The newly released Nvidia app is causing frame rate drops (FPS drops) in some games and on certain PC configurations. This article explores this performance issue stemming from Nvidia's latest game optimization software.
Nvidia App Impacts Game Performance
Inconsistent Frame Rates Affect Specific Games and PC Builds
PC Gamer's December 18th testing revealed performance inconsistencies. Some users reported stuttering while using the app. An Nvidia employee suggested a temporary solution: disabling the "Game Filters and Photo Mode" overlay.
Testing Black Myth: Wukong on a high-end system (Ryzen 7 7800X3D and RTX 4070 Super) showed a slight FPS increase (59fps to 63fps at 1080p Very High settings) with the overlay off. At 1440p, the difference was negligible. However, enabling the overlay and lowering 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 frame rates regardless of overlay status. This suggests the problem is game and system specific.
These findings corroborate user reports on Twitter (X), prompting the temporary fix recommendation from Nvidia's forum. Despite this fix, many players still report instability. Some Twitter users suggest reverting graphics drivers as a workaround, while others are trying to identify affected games. Currently, Nvidia's only official response is to disable the overlay.
Official Launch of the Nvidia App
The Nvidia app, launched in beta on February 22, 2024, replaced GeForce Experience. Both applications are designed for Nvidia GPU users, offering GPU optimization, game recording, and more.
Following beta testing, the official launch occurred in November 2024, coinciding with a graphics driver update. The new app eliminates the need for account logins and features a revised overlay system.
Despite improved features, Nvidia needs to address the performance issues affecting certain games and PC configurations.
