This article provides a comprehensive overview of the Nvidia GeForce Ion Graphics Drivers 260.89 WHQL release for Windows Vista and Windows 7 64-bit operating systems. This driver package, a WHQL (Windows Hardware Quality Labs) certified release from the Release 260 family, brings a range of enhancements, new features, and performance improvements to a wide spectrum of Nvidia GPUs. Understanding the capabilities and improvements offered by this driver is crucial for users aiming to optimize their system’s graphics performance and ensure compatibility with the latest games and applications.
Overview of Supported GPUs
The Nvidia GeForce Ion Graphics Drivers 260.89 WHQL package is designed to support a diverse range of Nvidia desktop GPUs, spanning several generations. Specifically, this driver supports:
- GeForce 6 Series
- GeForce 7 Series
- GeForce 8 Series
- GeForce 9 Series
- GeForce 100 Series
- GeForce 200 Series
- GeForce 300 Series
- GeForce 400 Series
- ION Desktop GPUs
This broad compatibility makes the 260.89 driver a suitable option for users with older systems seeking updated driver support or for those with newer systems looking for a stable and reliable driver release.
Key Features and Improvements
The Nvidia GeForce Ion Graphics Drivers 260.89 WHQL release includes a variety of new features and performance enhancements. Here’s a detailed look at what this driver package offers:
New GPU Support
- GeForce GT 430: The most notable addition is the official support for the newly released GeForce GT 430 GPU. This ensures that users who have upgraded to this entry-level to mid-range card can take full advantage of its capabilities with optimized drivers.
Performance Enhancements
One of the primary focuses of the 260.89 drivers is to improve performance in various PC games, especially for the GeForce GTX 400 series GPUs. The performance gains are measured against the previous v258.96 WHQL drivers. It’s important to note that actual results may vary depending on the specific GPU and system configuration. Here are some examples of the performance improvements observed on Windows 7:
-
GeForce GTX 480:
- Up to 10% increase in StarCraft II (2560×1600, 4xAA/16xAF, Ultra settings)
- Up to 14% increase in S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Call of Pripyat (1920×1200, 4xAA/16xAF)
- Up to 16% increase in S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Call of Pripyat (SLI – 2560×1600, 4xAA/16xAF)
- Up to 6% increase in Aliens vs. Predator (SLI – 1920×1200, noAA, Tessellation on)
-
GeForce GTX 460:
- Up to 19% increase in StarCraft II (SLI – 1920×1200, 4xAA/16xAF, Ultra settings)
- Up to 15% increase in Battlefield Bad Company 2 (SLI – 2560×1600, 4xAA/16xAF)
- Up to 12% increase in S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Call of Pripyat (2560×1600, noAA)
- Up to 9% increase in Aliens vs. Predator (1680×1050, 4xAA/16xAF, Tessellation on)
- Up to 7% increase in Metro 2033 (1680×1050, noAA, Tessellation on)
- Up to 11% increase in Dirt 2 (SLI – 2560×1600, 4xAA/16xAF)
- Up to 12% increase in Crysis: Warhead (SLI – 1920×1200, 4xAA/16xAF, Gamer settings)
- Up to 13% increase in Far Cry 2 (2560×1600, 4xAA/16xAF)
- Up to 12% increase in H.A.W.X (SLI – 1920×1200, 4xAA/16xAF, SSAO Very High)
- Up to 5% increase in Just Cause 2 (1920×1200, 4xAA/16xAF)
- Up to 22% increase in Riddick: Assault on Dark Athena (1920×1200, noAA)
- Up to 5% increase in 3DMark Vantage (Extreme Preset)
These performance boosts indicate that the 260.89 drivers are optimized for gaming, providing users with smoother and more responsive gameplay experiences.
Blu-ray 3D Support
The drivers introduce support for playing back Blu-ray 3D discs when the GPU is connected to an HDMI 1.4 3D TV. However, it’s crucial to have compatible software applications from providers like CyberLink, ArcSoft, Roxio, or Corel to leverage this feature. Users are advised to visit the NVIDIA Blu-ray 3D website for more details on compatible hardware and software configurations.
HD Audio Enhancements
The audio capabilities of the drivers have also been enhanced:
- Lossless DTS-HD Master Audio and Dolby TrueHD audio bitstreaming support has been added for compatible Blu-ray movies with GeForce GTX 460 GPUs.
- High definition 24-bit, 96 and 192 KHz multi-channel audio sampling rate support has been added 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.
It’s important to note that a Blu-ray movie player update might be necessary to enable these new features. Users should check with their movie player software manufacturers for more information. These features are exclusively supported on Windows 7.
Installation Improvements
The driver installer has been revamped with an enhanced user interface, offering new Express and Custom installation options:
- Express: This is a fast and easy one-click installation process, ideal for users who want a straightforward update.
- Custom: This option allows for a customized installation, giving users more control over the installation process.
Additional installation options include:
- Clean Installation: This completely removes older drivers from the system before installing the new driver, ensuring a clean and potentially more stable installation.
- Component Selection: Users can choose which driver components to install, such as PhysX or 3D Vision, allowing them to tailor the installation to their specific needs.
The installation time for multi-GPU PCs has also been improved, making the update process more efficient.
NVIDIA Surround Updates
The NVIDIA Surround setup wizard has been updated with several enhancements:
- After the initial setup, users can jump to any setup step, offering greater flexibility.
- Improved display connection diagrams and tooltips provide clearer guidance during setup.
- The UI for setup and arrangement of displays has been improved for a more intuitive experience.
- The bezel correction setup experience has been refined for easier and more accurate adjustments.
- A new help page highlights which in-game resolution to select, especially for bezel-corrected resolutions.
- An option to dedicate an extra GPU to PhysX or to drive an additional display has been added.
- The wizard now allows for portrait or landscape setup directly from the interface.
The 3D Vision Surround and NVIDIA Surround game support list has also been updated.
NVIDIA 3D Vision Enhancements
The installation process for 3D Vision has been modified, and users are encouraged to consult the knowledge base article for detailed information on the changes. Notable 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.
- 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.
Several new 3D Vision game profiles have been added, including:
- Arcania: Gothic 4
- Fallout: New Vegas
- FIFA 11
- Formula 1 Racing
- Final Fantasy XIV Benchmark
- Guild Wars 2
- Kane & Lynch 2 – Dog Days
- Lead and Gold
- Lego Harry Potter
- Live For Speed
- Lost Planet 2
- Moonbase Alpha
- Serious Sam HD – The Second Encounter
- Shrek Forever After
- Singularity
- Virtua Tennis 2009
- Virtua Tennis 3
Existing 3D Vision game profiles have also been updated for improved compatibility and performance.
NVIDIA SLI Profile Updates
The drivers include additions and enhancements to SLI profiles for several PC games:
- City of Heroes: Going Rogue
- Alien Swarm
- Dead Rising 2
- Front Mission Evolved
- Kane and Lynch 2: Dog Days
- LEGO: Harry Potter
Other Improvements
- Support for OpenGL 4.1 for GeForce 400 series GPUs.
- Upgrades PhysX System Software to version 9.10.0514.
- Improved compatibility for older PC games (DirectX 7 to DirectX 9) running on Windows 7.
- Adds drag and drop display arrangement support to the "Set up multiple displays" page.
- Includes numerous bug fixes.
Additional Information
The Nvidia GeForce Ion Graphics Drivers 260.89 WHQL also offer:
- Support for GPU-accelerated features in Adobe CS5.
- Support for GPU-acceleration for smoother online HD videos with Adobe Flash 10.1.
- Support for the new version of MotionDSP’s video enhancement software, vReveal, which adds support for HD output.
- Support for DirectCompute with Windows 7 and GeForce 8-series and later GPUs.
- Support for OpenCL 1.0 (Open Computing Language) for all GeForce 8-series and later GPUs.
- Support for OpenGL 3.3 for GeForce 8-series and later GPUs.
- Support for 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.
- Support for GPU overclocking and temperature monitoring by installing NVIDIA System Tools software.
Driver Download Links
To download the Nvidia GeForce Ion Graphics Drivers 260.89 WHQL for Windows Vista/7 64-bit, you can use the following links:
Conclusion
The Nvidia GeForce Ion Graphics Drivers 260.89 WHQL release is a significant update that provides performance improvements, new features, and enhanced compatibility for a wide range of Nvidia GPUs. Users running Windows Vista or Windows 7 64-bit systems with supported graphics cards should consider upgrading to this driver to take advantage of the optimizations and new functionalities.