With Windows 8 Consumer Preview still hot and fresh from the Microsoft bakery, Nvidia has already released its first driver update for GeForce and Quadro GPUs. These drivers, version 296.17, are available for both GeForce and Quadro GPU-based desktops and notebooks on Nvidia.com and on Microsoft’s Windows Update. They also mark the start of regular Nvidia driver updates for the new Windows platform.
"Windows 7 and Windows XP users aren’t left out. An equivalent driver, version 296.10 (WHQL-certified), can be downloaded on GeForce.com today," Nvidia said on Tuesday. "These drivers are a quick refresh from the recent version GeForce 295.73 drivers and are a must-have for gamers looking for the best experience in upcoming games like Blacklight: Retribution."
The new Windows 8 drivers supports all the features of the new Windows Display Driver Model (WDDM) v1.2 while also supporting Nvidia 3D Vision and 3DTV Play products. This means Windows 8 users will be able to play more than 600 games, watch Blu-ray movies and view photos in 3D. And with Windows 8’s new built-in stereoscopic 3D support in DirectX 11, 3D Vision is poised to provide users the best platform for games and applications, the company said.
Nvidia also pointed out that the new drivers contain the same enhancements for Skyrim, Diablo 3, Modern Warfare 3 and Mass Effect 3 that were implemented into the GeForce 295.73 WHQL drivers. These include Ambient Occlusion support which deepens the shadows for greater visual depth without nuking the framerate, and support for SLI setups running BioWare's new Mass Effect 3. The drivers also brought additions to the SLI and 3D Vision profiles.
For more information on 3D Vision and 3DTV Play support in Windows 8, check out Nvidia's Windows 8 FAQs. For more information on the Microsoft Windows 8 Consumer Preview, visit Microsoft's dedicated Windows 8 Consumer Preview page.
