Nvidia App: Game FPS Drop Issues Reported

Nvidia's newly released app is causing frustrating FPS drops in some games and on certain PC configurations. This article explores this framerate issue stemming from Nvidia's latest game optimization software.

Nvidia App: Impact on Game Performance

Inconsistent Framerates Across Games and PC Builds

PC Gamer's December 18th testing revealed performance inconsistencies caused by the Nvidia app. Several users reported stuttering. In response to growing concerns, an Nvidia staff member suggested a temporary fix: disabling the "Game Filters and Photo Mode" overlay.

Tests with Black Myth: Wukong on a high-end Ryzen 7 7800X3D and RTX 4070 Super system showed a slight average framerate increase (from 59 fps to 63 fps at 1080p Very High settings) with the overlay off. At 1440p, the difference was negligible. However, enabling the overlay and reducing graphics settings to Medium resulted in a significant 12% frame rate drop.

Cyberpunk 2077 testing on a Core Ultra 9 285K and RTX 4080 Super system showed stable framerates regardless of overlay status. This suggests the problem is game and/or system-specific.

PC Gamer's testing followed user reports on Twitter (now X), utilizing the Nvidia staff-recommended workaround. Despite disabling the overlay, many users continue to experience unstable game performance. Some Twitter (X) users suggested reverting graphics drivers as a potential solution, while others are seeking clarification on which games are affected. Currently, Nvidia's official response is limited to recommending overlay disablement.

Nvidia App: Official Launch and Background

Initially launched in February 2024 as a beta replacement for GeForce Experience, the Nvidia app officially launched in November 2024. Both applications are designed for Nvidia GPU users, providing tools for GPU optimization, game recording, and more. The official release, timed with a graphics driver update, introduced a new overlay system and eliminated the need for account logins.

While offering enhanced features, the app's impact on certain games and PC configurations warrants further investigation by Nvidia.