GPUs Archives

Winsage

December 3, 2025

Windows 10’s demise fuels Linux hype again — but will Bazzite finally break the “forever up‑and‑comer” curse? There’s a chance.

Microsoft has discontinued support for Windows 10, leading to around 500 million PCs being eligible for an upgrade to Windows 11, though many users remain on the unsupported platform. Zorin OS has gained approximately 780,000 users migrating from Windows within a month of this decision. Bazzite, a Linux-based gaming distribution, surpassed one petabyte of ISO downloads in a month, serving around 150,000 ISOs and attracting 730,000 visitors. Bazzite offers better hardware compatibility and pre-installed drivers for NVIDIA and AMD GPUs, making it a strong alternative to SteamOS. The improved compatibility of Windows games on Linux, aided by Valve's Proton, is contributing to the trend of users exploring alternatives to Windows.

Winsage

December 2, 2025

Gamers confirm frame drops after Windows 11 update that Microsoft won’t acknowledge, but Nvidia has fixed it

Windows 11's October update (KB5066835) has caused significant performance issues for gamers, particularly those using Nvidia GPUs, leading to a drop in frame rates from 120–140 FPS to 40–70 FPS. The update has primarily affected systems running Windows 11 versions 24H2 and 25H2, while users on Windows 10 and those using Linux or Steam Deck reported no issues. Affected Nvidia models include the RTX 5000 series and RTX 4080 and 4090. In contrast, AMD graphics card users maintained normal performance levels. The cause of the frame rate drops is unclear, but it may involve conflicts between Windows updates, Nvidia drivers, and game engine interactions. Nvidia released a hotfix driver on November 19, which reportedly restored and even improved performance for some users.

AppWizard

November 25, 2025

This recent Windows 11 update could ruin your gaming frame rates, tanking Assassin’s Creed Shadows by up to 50%

Recent updates to Windows 11, specifically the October security and feature patch (KB5066835), have caused frame rate drops in games, with Digital Foundry reporting significant performance issues in Assassin's Creed Shadows. Testing with an AMD Ryzen 9800X3D and Nvidia RTX 5090 showed low frame rates until a hotfix from Nvidia was applied, which improved performance from 34fps to 72fps. Without the hotfix, gamers could see a performance decline of 33% to 50%. Anecdotal evidence suggests the hotfix may also improve performance in Counter-Strike 2, with an 11% increase in 1% lows reported. Nvidia's documentation indicates the hotfix addresses issues in "some games," but further testing is needed to determine if the performance issues affect only Nvidia GPUs or also AMD graphics cards. Gamers with recent Nvidia graphics cards experiencing performance dips are advised to download the hotfix.

Winsage

November 21, 2025

Nvidia hotfix tackles Windows 11 gaming slowdown

The Windows 11 October 2025 Update has caused declines in gaming performance for some users, prompting Nvidia to release a hotfix based on version 581.80 of its Game Ready Driver. This hotfix is a quick solution aimed at addressing specific issues from the update, particularly gaming slowdowns. Microsoft has acknowledged various problems related to the update, including issues with Blu-ray, DVD, and digital applications, as well as USB mice and keyboards not functioning in the Windows Recovery Environment. Developers have reported disruptions to localhost functionality, affecting web applications on local machines. Despite these challenges, Nvidia's financial results remain strong, although concerns about the high costs and overheating issues of its latest RTX 50 Series cards have been raised. Microsoft has not officially acknowledged the gaming performance issues in its release notes for the October 2025 Update, despite Nvidia confirming their existence.

Winsage

November 21, 2025

Nvidia rushes out a GPU fix, blaming Windows 11’s October update for sluggish performance in games

Nvidia GPU users have experienced performance issues after the October update of Windows 11 (KB5066835), leading to slowdowns in various PC games. Nvidia has released an emergency hotfix to address these performance problems, but users are advised to be cautious as hotfixes undergo less testing than regular updates. Some users report improved frame rates in certain games like Assassin's Creed Shadows, while others still face issues such as monitor flickering. Users with AMD and Intel systems have also reported performance problems due to the October update, which has also disrupted the Windows Recovery Environment, prompting Microsoft to issue an emergency patch.

Winsage

November 20, 2025

Nvidia releases emergency driver update for Windows 11 25H2 and 24H2 — fixes reduced gaming performance driven by botched Windows updates

Nvidia released the GeForce Hotfix Display Driver 581.94 to address performance issues in certain games caused by Microsoft's mandatory patch KB5066835, which affected Windows 11 versions 25H2 and 24H2. The update led to decreased game frame rates for some users. Nvidia recommends that gamers experiencing performance dips download the latest GPU driver. The company issued a second hotfix a week later to resolve remaining issues, including crashes and clock speed irregularities. The initial patch also caused problems with USB keyboards and mice in the Windows Recovery Environment and triggered BitLocker encryption unexpectedly. It is unclear if Intel and AMD will release their own driver updates in response to the issues caused by KB5066835, although performance problems have been reported with their GPUs as well.

BetaBeacon

November 19, 2025

Will OnePlus Gaming Technology Change Android Games?

OnePlus is focusing on creating lag-free, uninterrupted gaming experiences with their Gaming Technology initiative. They are developing hardware and software solutions to optimize the user's gaming experience, including the OP Gaming Core chip and the Tri-Chip system. These technologies aim to improve performance, touch response, and frame rates for mobile gamers. The upcoming OnePlus 15 is expected to feature these advancements, setting a new industry benchmark for fast and smooth gaming experiences.

AppWizard

November 18, 2025

AMD graphics card prices rumored to rise, so get this Radeon RX 9070 XT at $599 while you can

Consumers may soon face higher prices for AMD graphics cards due to a surge in DRAM prices affecting the tech industry. AMD GPUs, particularly the RX 9070 XT, have often sold for more than their MSRP, with the ASRock Challenger Radeon RX 9070 XT being one of the few options available at its MSRP of 9. Reports indicate that AMD is expected to implement another price increase, impacting the next shipment of GPUs and VRAM supplied to board partners. The burden of the price hike is likely to fall on gamers.

Winsage

November 17, 2025

I tried 3 Windows laptops with Qualcomm chipsets this year – and found 3 glaring issues

Last year, Microsoft introduced Snapdragon-powered Copilot+ PCs, prompting the purchase of a Surface Pro 11, which became essential for daily tasks. This led to acquiring additional devices, including a Surface Laptop and a Dell XPS 13, both with Snapdragon X Elite chips. Despite effective marketing, businesses remain cautious about these devices. Windows on Arm has improved for Office applications and web services, with devices maintaining cool temperatures and long battery life. However, there are limitations: backup software may not work effectively on Arm devices, as external drives are inaccessible during recovery, necessitating workarounds like network or cloud storage. Installing Linux on Snapdragon-powered PCs is challenging due to a lack of compatible installation images, making Intel-based PCs more practical for work tasks. Additionally, Arm-based devices have performance constraints for gaming, with Snapdragon processors unable to compete with dedicated GPUs, making high-performance gaming unfeasible.

AppWizard

November 17, 2025

Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 PC Performance Analysis

Activision has released Call of Duty: Black Ops 7, utilizing the IW Engine. Performance benchmarks were conducted using high-end hardware, including the AMD Ryzen 9 7950X3D and various graphics cards such as the AMD Radeon RX 6900XT and NVIDIA RTX 4090, on a Windows 10 system. The game features over 300 customizable settings for PC gamers and supports Intel XeSS and AMD FSR 4.0. Ray Tracing is available in Multiplayer and Zombies modes but not in the Campaign. All tested GPUs achieved over 60 FPS at 1080p on maximum settings, with AMD hardware showing superior performance. At 1440p, most GPUs maintained smooth gameplay, except for the NVIDIA RTX 2080Ti. At Native 4K, the top five GPUs exceeded 60 FPS, with AMD GPUs performing well against NVIDIA counterparts. The game has visual appeal but suffers from pop-in issues and inconsistent texture quality. Gameplay is smooth with minimal stuttering and responsive controls. Overall, the game performs well across various PC configurations, though its visual quality may not meet franchise expectations.