting. The ‘Quality’ mode offers a higher level of precision, resulting in more realistic and detailed shadows.

Improved Control Panel Features

Several enhancements have been made to the Nvidia Control Panel to provide users with greater control over their graphics settings.

SLI and PhysX Configuration: A new setup page allows users to manage their SLI and PhysX configurations, providing ultimate control over multi-GPU setups.
CUDA GPU Selection: A new feature allows users to choose which GPU will power each CUDA application, enabling them to optimize performance based on the specific requirements of each application.

Bug Fixes and Additional Information

The driver includes numerous bug fixes, addressing various issues and improving overall stability. Detailed information about these fixes can be found in the release notes accompanying the driver package.

Additionally, the driver installs HD Audio driver version 1.0.9.1 for supported GPUs and supports GPU-accelerated features in Adobe CS5 and smoother online HD videos with Adobe Flash 10.1. It also supports the new version of MotionDSP’s vReveal video enhancement software, DirectCompute with Windows 7, OpenCL 1.0, and OpenGL 3.3 for compatible GPUs.

Supported Products

The Nvidia GeForce Ion Graphics Driver 257.21 for Windows XP 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: Numerous models including the GTX 285, GTS 240, and GT 240.
GeForce 100 Series: GT 140, GT 130, GT 120, G 100
GeForce 9 Series: Including the 9800 GX2, 9600 GT, and 9400.
GeForce 8 Series: Covering a broad spectrum of models like the 8800 GTS, 8600 GT, and 8400 GS.
GeForce 7 Series: Ranging from the 7100 GS to the 7950 GX2.
GeForce 6 Series: Models like the 6150, 6600 GT, and 6800 Ultra.
ION Series: ION LE, ION

Download Links

You can download the Nvidia GeForce Ion Graphics Driver 257.21 for Windows XP from the following sources:

TechSpot: https://www.techspot.com/drivers/driver/file/information/13907/
Softpedia: https://drivers.softpedia.com/get/Graphics-Board/NVIDIA/NVIDIA-GeForce-ION-Graphics-Driver-257-21-for-Windows-XP.shtml
Guru3D: (Check their driver section for archived drivers)
Nvidia Official Archive: (Search Nvidia’s website for legacy drivers)
DriverGuide: (Requires registration, proceed with caution)

Conclusion

The Nvidia GeForce Ion Graphics Driver 257.21 for Windows XP is a comprehensive update that provides significant improvements for users of older Nvidia GPUs. With its enhanced performance, new features like Blu-ray 3D support, and updated PhysX and CUDA capabilities, this driver package offers a valuable upgrade for those looking to maximize the potential of their aging hardware on the Windows XP platform. It showcases Nvidia’s continued support for its legacy products, ensuring that users can continue to enjoy their systems with optimized performance and functionality.