Nvidia releases GeForce drivers for the final version of Windows 11

[harlan4096]

Nvidia released updated Game Ready and Studio drivers for the final version of Microsoft's Windows 11 operating system today. The company did release its first Windows 11 ready drivers back in July, but the drivers released today are designed for the final version of Windows 11, which Microsoft plans to release on October 5, 2021.

Nvidia customers who plan on upgrading their devices to Windows 11 the moment the new operating system is released, or purchasing a new gaming PC or laptop in the first week of general availability, can point their browsers to the official GeForce Game Ready driver download page or the Nvidia Studio driver download page to download the latest drivers to the system for installation.

Windows 11 includes several new gaming related features. Three core features are DirectX 12 Ultimate, Auto HDR and DirectStorage.

Auto HDR is designed to bring High Dynamic Range to games that don't support it. It requires compatible hardware, a monitor with HDR support, and a simple flip of a preference to enable the feature on Windows 11.

Windows 11 users find the setting under Settings > System > Display > Windows HD Color Setting (link). Use HDR needs to be enabled on the page that opens, and Auto HDR as well.

DirectStorage is another new feature, albeit not exclusive to Windows 11 as Microsoft's Windows 10 operating system supports the technology as well. It requires compatible hardware as well, a fast NVMe SSD to be precise on the Windows PC, and games that support the new API. Microsoft promises faster loading times of games and and improved gaming experience.

DirectX 12 Ultimate finally "codifies several RTX graphics rendering innovations such as Raytracing, Variable Rate Shading, Sampler Feedback, and Mesh Shaders to help developers make bigger, better worlds with faster performance" according to Nvidia.

Nvidia Studio customers get a new driver and access to new features on Windows 11 as well. Nvidia lists the following three specifically:
 

Faster NVIDIA Broadcast Performance: NVIDIA Broadcast is the industry’s leading video and audio enhancement app, using the power of AI and our GPU’s Tensor Cores to make audio clearer, eliminate background noise, and improve video quality. In Windows 11, GPU-accelerated hardware scheduling receives numerous improvements and is enabled by default, enabling users to use NVIDIA Broadcast while they livestream and run a game or 3D app seamlessly.

Windows Enhance Audio: A new Sound panel enables Windows 11 users to improve and enhance the audio coming out of their speakers and headphones, making dialog clearer.

Integrated Microsoft Teams: Chat, call and conference via Microsoft Teams, which is now integrated into the taskbar, providing a faster way to connect to colleagues, friends, and family. And with our Windows 11 drivers, GPU acceleration is fully supported, and via the Teams options you can route your audio and video via NVIDIA Broadcast to enhance calls and video conferences.

You can read the official announcement on the Nvidia blog.

Now You: do you plan to upgrade to Windows 11?
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