Not long ago we introduced the first Release 256 driver, packed with new features and performance. Nvidia today announced yet another driver from our Release 256 family of drivers, version 258.96. Version 258.96 is going through WHQL certification now, and Nvidia expect the certified version to be available within a week.

The version 258.96 driver brings WHQL support for 3D Vision Surround technology - Nvidia's 3-monitor experience for 3D.

On the performance front, version 258.96 brings even faster frame rates to the latest PC games. Below you can see the improvements measured (by Nvidia) on a GeForce GTX 480:



Version 258.96 also adds support for the just announced GeForce GTX 460.

The WHQL-candidate version of 258.96 is posted here. This driver supports both desktop and notebook GeForce and ION GPUs on Windows 7, Windows Vista, and Windows XP.

New in Release 258.96

- Adds support for GeForce GTX 460 .
- Adds support for NVIDIA 3D Vision Surround technology.
- Adds additional performance increases for GeForce GTX 400 Series GPUs in several PC games (these improvements are in addition to the previously reported Release 256 improvements). The following are examples of some of the most significant improvements measured with GeForce GTX 480. Results will vary depending on your GPU and system configuration:

- Up to 11% in Aliens vs. Predator (1920x1200 4xAA/16xAF ? Tessellation on)
- Up to 7% in Crysis: Warhead (SLI ? 1920x1200 4xAA/16xAF ? Gamer)
- Up to 4% in H.A.W.X (SLI ? 1920x1200 4xAA/16xAF ? Very High)
- Up to 10% in Just Cause 2 (SLI ? 1920x1200 4xAA/16xAF - Concrete Jungle)
- Up to 6% in Metro 2033 (1920x1200 4xAA/16xAF ? Tessellation on)
-Up to 7% in Metro 2033 (SLI ? 1920x1200 4xAA/16xAF ? Tessellation on)
- Up to 10% in S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Call of Pripyat (1920x1200 4xAA/16xAF)
- Up to 12% in S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Call of Pripyat (SLI ? 1920x1200 4xAA/16xAF)
- Up to 4% in World in Conflict (SLI ? 1920x1200 4xAA/16xAF)
- Up to 4% in World in Conflict (SLI ? 1920x1200 4xAA/16xAF)

- Upgrades PhysX System Software to version 9.10.0224.
- Upgrades HD Audio driver version 1.0.15.0 (for supported GPUs).
- Includes numerous bug fixes. Refer to the release notes on the documentation tab for information about the key bug fixes in this release.