Tuesday, August 12th 2008
NVIDIA Releases 177.83 Forceware, Offers Powerpacks
Strategically timed, NVIDIA released a new Forceware driver package, version 177.83 Forceware. This package weighing nearly 120 MB packs the PhysX API runtime, and brings about a host of changes. With this release, NVIDIA devised what is known as a "Powerpack" approach to deliver software and promote sales of its products. NVIDIA is giving away several goodies for free that are exclusive to users of the GeForce accelerators, most of them being exclusive demos of games such as Nurein, Metal Knight Zero. Warmonger, the full game is given away as a free download. Other parts of this pack includes the GeForce Folding @ Home client, a 30-day fully functional trial of the Badaboom Video Transcoding software and Unreal Tournament 3 PhysX mod. Two technology demos are also included. Users can customise on what should download, in essence make their own Powerpacks from what's available, following which depending on the web-browser used, the page launches an ActiveX or Java based download manager to deliver the software.
The NVIDIA Powerpack web page can be reached here.
The NVIDIA Powerpack web page can be reached here.
80 Comments on NVIDIA Releases 177.83 Forceware, Offers Powerpacks
Its a fashion show .
:laugh:
a. Install The_Great_Kulu_v1.1.2.exe
b. Launch The_Great_Kulu
c. Note: GPU PhysX acceleration is only enabled for GeForce GTX 280 and GeForce GTX 260 GPU in this demo
Does that mean for single GPU only? I'd think so or it kinda spoils the whole point of using a second GPU as s PPU. Or is it because of the native CUDA? Either way wish I'd read that before the download, as I have neither :)
Are they sacrificing quality for higher FPS? I mean how can a driver do this much?
Amazing. Has anyone done actual game comparisons yet?
I did some quick benchmarks:
177.41 vs. 177.83
177.83 Results:
I ran each benchmark two times (I had limited time) under 177.83 and calculated average vs. averages that I got on 177.41.
Platform: EVGA GTX 260, Vista, Intel Quad + 4GB RAM
3DMark 2001: -2.2%
3DMark 2003: -1.4%
3DMark 2006: +0.6%
Vantage: +23.5%
Fur: +4.1%
www.fudzilla.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=8859&Itemid=1
www.fudzilla.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=8862&Itemid=1
It seems like Nvidia isn't really using the GPU, but rather the CPU for most of the physics stuff... :mad:
I was playing Tornado_Physx, and when the Tornado came it started to lag really bad. My GPU is a 8600 GTS but for some reason i knew it was my CPU was was making it lag. I would say that, that map really needs a Quad core CPU(im running a slow Core 2 Duo).
Sometime way later on, i will get a Q6700 or something.:)
<<<<< Check Specs
175.19 Drivers
3DMark Score
P6101
GPU Score
P5752
CPU Score
P7459
177.83 Drivers
3DMark Score
P7330
GPU Score
P5912
CPU Score
P26179
LOL GPU bottleneck anyone :P
And when the CPU was fully loaded, the GPU still outscored the PPU, so what does that tell you? The GPU is still doing more PhysX calculations when the CPU is taken out of the equation than the PPU is.