NVIDIA is preparing a major change to the way it distributes driver updates. You now get new versions of NVIDIA GeForce drivers by either downloading them from the company's websites (NVIDIA.com and GeForce.com), or use GeForce Experience to download and install (update) them for you. NVIDIA plans to change this such, that the latest driver updates will be only available through GeForce Experience, while standalone installers that are downloadable from the website will slow down to a quarterly update cadence.NVIDIA is currently rolling out new drivers on a monthly basis, sometimes even twice a month, predating major AAA game releases, under its "Game Ready Driver" moniker. If you want the latest drivers to keep up with new game releases, then NVIDIA expects you to use GeForce Experience to update your drivers. Those without Internet connections or building offline (eg: system integrators, first-time installations), will have to use stale drivers from the website (which will be on a slower update cycle), and then update them to the latest using GeForce Experience. NVIDIA's justification for this move is that it finds that 90% of the driver updates are going through GeForce Experience. The part that's controversial about this is that it makes GeForce Experience an app gamers can't do without (and will probably stay loyal to the NVIDIA brand). This change will take effect this December.

173 Comments on NVIDIA Prepares a Controversial Change to its Driver Update Distribution

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#1 GhostRyder

Kinda weird, they are essentially forcing GeForce experience on you if you want game updates. But I like it (Geforce experience) so its not a big deal to me on my laptop. Posted on Oct 15th 2015, 17:18 Reply

#2 jigar2speed

Is it that Nvidia is now feeling the heat of WHQL and wants the people to pay for drivers via adverts ??? Posted on Oct 15th 2015, 17:18 Reply

#3 the54thvoid

My last driver update was done through GeForce Experience and it was hassle free. I don't use it for anything else mind you. Storm in a tea cup.

As an aside W10 still forcing updates? Posted on Oct 15th 2015, 17:28 Reply

#4 Zakin

Wondering just how many hours it'll take for the community to make manual driver installers out of these still, probably not many. I don't hate Geforce Experience, I just don't see a reason to have it installed. Posted on Oct 15th 2015, 17:33 Reply

#5 buildzoid

This is what I get for getting a laptop with a GTX 950M. Fuck Nvidia I should have just gone with the acer running the FX8800P Posted on Oct 15th 2015, 17:47 Reply

#6 ZeDestructor

GhostRyder Kinda weird, they are essentially forcing GeForce experience on you if you want game updates. But I like it (Geforce experience) so its not a big deal to me on my laptop. Well, when 90% of your users use the lazy way, sure. I prefcer manual downloads, because I keep an archive of drivers I've downloaded over the years. Used to go back to the 6x.xx releases, then ZeDestructor's Great Partitioning Fail of 2011 hit and wiped it all. jigar2speed Is it that Nvidia is now feeling the heat of WHQL and wants the people to pay for drivers via adverts ??? Err.. wat? GFE is just a neat little program that downloads recommended game settings (based on your GPU config) and lets you apply them, and a neat little GPU-powered game recorder and streaming utility. No ads whatsoever, unless you consider it's support for twitch/youtube streaming to be an ad for twitch/youtube.... the54thvoid As an aside W10 still forcing updates? According to Zakin Wondering just how many hours it'll take for the community to make manual driver installers out of these still, probably not many. I don't hate Geforce Experience, I just don't see a reason to have it installed. Couple of hours at most before they get it scripted, then it's a matter of minutes from the notification showing up, if the packager is available.. laptopvideo2go has been doing so for a long time now, and are exceedingly good at it (and patching the infs to support all the GPUs of a single blob). Well, when 90% of your users use the lazy way, sure. I prefcer manual downloads, because I keep an archive of drivers I've downloaded over the years. Used to go back to the 6x.xx releases, then ZeDestructor's Great Partitioning Fail of 2011 hit and wiped it all.Err.. wat? GFE is just a neat little program that downloads recommended game settings (based on your GPU config) and lets you apply them, and a neat little GPU-powered game recorder and streaming utility. No ads whatsoever, unless you consider it's support for twitch/youtube streaming to be an ad for twitch/youtube....According to @rtwjunkie , no.Couple of hours at most before they get it scripted, then it's a matter of minutes from the notification showing up, if the packager is available.. laptopvideo2go has been doing so for a long time now, and are exceedingly good at it (and patching the infs to support all the GPUs of a single blob). Posted on Oct 15th 2015, 17:50 Reply

#7 iO

Yay because everybody loves bloatware... Posted on Oct 15th 2015, 17:54 Reply

#8 LAN_deRf_HA

Geforce experience has never offered a feature I wanted so I never install it anyways. I guess it won't really effect me because the case where I need a new driver update right away is rare and I can probably grab it on guru3d if I need it fast. Posted on Oct 15th 2015, 17:57 Reply

#9 mcraygsx

Seems like NVidia wants a piece of a pie. Geforce Experience is pointless for average gamer. It is known to collect anonymouse information such as games installed, settings etc. Time to switch brands NVidia. Posted on Oct 15th 2015, 18:00 Reply

#10 rooivalk

Could TPU host some kind of 'offline installer' for that? Posted on Oct 15th 2015, 18:04 Reply

#11 lZKoce

I don't have GeForce Experience mainly because my video card doesn't support Shadow Play recording. Without this feature it's very hard for me to recommend having it to be fair. Posted on Oct 15th 2015, 18:07 Reply

#12 shhnedo

LAN_deRf_HA Geforce experience has never offered a feature I wanted so I never install it anyways. I guess it won't really effect me because the case where I need a new driver update right away is rare and I can probably grab it on guru3d if I need it fast. This. This. Posted on Oct 15th 2015, 18:07 Reply

#13 newtekie1

Semi-Retired Folder LAN_deRf_HA I can probably grab it on guru3d if I need it fast. I wouldn't count on that being possible after this. The drivers available on other sites are sourced from the nVidia downloads. If nVidia isn't offering them for download anymore, then the other sites won't have them either. Never really liked Geforce Experience. I didn't really feel it necessary to have an extra program running in the background that doesn't really provide any extra features. Kind of sucks that I have to install it just to get the latest drivers.I wouldn't count on that being possible after this. The drivers available on other sites are sourced from the nVidia downloads. If nVidia isn't offering them for download anymore, then the other sites won't have them either. Posted on Oct 15th 2015, 18:08 Reply

#14 MxPhenom 216

ASIC Engineer the54thvoid My last driver update was done through GeForce Experience and it was hassle free. I don't use it for anything else mind you. Storm in a tea cup.

As an aside W10 still forcing updates? I have not seen Windows 10 force any driver updates on me since I got it. I have not seen Windows 10 force any driver updates on me since I got it. Posted on Oct 15th 2015, 18:19 Reply

#15 Shihabyooo

newtekie1 I wouldn't count on that being possible after this. The drivers available on other sites are sourced from the nVidia downloads. If nVidia isn't offering them for download anymore, then the other sites won't have them either. The GFE update method probably uses a standard windows installation package (+silent install flags. Citation needed), so third party downloads won't necessarily disappear, though I doubt trusted sites could legally host them in the future. So, NV's basically telling me to "f*** off". They block their my country from accessing their website, and now they make more difficult to acquire the drivers from third party sources :/The GFE update method probably uses a standard windows installation package (+silent install flags. Citation needed), so third party downloads won't necessarily disappear, though I doubtsites could legally host them in the future. Posted on Oct 15th 2015, 18:34 Reply

#16 Disparia

Cool... but only if it manages it's driver store better. I can see five versions have downloaded since the last time I cleaned it out when I really only want to save the one previous to the one updating.



An assumption from the text (once/month, twice/month) is that nVidia wants to make their updates lighter. Plenty of time only the core driver updates, but other items are still the same. No need for a full package if only a portion is new. Posted on Oct 15th 2015, 18:44 Reply

#17 buffyvpsfan

i'm done with nvidia. i got a freesync monitor two months ago but postponed getting an amd gpu. wasn't going to pay for nvidia propreity crap anymore, especially for g-sync. this was the straw that broke the camel's back. propreity bull crap again, but in a new ugly form. Posted on Oct 15th 2015, 18:48 Reply

#18 RejZoR

Would be nice if they'd use incrimental updating and not bloody 300MB packages each time... Posted on Oct 15th 2015, 18:57 Reply

#19 Recus

jigar2speed Is it that Nvidia is now feeling the heat of WHQL and wants the people to pay for drivers via adverts ??? Still trying to draw Nvidia in bad light? Zero ads in GE.



iO Yay because everybody loves bloatware... Time to buy 64 GB RAM asap... Not. mcraygsx Seems like NVidia wants a piece of a pie. Geforce Experience is pointless for average gamer. It is known to collect anonymouse information such as games installed, settings etc. Time to switch brands NVidia. Like antivirus software, Steam, Origin, Uplay, Windows, smart phones, Facebook...? shhnedo This.

FAIL

buffyvpsfan i'm done with nvidia. i got a freesync monitor two months ago but postponed getting an amd gpu. wasn't going to pay for nvidia propreity crap anymore, especially for g-sync. this was the stray that broke the camel's back. propreity bull crap again, but in a new ugly form. When you gonna fight against Steam automatic updates? lol Still trying to draw Nvidia in bad light? Zero ads in GE.Time to buy 64 GB RAM asap... Not.Like antivirus software, Steam, Origin, Uplay, Windows, smart phones, Facebook...?When you gonna fight against Steam automatic updates? lol Posted on Oct 15th 2015, 18:58 Reply

#20 john_

I never install Geforce experience or the application that is coming with AMD drivers, but Nvidia does invest too much on that application. It is one more way to differentiate their hardware over AMD's and if under DX12 they lose a huge advantage on performance, it is understandable that they try to replace that with extra features. So they are forcing the application on people, hoping that many will scream at first, but latter will like some features of that application and stick with their hardware. Posted on Oct 15th 2015, 18:59 Reply

#21 Casecutter



www.ebay.com/itm/381433334938?rmvSB=true In other news Newegg unloading 970's for $250 *No rebate*. Posted on Oct 15th 2015, 19:09 Reply

#22 Katanai

This is total bullshit. Nvidia: most people don't mind having crap programs running in the background so now everybody has to. Fuck this shit. I don't have anything running in the background right now and I don't intend to. What's next? Are they gonna include a browser bar with their shit too? I guess I'll just have to install then uninstall that POS software every time I upgrade my driver now. Posted on Oct 15th 2015, 19:12 Reply

#23 erixx

See the other newswire for my opinion! :P The unfortunate need to create "new stuff" is infecting the world.... Posted on Oct 15th 2015, 19:23 Reply

#24 john_

Casecutter In other news Newegg unloading 970's for $250 *No rebate*.

www.ebay.com/itm/381433334938?rmvSB=true Shipping:

Does not ship to Greece



I really really REALLY thinking about it. Shipping:Does not ship to GreeceI really really REALLY thinking about it. Posted on Oct 15th 2015, 19:26 Reply

#25 RejZoR

I have 32GB RAM, I don't care how much stuff it runs there, but to be honest, NVIDIA Experience thingie is not the fastest thing on Earth. It takes forever to open and I have tons of RAM and hybrid SSD system and yet it still takes long to load.



I also don't see the app useful. I don't want it fiddling with my graphic settings of games. I run all of them at max possible settings, I don't want it "optimizing" stuff and making it worse. So, there is no real value from it for me.



EDIT:

I'd love to see incrimental driver updating like antiviruses are doing for decades (small updates of only file sthat actually changed) with simple control panel to rollback to old driver or even option to rollback to any other previous version. That would be so cool.



This way they could save tons of bandwidth, deliver updates to users in matter of minutes and give them instant option to rollback to old version if something doesn't work ok. It's how driver updating and game profiles should be done in freaking 2015. Posted on Oct 15th 2015, 19:26 Reply