Nvidia Reports FPS Issue, Addresses Fix

The newly released Nvidia app is causing frame rate (fps) drops in some games and on specific PC configurations. This article explores this performance issue stemming from Nvidia's latest game optimization software.

Nvidia App Performance Impact

Framerate Instability Affects Select Games and PC Builds

PC Gamer's December 18th testing revealed performance issues with the Nvidia app in certain games and PC setups. Several users reported stuttering. An Nvidia employee suggested a temporary fix: disabling the "Game Filters and Photo Mode" overlay.

Testing Black Myth: Wukong on a high-end system (Ryzen 7 7800X3D and RTX 4070 Super) at 1080p Very High settings showed a slight fps increase (59fps to 63fps) with the overlay off. At 1440p, the difference was negligible. However, enabling the overlay and reducing graphics to Medium resulted in a significant 12% fps drop. Cyberpunk 2077 testing on a Core Ultra 9 285K and RTX 4080 Super showed stable framerates regardless of overlay status, indicating the problem's selectivity.

PC Gamer's investigation, prompted by user concerns on Twitter (X), utilized the Nvidia-suggested workaround. Despite disabling the overlay, many users still experienced unstable performance. Some Twitter (X) users suggested reverting to older graphics drivers, while others questioned which games are affected. Currently, Nvidia's only official solution is overlay deactivation.

Nvidia App's Official Launch

Initially launched in beta on February 22, 2024, as a GeForce Experience replacement, the Nvidia app officially launched in November 2024, coinciding with a driver update. This new app, designed for Nvidia GPU users, offers features like GPU optimization and game recording, and eliminates the need for account logins with a new overlay system.

Despite its enhanced features, Nvidia needs to address its performance impact on specific games and PCs. Further investigation and updates are required to resolve the reported fps drops.