- The Linux 590 driver no longer recognizes more GTX 900 and 10 series GPUs
- The Windows Update timeline is still unclear, causing uncertainty about the Nvidia graphics card
- Nvidia will only provide quarterly security updates for older architectures
Nvidia has released the first driver in the 590 branch for Linux, signaling an important shift in support for older GPUs.
Reports from community members indicate that several Pascal-era and Maxwell GPUs no longer register with the new driver.
Cards like the GTX 1050 Ti won’t work, although the release notes still show legacy support.
The timeline for Windows support remains uncertain
The discrepancy between official documentation and user experience shows that these architectures are effectively being dropped, at least for Game Ready updates on Linux.
While the 590 driver is currently only available on Linux, Nvidia has yet to release an equivalent Windows version.
Earlier support for Maxwell and Pascal cards extended until the 581.80 Windows driver in late November, delaying the phase-out for a short time.
Users who rely on driver update tools should expect a similar Windows update soon.
The Linux release now leads Windows, suggesting that Game Ready optimizations for these GPUs may be ending, although confirmation depends on upcoming Windows drivers.
Nvidia has clarified that these legacy architectures, which have served users for over a decade, will still receive quarterly security updates.
This maintains protection against critical vulnerabilities even after performance tuning for new titles ends.
Gamers using GTX 900 and GTX 10 series Nvidia graphics cards can expect reduced support for advanced features and optimizations.
The focus of the 590 driver branch is centered on new game improvements rather than ongoing maintenance of older GPUs.
In addition to Maxwell and Pascal, Nvidia has reduced discrete Volta support.
Since Volta only appeared in limited consumer discrete GPUs, the practical impact remains small.
Users of mainstream consumer GPUs are primarily affected by the changes to Game Ready support for legacy architectures.
The move reinforces Nvidia’s strategy of prioritizing support and optimization of current-generation hardware while still maintaining essential driver functionality for older GPUs through security-focused updates.
The deprecation highlights the challenges of maintaining driver support across multiple GPU generations.
Users who rely on older Nvidia graphics cards may need to consider hardware upgrades to continue to receive full Game Ready performance.
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