Summary: Nvidia’s RTX 50 series has been perceived as yet another lackluster and unsatisfying GPU launch in recent times. The new graphics cards have faced criticism for inadequate generational performance enhancements, melting power cables, limited VRAM options, extremely low launch inventory, missing ROPs, and various software stability issues. Despite Nvidia’s initiatives to resolve bugs and crashes through recent driver updates, user grievances continue to emerge.
Participants on the ComputerBase forums indicate that Nvidia’s graphics driver version 576.02 significantly enhances performance in the 3DMark Steel Nomad benchmark. However, some Reddit users have reported diminished performance in various recent major games.
ComputerBase verified that the RTX 5090, 5080, 5070 Ti, and 5070 demonstrate performance enhancements ranging from 6% to 8% in Steel Nomad. Users on the forum and Reddit have shared images showcasing score improvements of up to 2,000 points following the installation of the new driver.
Nonetheless, results for 3DMark’s Speed Way and Time Spy benchmarks reveal unchanged or slightly diminished performance, with a 1% drop noted. Moreover, Reddit users report ongoing crashes in games such as Black Myth Wukong, Assassin’s Creed: Shadows, Final Fantasy VII Rebirth, and Monster Hunter Wilds. The issues in Rebirth and Monster Hunter seem to arise during shader compilation.
Should these crashes be widespread, they may pose a significant obstacle to Nvidia’s attempts to resolve bugs that first surfaced with the launch of the RTX 50 series. For months, users have experienced frequent game crashes and instances where Windows boots into a black screen following the installation of drivers meant for the new GPUs.
Patch notes for multiple driver versions released since February claim that Nvidia has tackled these issues. Nonetheless, some developers have suggested that RTX 40 or 30 series users remain with driver version 566.36, launched in December.
These recurring issues only compound the challenges facing the RTX 50 series. The dismally low stock at launch rendered MSRP listings nearly mythical, albeit availability has slightly improved in recent weeks.
Furthermore, most of the newly released GPUs have only achieved modest performance improvements compared to their RTX 40 series predecessors. The RTX 5070 has come under particular scrutiny for performing almost identically to – or in some cases worse than – the 4070 Super, while also facing tough competition from AMD’s Radeon RX 9070 and 9070 XT.
Nvidia’s driver version 576.02 adds support for the newly released RTX 5060 Ti, which, as our review demonstrates, offers a reasonable upgrade over the 4060 Ti, provided users opt for the 16GB model. The company withheld 8GB variants from reviewers, likely to prevent backlash from the launch of yet another 8GB GPU in 2025.
