Gamers are encountering a fresh set of issues with the latest GeForce driver, version 595.71, released by Nvidia earlier this month. While intended to address problems with the previous 595.59 release – specifically, fan control malfunctions that led to overheating – the fresh driver appears to have introduced performance concerns and altered GPU voltage handling, particularly impacting users with high-end GeForce RTX 50-series graphics cards. The initial driver update aimed to resolve a bug where fans would cease functioning after installation, a critical issue that could lead to component damage due to excessive heat.
Reports indicate that while the fan issues seem to be resolved, some players are experiencing performance drops in certain games after installing the 595.71 driver. The extent of these performance losses varies, and Nvidia has yet to provide a comprehensive list of affected titles. Simultaneously, concerns have emerged regarding changes to how the driver manages GPU voltage, potentially limiting performance in overclocked configurations. This issue was first highlighted by the Bang4Buck PC Gamer YouTube channel, which demonstrated a significant voltage drop under specific conditions.
GPU Voltage Concerns with RTX 50 Series
According to testing conducted by Bang4Buck PC Gamer, the 595.71 driver appears to restrict GPU voltage when manually overclocking GeForce RTX 50-series cards. Specifically, they found that when pushing the GPU clock speed above 3 GHz, the voltage could drop below 1V. Their testing showed this contrasted sharply with previous drivers, where the same settings maintained a voltage above 1V. This lower voltage can limit the GPU’s ability to sustain higher clock speeds, effectively capping performance.
Further testing by WCCFtech corroborated these findings. Their measurements, using a GeForce 591.86 driver, showed a GPU clock speed between 3015 and 3030 MHz and a GPU voltage between 1.020 and 1.030V during a FurMark stress test, with the memory clock boosted to 2000 MHz and the GPU voltage slider at 100%. WCCFtech’s analysis revealed that with the 595.71 driver, the same system couldn’t maintain a GPU clock speed above 3 GHz, with voltage fluctuating between 1.005 and 1.010V, and occasionally dipping below 1V.
Potential Reasons for the Voltage Restriction
The reason for this change in voltage handling remains unclear. Some speculate that Nvidia may have implemented the restriction to address concerns surrounding the 12V-2×6 power connector, which has been linked to melting issues in some high-end graphics cards. However, Nvidia has not officially confirmed this. The company has yet to issue a statement addressing the reported performance drops or voltage limitations.
The issues aren’t limited to the RTX 50 series. User reports suggest that the GeForce RTX 40-series cards may also be affected, though the extent of the impact remains under investigation. Beyond performance and voltage concerns, users have also reported encountering HDR problems, display refresh rate issues, black screen errors, driver timeout crashes, and problems with the Vulkan API in certain games.
Nvidia’s Response and What to Expect
As of March 5, 2026, Nvidia has not publicly acknowledged the widespread reports of performance issues and voltage limitations associated with the 595.71 driver. However, given the volume of user complaints and the corroborating evidence from independent testers, it is likely the company is investigating the matter. Nvidia released the Game Ready Driver 595.71 on March 2, 2026, according to Nvidia’s website, specifically touting improvements for the recently released Resident Evil Requiem, which supports DLSS 4 technology. The driver also includes Game Ready support for Marathon, featuring DLSS Super Resolution and NVIDIA Reflex.
The 595.71 driver also addressed several previously reported bugs, including intermittent black bars on GeForce RTX 50 Series GPUs in The Ascent, green artifacts in Total War: THREE KINGDOMS, crashes in FINAL FANTASY XII The Zodiac Age, image corruption in Call of Duty Modern Warfare (2019), and performance drops in Quantum Break. The update fixed issues related to fan detection and AV1 decoding.
Gamers experiencing issues with the 595.71 driver may want to consider rolling back to a previous version while Nvidia investigates. The company is expected to release an official statement and potentially a revised driver in the coming weeks. Users can locate the latest driver information and download options on the Nvidia driver download page.
This evolving situation highlights the complexities of graphics driver development and the challenges of balancing performance, stability, and compatibility across a wide range of hardware configurations. As testing continues and more information becomes available, a clearer picture of the full impact of the 595.71 driver will emerge.
Have you experienced issues with the latest GeForce driver? Share your experiences and thoughts in the comments below.
