4 Reasons why NOT to get the 84.25 driver

[TheRyuu]

I've thought of 4 things off the top of my head about why you should just skip the 84.25 driver, even if you are playing Oblivion.
1.) The IQ isn't as good as previous driver (noticably)
2.) Performance is also poorer that previous driver
3.) Oblivion really doesn't gain that much (I went back to the 84.21's and didn't notice a dam thing, in fact it probably looked better thanks to better IQ the driver offers).
4.) Beta's? A little unstable (alright, this one might be a little questionable)

Also, I have absolutely no proof to back up any of my statements . But, for the mostpart, there all true. The XG Tweaks bring up the IQ, but still not as good as 84.12's and 84.21.

Now, I have also compiled a list of why you should get the Xtream G drivers, even though there not WHQL.
1.) Better performance that stock Nvidia drivers (who doesn't want more FPS)
2.) Better IQ that stock Nvidia Drivers (noticalby better too)
3.) Coolbits is built in, no installing the reg entry even though it only took a second anyway
4.) There XTREAM (and the Stock drivers are WHQL if anyone cares)

At the moment, the XtreamG 84.21.v2 Drivers are probably some of the best out there (if not the best). They have the best IQ (along with the 84.12's) out of probably all the nvidia drivers, good performance, good everything. It's a very well balanced driver between Performance and IQ, with both of them up there. So out of all the drivers out there right now, the Xtream G 84.21.v2 are THE ones to have and are THE best at the moment.

You can also read about it here

Also, the Xtream-G 84.22.v2's are also very good. I think performance is the same as the .21's just that IQ is better. So now I say bet the XG 84.22.v2's

 

[firewolfsm]

I never used those drivers, how can they get better IQ and performance? I'll use them since i'm not so sensitive to IQ.

 

[nib95]

I've been using the Xtreme G 84.25's with my new PC.
Definately better then the WHQL Nvidia 84.25's I tried first time.

 

[Nextman916]

Wiz you are aware that they are called "Xtreme G" drivers not XtreamG....i mean even the link you posted would have helped you out. Firewolfsm XG drivers are amazing, truly no doubt the best modified Nvidia drivers out there. Performance gain is minimal to be honest, usually about 3-5fps, but with the exception of a few games the modified drivers really shine(F.E.A.R in general whereas 10-15fps). They also smooth out hitches in games like BF2 with added tweaks which really is a big plus for alot of people. You mentioned you werent IQ sensitive but i never thought myself as so too. But its really a reward to your eyes when you see details and textures that were never their before, guns in css never looked so real. Honestly, maybe you wont like the IQ change or prefer a larger performance gain, i cannot really speak for you. I suggest you trying the XG'ed 84.21v2's which really is a perfect balance of both, and DVD playback stellar as well, but really any XG driver you use i promise will run better than its WHQL counterpart.

 

[Crescent13]

I switchedd too the XG driver a few days ago, my 3dmark 06 score went down by ~50 points, and the IQ seems the same if not worse. thinking of switching back to the WHQL drivers.

 

[TheRyuu]

Originally posted by: Crescent13
I switchedd too the XG driver a few days ago, my 3dmark 06 score went down by ~50 points, and the IQ seems the same if not worse. thinking of switching back to the WHQL drivers.

You do relize that 3dmark scores can vary by hundreds of points based on what driver version you use. The highest 3dmark scores can probably be attained with the 84.21.v2 (Xtream G) using the high performance settings.

You could probably even get a higher score with an earlier driver version as the 84.12, 84.15, 84.20, and 84.21 were all excellent drivers, with the 84.21 being the most balanced.

But it's just a score. So it doesn't really matter. If your that paranoid over some stupid score that basically only has one purpose (e-penis ), the go right ahead, but I still stand by my original suggestion which is the 84.21.v2 Xtream G is probably the best driver out there right now.

 

[TheRyuu]

Originally posted by: Nextman916
Wiz you are aware that they are called "Xtreme G" drivers not XtreamG....i mean even the link you posted would have helped you out. Firewolfsm XG drivers are amazing, truly no doubt the best modified Nvidia drivers out there. Performance gain is minimal to be honest, usually about 3-5fps, but with the exception of a few games the modified drivers really shine(F.E.A.R in general whereas 10-15fps). They also smooth out hitches in games like BF2 with added tweaks which really is a big plus for alot of people. You mentioned you werent IQ sensitive but i never thought myself as so too. But its really a reward to your eyes when you see details and textures that were never their before, guns in css never looked so real. Honestly, maybe you wont like the IQ change or prefer a larger performance gain, i cannot really speak for you. I suggest you trying the XG'ed 84.21v2's which really is a perfect balance of both, and DVD playback stellar as well, but really any XG driver you use i promise will run better than its WHQL counterpart.

OMFG, I forgot the dam space between the "Xtream" and the "G" ...lol
I'll edit the OP if its that important too you.

And to the second part of the big block of text, I think I said I was using the 84.21's and suggested that as probably the best driver out there right now (and even said most well balanced).

 

[TheRyuu]

Originally posted by: firewolfsm
I never used those drivers, how can they get better IQ and performance? I'll use them since i'm not so sensitive to IQ.

The use certain tweaks (no idea how), but both IQ and performance seem to go up. It's not one of those IQ goes up and performance goes down, or performance goes up but IQ goes down.
Both IQ and performance go up. And the Xtream G 84.21.v2 are the most well balanced IMO. Give em a shot. Maby you'll like them.

 

[Goi]

Have they fixed the Quake4 performance drop yet? I'm on the XTG 84.20 and Q4 performance dropped significantly from 81.98

 

[toyota]

Originally posted by: wizboy11

Originally posted by: firewolfsm
I never used those drivers, how can they get better IQ and performance? I'll use them since i'm not so sensitive to IQ.

The use certain tweaks (no idea how), but both IQ and performance seem to go up. It's not one of those IQ goes up and performance goes down, or performance goes up but IQ goes down.
Both IQ and performance go up. And the Xteam G 84.21.v2 are the most well balanced IMO. Give em a shot. Maby you'll like them.

its Xtreme-G

 

[TheRyuu]

Originally posted by: toyota

Originally posted by: wizboy11

Originally posted by: firewolfsm
I never used those drivers, how can they get better IQ and performance? I'll use them since i'm not so sensitive to IQ.

The use certain tweaks (no idea how), but both IQ and performance seem to go up. It's not one of those IQ goes up and performance goes down, or performance goes up but IQ goes down.
Both IQ and performance go up. And the Xteam G 84.21.v2 are the most well balanced IMO. Give em a shot. Maby you'll like them.

its Xtreme-G

OMG, a typo. XtreamG, Xtream G, Xtream-G, won't any of them do?

 

[TheRyuu]

Originally posted by: Goi
Have they fixed the Quake4 performance drop yet? I'm on the XTG 84.20 and Q4 performance dropped significantly from 81.98

Not sure, havn't played it in a while. There arn't many changes from 84.20->84.21, but there diffinitly is a new driver, not just a WHQL stamped version of the 84.20.

Give the Xtream-G 84.21.v2 a shot. What do you have to loose. IQ is the same (if not better), and performance is probably better (based on reading the review in the link at bottom of OP).

 

[TheRyuu]

Edited OP with more info, sum of it:
I also found the XG 84.22.v2's to also be VERY good. Perfromance is the same as the XG 84.21.v2's just that the IQ is better (some people say 10x better, but thats a bit of an exaguration).

So I guess, give the .22's a shot.

 

[5150Joker]

IQ degradation with nVidia's 84.25 emergency Oblivion driver set, gee who'd have guessed?? :roll: So not only do the 84.25's have worse IQ they also lower performance in OGL...nVidia the way it's meant to be played!

 

[Madellga]

Originally posted by: 5150Joker
IQ degradation with nVidia's 84.25 emergency Oblivion driver set, gee who'd have guessed?? :roll: So not only do the 84.25's have worse IQ they also lower performance in OGL...nVidia the way it's meant to be played!

Don't turn yourself in ATI version of Rollo.

I hated Rollo bashing ATI in every single thread. Now you are doing the opposite.

ATI is better on this game. We know that. But that doesn't make the 7900 bad cards either. They are better on other types of games, run cooler and quieter.

If ATI makes the X1950 run cooler and Nvidia does not have an answer for it, I will be one of the first to order it.

 

[5150Joker]

Originally posted by: Madellga

Originally posted by: 5150Joker
IQ degradation with nVidia's 84.25 emergency Oblivion driver set, gee who'd have guessed?? :roll: So not only do the 84.25's have worse IQ they also lower performance in OGL...nVidia the way it's meant to be played!

Don't turn yourself in ATI version of Rollo.

I hated Rollo bashing ATI in every single thread. Now you are doing the opposite.

ATI is better on this game. We know that. But that doesn't make the 7900 bad cards either. They are better on other types of games, run cooler and quieter.

If ATI makes the X1950 run cooler and Nvidia does not have an answer for it, I will be one of the first to order it.

Nothing I said is false, the OP stated it himself. That's not bashing, it's restating the facts.

 

[nib95]

Originally posted by: 5150Joker

Originally posted by: Madellga

Originally posted by: 5150Joker
IQ degradation with nVidia's 84.25 emergency Oblivion driver set, gee who'd have guessed?? :roll: So not only do the 84.25's have worse IQ they also lower performance in OGL...nVidia the way it's meant to be played!

Don't turn yourself in ATI version of Rollo.

I hated Rollo bashing ATI in every single thread. Now you are doing the opposite.

ATI is better on this game. We know that. But that doesn't make the 7900 bad cards either. They are better on other types of games, run cooler and quieter.

If ATI makes the X1950 run cooler and Nvidia does not have an answer for it, I will be one of the first to order it.

Nothing I said is false, the OP stated it himself. That's not bashing, it's restating the facts.

The Xtreme G driver version does not degrade IQ. And as far as I can tell the difference in OpenGL games is negligable. At least with Xtreme G drivers anyway.
If aything oddly enough I've hardly noticed much shimmering at all since I've started using Xtreme G drivers.

I'm curious to know what these guys actually do to these drivers to make them that much better.

 

[Nextman916]

Originally posted by: wizboy11

Originally posted by: Nextman916
Wiz you are aware that they are called "Xtreme G" drivers not XtreamG....i mean even the link you posted would have helped you out. Firewolfsm XG drivers are amazing, truly no doubt the best modified Nvidia drivers out there. Performance gain is minimal to be honest, usually about 3-5fps, but with the exception of a few games the modified drivers really shine(F.E.A.R in general whereas 10-15fps). They also smooth out hitches in games like BF2 with added tweaks which really is a big plus for alot of people. You mentioned you werent IQ sensitive but i never thought myself as so too. But its really a reward to your eyes when you see details and textures that were never their before, guns in css never looked so real. Honestly, maybe you wont like the IQ change or prefer a larger performance gain, i cannot really speak for you. I suggest you trying the XG'ed 84.21v2's which really is a perfect balance of both, and DVD playback stellar as well, but really any XG driver you use i promise will run better than its WHQL counterpart.

OMFG, I forgot the dam space between the "Xtream" and the "G" ...lol
I'll edit the OP if its that important too you.

And to the second part of the big block of text, I think I said I was using the 84.21's and suggested that as probably the best driver out there right now (and even said most well balanced).

Lol actuall i was just correcting you for you spelling, you mispelled the name like 4 times in your post and even in the title so i was just trying to help. I didnt even notice i didnt space the second one.........typo And secondly i wasnt refering to you when i recommended the 84.21's i understood perfectly that you were using them...if you look back at my original post, i made it clear i was speaking Firewolfsm. The "big block of text" was just to show my enthusiasm and tell him why XG drivers are so good, anything for a new recruit in the XG family.

 

[Arkane13131]

zomg u moron its X-treme/G!!

 

[Frostwake]

Originally posted by: 5150Joker
IQ degradation with nVidia's 84.25 emergency Oblivion driver set, gee who'd have guessed?? :roll: So not only do the 84.25's have worse IQ they also lower performance in OGL...nVidia the way it's meant to be tweaked!

Fixed.

 

[otispunkmeyer]

heh since i tried the XG drivers....there has never been any reason for me to use the officials......ever

 

[Shamrock]

They dont do crap for ALOT of people.

http://www.nvnews.net/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=66892&highlight=Xtreme-G

81.94
AquaMark03: 63019
3DMark05: 4166

XG driver
AquaMark03: 62877
3DMark05: 4171

84.24 (the "Oblivion" driver)
AquaMark03: 62569
3DMark05: 4161

I used to use XG exclusively, even praised them, but I had a set of XG drivers (81.98) mess up my entire Windows so bad, I had to re-format, I couldnt even use driver cleaner. I will now only use drivers if they are off of NV's website.

 

[TheRyuu]

I also love the second post in the link.

The idea isn't to just add Performance, if you want that... just set the control panel to High Performance mode.

They make a stack load of difference to IQ, and I get more fluent gameplay using SLI.

Tbh, they make the Vanilla IQ look very washed at times, and they iron out a kinda judder you get with some SLI modes.

and..

You aint got a clue if that's what your benching with lol

Run some ingame benchmark tests that use the game engines, then compare the performance and the IQ.
Using Aquamark and 3dMark don't cut the mustard i'm afraid, try say the built in Fear test.

In the case of the XG 84.22's (or 21's) the IQ is probably the best I have ever seen in any driver.

Edit: And the XG driver just isn't about a 3dmark #. Like the quote says, it's about the IQ and other fixes it introduces. I am just merly suggestion that you try them out because of the benifits. No one is forcing you to use them (as you pointed out yourself that you don't use them )

 

[Ike0069]

I use the XG 84.20's and they've been great. Any reason to upgrade to 84.21 or 22?

 

[Nextman916]

84.21's will offer better IQ in almost every situation than the 84.20's and picture perfect TV playback, while suffering only like 1 fps loss. So most people like them best, i use em.