Compatible NVIDIA GPU drivers on Windows for CUDA Toolkit 13.0+

Accelerated Computing CUDA CUDA Setup and Installation
1

Starting with CUDA 13.0, the Windows display driver is no longer bundled with the CUDA Toolkit package.

The release notes also no longer include a minimum driver version on Windows for CUDA 13.0+, although a minimum version is still stated for Linux.

The CUDA Compatibility Guide mainly talks about Minor Version Compatibility, which does not apply to our use case (we use PTX).

How do we know now which versions of the Windows NVIDIA GPU driver are compatible with each CUDA 13+ release (e.g. 13.1 vs 13.2), both for development and deployment?

2

This document should give you what you need.

3

Thanks, but that table only relates to Minor Version Compatibility, which is not applicable to us. Indeed, the same document also states on a later page that “Each CUDA Toolkit however, requires a minimum version of the NVIDIA driver”.

Previously, the CUDA Toolkit Release Notes used to state what that minimum version was for Windows. That information is now not provided, at least not anywhere I can find (and assuming full compatibility, not just Minor Version Compatibility).

4

I can’t confirm the following as my GPUs are stuck on the 580 driver, but my expectation would be when a new toolkit version is released, new driver versions across the “Production” and “Long term support” streams would be released as well. These would be compiled using the new toolkit.

This could be confirmed by checking the Cuda version displayed in the nvidia-smi window.

5

Yes, you would have thought so and that is indeed what we’ve been doing, but the latest Windows driver reports CUDA 13.2 rather than 13.3 (see my earlier post here).

Having to cross-reference CUDA and driver release dates and then install said drivers to verify also isn’t the simplest approach, hence why I am asking if this information is published anywhere and if not, why not (it may be that things have changed as of CUDA 13.0 and there is something I am not understanding).

6

Looking at the end of the Tech Blog article introducing 13.3, is the line:

“For example, CUDA Toolkit 13.3 requires an R610 driver or newer.”

So it looks like the “New Feature” driver branch is the first place to look:

"What is a New Feature Branch Driver?

This driver provides access to new features, bug fixes, new operating system support, and other driver enhancements offered between Production Branch releases."

I do agree, that even if not packed with a toolkit, a note of the minimum driver would help.

Later edit: I’ve just noticed that the Release Notes list a minimum driver release version for Linux, which may be of guidance for the Windows version.

7

Thanks, I hadn’t seen the note in the tech blog, although I was aware of the R610 requirement for Linux from the Release Notes.

Unfortunately, whilst the minimum driver version for Linux provides at least a rough idea for Windows, it cannot be used exactly due to the different version numbering/release cadence between the Linux and Windows drivers.

Hopefully we will get an official answer to this question :)