Santa Clara, Calif. - Users with notebooks equipped with Nvidia graphics processing units (GPUs) now have the added flexibility of downloading upgradeable graphics drivers directly from Nvidia.com so they can take advantage of new features, improved application compatibility, and performance optimizations.
The first graphics driver release from Nvidia will extend the Nvidia CUDA architecture to notebook GPUs, enabling notebook users to experience the range of CUDA-based applications -- from heart-stopping GPU-accelerated game physics to GPU-accelerated video conversion.
The new Nvidia notebook drivers enable customers to experience the growing number of applications that use the power of Nvidia GPUs. Video applications such as Badaboom from Elemental Technologies, Power Director 7 from Cyberlink, TMPGEnc from Pegasys Software, and Total Media Theater from Arcsoft are all seeing performance benefits by transferring the workload from the CPU to the more efficient GPU.
Distributing computing applications sucha s Folding@home, Einstein@home, GPUGRID, and SETI@home have also seen performance improve by orders of magnitude through Nvidia CUDA technology. Recently, Adobe Creative Suite 4 became the latest application to speed up performance and enhance features by moving processing to the GPU.
With NVIDIA PhysX technology, GeForce GPUs bring games to life with explosions full of dust and debris, characters that move with lifelike motion, or cloth that drapes and tears naturally, says a representative. PhysX technology harnesses the power of Nvidia GeForce 8 Series or higher GPUs, allowing games to deliver 10 to 20 times more visual complexity on screen.
Customers with GeForce 8 and 9-series GPUs or QuadroNVS-equipped notebooks can download a BETA version of the drivers from www.nvidia.com. Customers will be able todownload a WHQL-certified version supporting all GeForce 7, 8, and 9 series and Quadro NVS series notebook GPUs early next year.