This article provides comprehensive information about the Nvidia GeForce Ion Graphics Drivers 260.63 Beta release, specifically tailored for 64-bit versions of Windows Vista and Windows 7 operating systems. This driver package, part of the Release 260 family, offers support for a broad range of Nvidia GPUs, including GeForce 6, 7, 8, 9, 100, 200, 300, and 400-series desktop GPUs, as well as ION desktop GPUs. Understanding the features, improvements, and compatibility of these drivers is crucial for users seeking to optimize their system’s performance and take advantage of the latest technologies.
Key Features and Improvements in Release 260.63
The Nvidia GeForce Ion Graphics Drivers 260.63 Beta introduces several enhancements and new functionalities aimed at improving user experience and maximizing the capabilities of supported Nvidia graphics cards. Here’s a detailed breakdown of the key updates:
1. New GPU Support: GeForce GTS 450
This release officially adds support for the newly launched GeForce GTS 450 GPU. This ensures that users who have upgraded to this card can immediately benefit from optimized performance and stability. Having the correct drivers installed is paramount to achieving the card’s full potential.
2. Performance Enhancements
A significant focus of the 260.63 Beta drivers is on boosting performance across various PC games, particularly for the GeForce GTX 400 Series GPUs, compared to the previous v258.96 WHQL drivers. The performance gains can vary depending on the specific GPU model and the overall system configuration, but some notable improvements include:
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GeForce GTX 480:
- Up to 10% increase in StarCraft II at 2560×1600 resolution with 4xAA/16xAF Ultra settings.
- Up to 14% improvement in S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Call of Pripyat at 1920×1200 resolution with 4xAA/16xAF.
- Up to 16% gain in S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Call of Pripyat (SLI configuration) at 2560×1600 resolution with 4xAA/16xAF.
- Up to 6% boost in Aliens vs. Predator (SLI configuration) at 1920×1200 resolution with noAA and Tessellation enabled.
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GeForce GTX 460:
- Up to 19% increase in StarCraft II (SLI configuration) at 1920×1200 resolution with 4xAA/16xAF Ultra settings.
- Up to 15% improvement in Battlefield Bad Company 2 (SLI configuration) at 2560×1600 resolution with 4xAA/16xAF.
- Up to 12% gain in S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Call of Pripyat at 2560×1600 resolution with noAA.
- Up to 9% boost in Aliens vs. Predator at 1680×1050 resolution with 4xAA/16xAF and Tessellation enabled.
- Up to 7% increase in Metro 2033 at 1680×1050 resolution with noAA and Tessellation enabled.
- Up to 11% improvement in Dirt 2 (SLI configuration) at 2560×1600 resolution with 4xAA/16xAF.
- Up to 12% gain in Crysis: Warhead (SLI configuration) at 1920×1200 resolution with 4xAA/16xAF Gamer settings.
- Up to 13% boost in Far Cry 2 at 2560×1600 resolution with 4xAA/16xAF.
- Up to 12% increase in H.A.W.X (SLI configuration) at 1920×1200 resolution with 4xAA/16xAF SSAO Very High settings.
- Up to 5% improvement in Just Cause 2 at 1920×1200 resolution with 4xAA/16xAF.
- Up to 22% gain in Riddick: Assault on Dark Athena at 1920×1200 resolution with noAA.
- Up to 5% boost in 3DMark Vantage (Extreme Preset).
These performance improvements are a testament to Nvidia’s ongoing efforts to optimize their drivers for the latest games and hardware configurations.
3. Blu-ray 3D Support
The 260.63 Beta drivers introduce support for playing back Blu-ray 3D discs. To enjoy this feature, users need to connect their GPU to an HDMI 1.4 3D TV and utilize compatible software applications from vendors like CyberLink, ArcSoft, Roxio, or Corel. Nvidia also provides additional information on their Blu-ray 3D website.
4. HD Audio Enhancements
Significant upgrades have been made to the HD Audio capabilities:
- Lossless DTS-HD Master Audio and Dolby TrueHD audio bitstreaming support for compatible Blu-ray movies when using GeForce GTX 460 GPUs.
- High-definition 24-bit, 96 and 192 KHz multi-channel audio sampling rate support for compatible Blu-ray movies with GeForce GTX 400 Series, GT 240, GT 220, and 210 GPUs.
- The HD Audio driver has been upgraded to version 1.1.9.0.
Important Note: A Blu-ray movie player update might be necessary to enable these new features, so users should check with their movie player software manufacturers for more details. These features are exclusively supported on Windows 7.
5. Improved Installation Process
The driver installer has been revamped with an enhanced user interface and new Express and Custom installation options:
- Express Installation: A fast and straightforward one-click installation process.
- Custom Installation: Allows users to customize the installation process.
- Clean Installation Option: Completely removes older drivers from the system before installing the new driver.
- Component Selection: Users can choose which driver components to install (e.g., PhysX or 3D Vision).
- Improved installation time, especially for multi-GPU PCs.
6. NVIDIA Surround Updates
The NVIDIA Surround setup wizard has been updated to offer a more user-friendly experience:
- After the initial setup, users can jump directly to any setup step.
- Improved display connection diagrams and tooltips.
- Enhanced UI for setting up and arranging displays.
- Improved bezel correction setup experience.
- A help page has been added to guide users on selecting the correct in-game resolution (e.g., how to choose bezel-corrected resolutions).
- Option to dedicate an extra GPU to PhysX or to drive an additional display.
- Support for portrait or landscape setup directly from the setup wizard.
- An updated 3D Vision Surround and NVIDIA Surround game support list is available on the 3D Vision Surround web page.
7. NVIDIA 3D Vision Enhancements
The installation process for 3D Vision has been modified in Release 260 drivers. Nvidia provides a knowledgebase article detailing these changes. Key additions include:
- NVIDIA 3D Vision streaming support for Firefox 4 and Google Chrome web browsers.
- Support for Sony’s 3D Sweep Panorama picture format in NVIDIA 3D Photo Viewer (compatible with Sony digital cameras like NEX-5/NEX-3, Alpha a560/a580, and Cyber-shot DSC-WX5/DSC-TX9/DSC-T99 models).
- Support for new 3D Vision Desktop LCD monitors: BenQ X2410 and NEC F23W2A.
- Support for new 3D Vision projectors: Sanyo PDG-DWL2500 and ViewSonic PJD6251.
Numerous 3D Vision game profiles have been added or updated, including titles like Arcania: Gothic 4, Fallout: New Vegas, FIFA 11, Formula 1 Racing, Final Fantasy XIV Benchmark, and many more. These profiles optimize the 3D viewing experience for specific games.
8. Other Improvements
- PhysX System Software has been upgraded to version 9.10.0514.
- Compatibility has been improved for older PC games (DirectX 7 to DirectX 9) running on Windows 7, such as Gothic, Gothic II, Falcon 4.0: Allied Force, Links 2003, Independence War II – Edge of Chaos, and X2: Wolverine’s Revenge.
- Drag-and-drop display arrangement support has been added to the "Set up multiple displays" page.
- Numerous bug fixes have been implemented. Refer to the release notes for detailed information.
- Users with non-US English operating systems can select their language and download the International driver.
Additional Information
The Nvidia GeForce Ion Graphics Drivers 260.63 Beta also includes support for:
- GPU-accelerated features in Adobe CS5.
- GPU-acceleration for smoother online HD videos with Adobe Flash 10.1.
- The new version of MotionDSP’s video enhancement software, vReveal.
- DirectCompute with Windows 7 and GeForce 8-series and later GPUs.
- OpenCL 1.0 (Open Computing Language) for all GeForce 8-series and later GPUs.
- OpenGL 3.3 for GeForce 8-series and later GPUs.
- 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 via NVIDIA System Tools software.
Supported Products
The 260.63 Beta drivers support a wide array of Nvidia GeForce GPUs, spanning multiple series. Here is a comprehensive list of supported products:
- GeForce 400 series: GTX 465, GTX 460, GTS 450, GTX 480, GTX 470
- GeForce 300 series: GT 330, 315, GT 340, GT 320, 310
- GeForce 200 series: GTS 240, GT 240, GTX 275, G210, GTX 280, 210, GTX 260, 205, GT 230, GTX 295, GTS 250, GT 220, GTX 285
- GeForce 100 series: GT 130, G 100, GT 140, GT 120
- GeForce 9 series: 9500 GS, 9800 GT, 9600 GSO, 9300, 9400, 9600 GT, 9400 GT, 9200, 9100, 9500 GT, 9300 GS, 9800 GTX/GTX+, 9800 GX2, 9600 GS, 9300 GE
- GeForce 8 series: 8600 GTS, 8600 GT, 8300, 8800 GT, 8400 GS, 8800 GTS 512, 8400, 8200, 8800 GTX, 8500 GT, 8300 GS, 8800 GS, 8200 / nForce 730a, 8100 / nForce 720a, 8400 SE, 8800 GTS, 8600 GS, 8800 Ultra
- GeForce 7 series: 7900 GT/GTO, 7100 GS, 7300 LE, 7300 GT, 7800 SLI, 7100 / NVIDIA nForce 630i, 7150 / NVIDIA nForce 630i, 7350 LE, 7900 GS, 7100 / NVIDIA nForce 620i, 7050 / NVIDIA nForce 630i, 7800 GTX, 7500 LE, 7650 GS, 7600 GS, 7300 SE / 7200 GS, 7050 PV / NVIDIA nForce 630a, 7300 GS, 7025 / NVIDIA nForce 630a, 7950 GX2, 7550 LE, 7050 / NVIDIA nForce 610i, 7600 GT, 7600 LE, 7900 GTX, 7800 GS, 7950 GT
- GeForce 6 series: 6200 LE, 6800 GS, 6100 nForce 420, 6200 TurboCache, 6500, 6100 nForce 400, 6100, 6800 Ultra, 6200, 6100 nForce 405, 6800, 6150, 6700 XL, 6800 XT, 6600, 6610 XL, 6200 A-LE, 6600 GT, 6600 LE, 6800 GS/XT, 6150LE / Quadro NVS 210S, 6800 LE, 6600 VE, 6800 XE, 6150 LE, 6150SE nForce 430, 6200SE TurboCache, 6800 GT, 6250
Download Links
To download the Nvidia GeForce Ion Graphics Drivers 260.63 Beta for Windows Vista/7 64-bit, you can use the following links:
Here are 5 alternative download links from other sources:
- Softpedia: (Please note: Due to the age of this driver, a direct download link may not be available. Check Softpedia’s driver archives and search for "Nvidia 260.63 Beta.")
- Guru3D: (Same as above, check their driver archives.)
- DriverGuide: (Same as above, check their driver archives.)
- Nvidia Legacy Drivers Archive: (Check Nvidia’s official website for legacy driver downloads.)
- FileHippo: (Same as above, check their driver archives.)
Disclaimer: Always exercise caution when downloading files from third-party websites. Ensure the source is reputable and scan the downloaded file with an anti-virus program before installation.
By installing the Nvidia GeForce Ion Graphics Drivers 260.63 Beta, users can unlock enhanced performance, new features, and improved compatibility for their Nvidia GPUs on Windows Vista and Windows 7 64-bit systems. Remember to carefully follow the installation instructions and consider the potential risks associated with beta drivers. These Nvidia GeForce Ion Graphics Drivers 260.63 Beta are a significant upgrade for users with compatible hardware.