Nvidia has officially confirmed the impending conclusion of support for its Maxwell, Pascal, and Volta graphics architectures. The company is set to release one final major driver update for these architectures, marking the end of an era for many users. However, there is a silver lining: Nvidia will continue to provide Windows 10 Game Ready Drivers for all RTX GPUs until October 2026, extending support even after Microsoft ceases updates for the operating system.
Transition to Security Updates
According to Nvidia’s statement, following the last Game Ready Driver (GRD) release in October 2025, GeForce GPUs based on the Maxwell, Pascal, and Volta architectures will shift to receiving quarterly security updates for an additional three years, lasting until October 2028. This move offers some reassurance to users who rely on these older architectures for their gaming experiences.
In a parallel development, Microsoft has also announced a partial extension of critical security updates, ensuring that users can maintain a level of protection even as the software landscape evolves.
To clarify the architectures in question, Maxwell encompasses the GeForce GTX 7 and 9 series, while Pascal serves as the foundation for the GTX 10 Series graphics cards. Notably, the GTX 1650 and GTX 1660 are built on the newer Turing architecture, which remains unaffected by this phase-out. Volta, primarily an enterprise-focused architecture, does not pertain to gaming, as there are no Volta-based gaming GPUs available.
While the end of full support for Maxwell and Pascal may seem daunting, Nvidia assures users that they will still receive driver updates addressing significant security vulnerabilities. However, it is important to note that these users will no longer benefit from “Game Ready” optimizations following the final driver release in October.
In comparison, AMD’s Adrenalin drivers only extend support to RDNA-based chips from the last six years, positioning Nvidia’s approach as relatively customer-friendly in the competitive landscape. As the curtain falls on the Maxwell and Pascal architectures, users can take solace in the knowledge that they will continue to receive essential updates, albeit with a shift in focus.
