NVIDIA App Triggers FPS Declines in Select Games

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

Nvidia App Impacts Game Performance

Inconsistent Framerates Affect Specific Games and PC Builds

PC Gamer's December 18th testing revealed performance inconsistencies with the Nvidia app in several games and PC setups. Some users reported stuttering. 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) at 1080p (Very High settings), the average fps increased slightly from 59 to 63 with the overlay off. At 1440p, the difference was negligible. However, enabling the overlay and reducing graphics to Medium resulted in a substantial 12% fps drop.

Cyberpunk 2077 testing on a Core Ultra 9 285K and RTX 4080 Super showed stable framerates regardless of overlay status, suggesting the issue is game and hardware-specific.

These findings, corroborated by user reports on Twitter (X), prompted PC Gamer to investigate the temporary fix (disabling the overlay). While this helped some, many users still experienced instability. Some Twitter users suggested reverting graphics drivers as a workaround. Currently, Nvidia's only official response is to disable the overlay.

The Nvidia App's Official Launch

Initially launched in beta on February 22, 2024, the Nvidia app replaced GeForce Experience. Both applications are designed for Nvidia GPU users, offering GPU optimization, game recording, and more.

Following beta testing, the app officially launched in November 2024, replacing GeForce Experience completely. This coincided with a graphics driver update in preparation for new game releases. The new app features a streamlined overlay and account login system.

Despite its enhanced features, Nvidia needs to address the performance issues affecting certain games and PCs.