Nvidia's Latest Drivers Improve Synthetic Performance by 6-8% on RTX 50 GPUs, but Stability Issues Persist

The latest Nvidia R570 branch driver, version 576.02, has addressed many of the stability issues that have plagued RTX GPUs over the past three months, such as crashes and black screens. However, the release has also brought a fresh set of problems, as reported by users. Despite these new challenges, the drivers offer a significant boost in synthetic performance, with improvements ranging from 6% to 8% on RTX 50 series GPUs, particularly in the 3DMark Steel Nomad benchmark. ComputerBase, a reputable tech benchmarking site, tested the 576.02 drivers and found that they can enhance synthetic performance by up to 8% on the RTX 50 series, especially on models like the RTX 5070, RTX 5070 Ti, and RTX 5080. The RTX 5090, however, showed little to no change. These synthetic performance gains might not necessarily translate into real-world improvements in games or content creation, but they are a welcome addition for power users and enthusiasts. The stability issues began in February when Nvidia released the enablement drivers (R570) for the RTX 50 series. These drivers introduced a wide array of problems that affected nearly all RTX GPUs. Personally, I had to revert to the older 566.xx drivers to get RTX HDR working correctly. By March, back-to-back hotfixes had resolved many of the initial issues for RTX 40 and RTX 30 GPUs, particularly those related to Blackwell. However, RTX 40 and RTX 30 series users continued to experience crashes linked to G-Sync and Frame Generation, which were only addressed in the latest 576.02 release. Despite the stability improvements, users are still reporting new issues, including game crashes, black screens, and stuttering. These problems seem to be widespread across the RTX GPU lineup. Some of the games mentioned where these issues are prevalent include Monster Hunter Wilds, FFVII Rebirth, and Black Myth Wukong. On the other hand, there are also reports of improved gaming performance with several titles, making it difficult to draw a decisive conclusion about the overall impact of the drivers. In general, it is recommended to update to the latest drivers, as they do bring significant performance enhancements and resolve many of the stability issues that have been troubling users. However, if you encounter any of the new stability problems, you might consider downgrading to the 572.xx or 566.xx releases. Keep in mind that downgrading comes with the trade-off of losing access to some of the newer features and performance gains. For now, users will have to weigh the benefits of the performance boost against the potential for encountering new stability issues. As always, staying informed about updates and community feedback can help you make the best decision for your setup.