NVIDIA has released a new GeForce driver, version 595.71, addressing a critical issue present in the previous 595.59 release. The primary update resolves a bug that caused fan malfunctions in some systems, with users reporting one or more fans ceasing operation after installing the earlier driver. This led to potential overheating issues under load, as the GPU and other components require adequate cooling.
Following widespread reports of the fan issue, NVIDIA quickly pulled the 595.59 driver and advised users not to install it. The updated 595.71 driver was therefore highly anticipated, but initial reports suggest that it isn’t without its own problems. Even as the fan issue appears to be resolved, some users and testers have reported performance drops in certain games after installing the new driver.
The extent of these performance decreases and the specific games affected are still being investigated. Still, testing has revealed a change in how the new driver handles GPU core voltage, potentially impacting the GeForce RTX 50 series graphics cards. Bang4Buck PC Gamer first highlighted this issue on YouTube, noting that the voltage can drop significantly during manual overclocking.
Specifically, the tests indicate that when manually overclocking, the GPU core voltage can fall below 1V at clock speeds exceeding 3 GHz, whereas a previous driver maintained voltages above 1V under the same conditions. This is a significant development for enthusiasts who push their hardware to its limits.
Further testing by WCCFtech confirmed these findings. Their measurements showed that with the GeForce 591.86 driver, a system with a 200 MHz GPU overclock reached clock speeds between 3015 and 3030 MHz during a FurMark test, with GPU core voltage ranging from 1.020 to 1.030V. The memory clock was increased to 2000 MHz, and the GPU voltage slider was set to 100%. With the 595.71 driver, the same system couldn’t sustain clock speeds above 3 GHz, and the GPU core voltage fluctuated between 1.005 and 1.010V, occasionally dropping below 1V.
The reason for this voltage limitation remains unclear, though speculation suggests it may be related to addressing issues with the 12V-2×6 power connector. NVIDIA has not yet officially commented on the situation. However, given the reports of performance drops in games, the company is expected to investigate and provide an official response. The ongoing driver updates demonstrate the complex balancing act between performance, stability, and power delivery in modern graphics cards.
Early reports indicate that the issue may extend beyond the GeForce RTX 50 series, potentially affecting the GeForce RTX 40 series as well. Users have similarly reported HDR problems, refresh rate issues, black screen errors, driver timeout crashes, and problems with the Vulkan API in certain games.
