NVIDIA App Triggers FPS Decrement

Nvidia's New App Causes FPS Drops in Some Games

Nvidia's recently released application is causing frame rate (FPS) drops in specific games and on certain PC configurations. This article examines the performance issues stemming from Nvidia's latest game optimization software.

Performance Instability Across Games and Systems

Testing by PC Gamer revealed inconsistent framerates in various games. Some users reported stuttering while using the app. A temporary solution, suggested by Nvidia staff, involves disabling the "Game Filters and Photo Mode" overlay.

In testing Black Myth: Wukong with a high-end system (Ryzen 7 7800X3D and RTX 4070 Super), disabling the overlay improved average FPS from 59 to 63 at 1080p on Very High settings. However, enabling the overlay and lowering graphics to Medium resulted in a significant 12% FPS drop. Cyberpunk 2077 testing on a different high-end system (Core Ultra 9 285K and RTX 4080 Super) showed no noticeable difference with the overlay enabled or disabled. This suggests the problem is game and/or system-specific.

These findings echo user concerns expressed on Twitter (X), where a temporary fix—disabling the overlay—was suggested but didn't resolve the issue for everyone. Some users suggested reverting to older drivers. Nvidia hasn't yet issued an official update beyond recommending overlay deactivation.

Nvidia App's Official Launch and GeForce Experience Replacement

Initially launched in beta in February 2024 as a GeForce Experience replacement, the Nvidia App officially launched in November 2024, coinciding with a driver update. It offers enhanced features and a new overlay system, eliminating the need for account logins. However, the performance issues highlight a need for further optimization from Nvidia.

While the new app boasts improvements, Nvidia needs to address the FPS drops experienced by some users. Until a solution is released, disabling the overlay remains the only known workaround.