Do New (graphics) Drivers Really Boost Performance?

[Arcmanov]

Very nice article on Tom's Hardware that serves to answer that very question.

My personal experience with Nvidia drivers have shown increases in benchmark numbers with new
driver releases, but as for 'real-world' gaming performance, I dunno.  I usually don't see a difference
unless that new driver was optimised specifically for the game I'm playing.

As for ATI drivers, it seems that they're a little more 'fussy'.  Right now, I can't even use ver 8.9 or 8.10.
Is one set a problems with freezing, crashing of games, and one or two bluescreens as well. So I'm at ver 8.8
until they fix that.

[W1nTry]

I've seen noticeable differences in games with different drivers. However that is generally when a particular game suffers tremendous performance hits because of driver issues. Once rectified the game runs properly. With the exception of that, i've not really seen improvements to performance if a game was already running properly. A noticeable point was an ATI driver that increased open GL performance in the days of Doom 3, I think it was drivers 5.10-5.12 there was a noticeable improvement in performance.

[captainchris]

good read!

[Red Paradox]

Hi hi
just have a tech question. I’m still usin my GTS 250 and I installed the latest drivers, version 260.99
and I realise now that the performance is acting strangely. For example, I was playing Call of Duty Modern Warfare 2, after I installed the drivers
and the game looked horrid. The frame speed dropped drastically and I don’t know if the driver has anything to do with it.
Is it possible to uninstall and reinstall an older version of the driver that worked previously. Any advice would be appreciated guys.
Thanks a lot!

[Archer]

Funny, I had the opposite experience. After I installed it The Force Unleashed ran smoother and yes it is possible to reinstall your old driver. Nvidia keeps an archive of all their drivers.

[Red Paradox]

sigh I guess I'll have to roll back and HOPE it works
trying to avoid reformatting....lol other wise I'll lose 15.6 gigs of Fresh Prince of Bel Air 

[Archer]

O_o reformat? Just for a driver?

[Redfish]

Red Paradox, let me introduce you to driver sweeper http://www.guru3d.com/category/driversweeper/

It makes it quite easy to remove your current GPU driver and allow you to install an older/newer version. Just tick the boxes that are Nvidia(should be three) correct me if I'm wrong peeps.

You don't even have to start in safe mode, well I don't and take a couple minutes if so much....


Reformat......nah hoss....all you had to do was ask  

[Archer]

Was now gonna suggest that lol.

[Red Paradox]

Red Paradox, let me introduce you to driver sweeper http://www.guru3d.com/category/driversweeper/

It makes it quite easy to remove your current GPU driver and allow you to install an older/newer version. Just tick the boxes that are Nvidia(should be three) correct me if I'm wrong peeps.

You don't even have to start in safe mode, well I don't and take a couple minutes if so much....


Reformat......nah hoss....all you had to do was ask 

lolz when yuh desperate and worse yet Black Ops coming out in days...you want ur PC up to mark

[Archer]

And when a new driver is released wait a day or two b4 installing and check the feedback forums first. One time Nvidia released a driver that was killing ppl's cards.

[Redfish]

Another thing...always keep the install file for the last driver you installed handy.

As Archer said check before you pull down yuh pants, yuh might get raped. Yes some ppl run for the "newest drivers" i.e. beta but I stay away from them.....

Call me old fashioned but I like to stay one step behind, so I can always kick whatever took out the hardware of ppl before me, in the nuts 

[Red Paradox]

And when a new driver is released wait a day or two b4 installing and check the feedback forums first. One time Nvidia released a driver that was killing ppl's cards.

WTF?!

Another thing...always keep the install file for the last driver you installed handy.

As Archer said check before you pull down yuh pants, yuh might get raped. Yes some ppl run for the "newest drivers" i.e. beta but I stay away from them.....

Call me old fashioned but I like to stay one step behind, so I can always kick whatever took out the hardware of ppl before me, in the nuts 

ok cool
I have all my old drivers saved. Love google chrome keeps all my stuff organised. Thanks for the help guys I'll go home and pray that everything goes well....and not awry

[Spazosaurus]

Beta train is fun. Newest and latest $hit gives me a unique rush.

Bet none of allyuh have win7 sp1 install yet. Where is all yall techie exploration spirit?

[TriniXaeno]

Lol, I live vicariously through you.

Beta away

[Red Paradox]

sigh I was reading some article online....I hope my GPU or CPU didn't bottleneck

[Spazosaurus]

Ur current cpu is almost certainly NOT bottlenecking ur current card.

It might hold back a 460 though.

[Red Paradox]

Ur current cpu is almost certainly NOT bottlenecking ur current card.

It might hold back a 460 though.

Thanks Master Yoda
whew I almost shite bricks there...at least it's not bottlenecking....guess it's old drivers for me then

[Red Paradox]

I tried to roll back and my card still runnin weird graphicd...it's slow and gay lookin
bess i really reformat yes
....






unless the retail cd will work...i wonder

[Netizen1]

you check the power supply to the GPU?