Crypto mining is one of the go-to options for making money from the crypto industry. Efficient crypto mining results in profitable mining operations; however, the competition in the mining space is increasing, and only those who use the best equipment stay profitable. This article will cover the best Nvidia driver for mining 2022, its features, and how to install it. Let's dive in by exploring some tips for choosing the best Nvidia driver for mining this year.
Tips for the best driver for mining
The key to choosing the best driver for mining is knowing how the mining software and driver are optimized for good interoperability. Here are some tips to consider when choosing the best Nvidia driver for mining.
- Although the latest drivers are developed to operate with improved performance, it doesn't necessarily make them the best Nvidia for mining. You can experience a significant drop in hash rates because the recent drivers are not yet compatible with the mining programs you're running. Some users report experiencing drops in hash rates on Ethereum while using Nvidia's latest driver, while others specify versions 472.12 and 466 as the best stable Nvidia driver.
- Before updating your driver to the latest version, check if the mining software developers have provided support for the new driver update to avoid experiencing a drop in hash rate while mining.
- When downloading a driver from Nvidia's website, It's better to use the manual search to fill out the properties of your desired driver to promote optimal interoperability with your mining software.
- To get the best performance from mining software, ensure you follow updates from the mining software developers as they continually release updates to promote optimal interoperability with new driver versions.
The best driver version for mining
Nvidia has different driver versions designed for different activities. Here are the top 3 driver versions from Nvidia, including the one that stands out as the best Nvidia mining driver.
DCH drivers
DCH drivers, known as "Declarative Componentized Hardware supported apps drivers," are built similar to Nvidia's standard drivers. They differ in packaging and installation but have the same functions as an Nvidia standard driver. Overall, DCH drivers are smaller and quicker to install than the standard Nvidia but are not suitable for mining operations.
Studio drivers
Nvidia studio drivers are designed mainly for creative applications and are best suited for artists, creators, and 3-D designers. It creates an optimal experience when working with creative apps like Adobe, Autodesk, etc.
Game-ready drivers
Nvidia's Game ready drivers are built with the latest technologies for a smooth gaming experience. They are designed for maximum interoperability across several hardware configurations to provide top performance and reliability.
Among the three driver versions described above, Nvidia's game-ready drivers are the best Nvidia drivers for mining as they provide the best stability and top performance while mining.
Features of Nvidia Video Card Mining Drivers
Here are the properties of different Nvidia versions over time, including the best Nvidia GPU for mining.
Driver Version |
Date of Release |
Video Card Compatibility |
Compatible Operating System |
Features |
384 and above |
June 2017 |
Geforce 400 series-1000 |
Windows 7, 8 and 10 |
Older driver version, not suitable for optimized mining today |
387 |
October 2017 |
Geforce 400- 1000 |
Windows 7, 8 and 10 |
Older driver version, not suitable for optimized mining today |
388.9 and above |
December 2017 |
Geforce 600- 1000 and TITAN series |
Windows 7, 8 and 10 |
Older driver version, not suitable for optimized mining today |
397.93 |
May 2018 |
Geforce 600- 1000 and TITAN series |
Windows 7, 8 and 10 |
Older driver version, not suitable for optimized mining today |
398.82 |
August 2018 |
Geforce 600- 1000 and TITAN series |
Windows 7, 8 and 10 |
Older driver version, not suitable for optimized mining today |
466.11 |
April 2021 |
Geforce RTX 30 series and TITAN series |
Windows 10 and 11 |
Are regarded as one of the best Nvidia drivers for mining |
472.12 |
Sept 2021 |
Geforce RTX 30 series and TITAN series |
Windows 10 and 11 |
Are regarded as the best Nvidia drivers for mining |
When to update your Nvidia mining drivers
The best Nvidia mining software is usually optimized for smooth mining operations. Nvidia constantly rolls out updates for their drivers, which can be good for mining. However, new updates sometimes are not favorable for better mining operations as they could lead to a drop in hash rates, but this is not always the case.
So, if your driver works well and gives a good hash rate performance, we recommend that you do not update it. But, if you've confirmed that your mining software has been optimized to support the new driver update, you can update it.
Make sure you halt all mining operations on your rig before you proceed to update your drivers. Run the nv_update script at your rig terminal, and the new update will be downloaded and installed. After which, your system will reboot with the latest graphics driver update.
The best GPU for mining 2022, as reported by users, is Nvidia driver versions 472.12 and 466, which are not the latest Nvidia drivers. If these are the versions you have, we recommend that you do not update your drivers, but you can update to these versions if you have earlier versions.
How to Install Nvidia Mining Drivers
The most stable Nvidia driver for mining is the 472.12 version; you can download it directly from Nvidia's website. But before you install the mine drivers, ensure you uninstall the previous versions. Visit the control panel featured in the add-or-remove program section to uninstall previous versions.
After downloading the driver, double-click on it to open and install it. A window will appear asking if you want the program to make changes to your system, click yes. Another small window will display your driver name, version, and extraction path, usually ("C:\NVIDIA\DisplayDriver") by default. If you want the driver files to be extracted to another location, you can change the path.
Click okay and wait for the files to be saved to your system, after which, you'll be greeted with your Nvidia graphics driver installer that presents two options for your installer. Choose the Nvidia graphics driver option and wait for the next window to display.
The next interface will display two installation options, the express installation option and the custom installation option. Choose the custom installation option. A box that shows "perform a clean installation" is your cue to confirm that you follow the right installation process.
Conclusion
Amongst the Nvidia mining drivers released over the years, the best Nvidia driver for mining is the 472.12 version. It works on Windows 10 and 11 and has video card compatibility for the Geforce RTX 30 series and below, including the titan series. Users refer to it as better than the latest Nvidia versions when considering its ability to promote good hash rate efficiency.
You can download it from Nvidia's website and install it following the steps outlined above. As Nvidia rolls out new updates, confirm whether the update supports your mining software, as new updates might not necessarily improve the performance of your hash rate. Nevertheless, favorable updates can help improve your mining rig performance and ultimately contribute to successful mining operations.
Alternatively, you can skip buying equipment and software for mining and opt for a mining hosting service that provides everything you need to mine cryptocurrencies profitably.