Nvidia surprised PC gamers this holiday season with an unwelcome twist: a decrease in performance for their beloved games.
As per testing by [Tom’s Hardware](https://www.tomshardware.com/pc-components/gpus/we-tested-nvidia-app-performance-problems-games-run-up-to-15-percent-slower-with-the-app), the newly released [Nvidia desktop app](https://www.nvidia.com/en-us/software/nvidia-app/) can lead to a reduction in in-game frame rates by as much as 15 percent when the app runs in the background. The outlet evaluated several popular games, including *[Black Myth Wukong](https://mashable.com/article/black-myth-wukong-ps5-review-in-progress)* and *[Baldur’s Gate 3](https://mashable.com/article/best-game-of-the-year-2023)*, and found different levels of performance reduction in each.
### What’s behind the performance dip?
The reason for this slowdown seems to be the Nvidia app’s AI-driven “game filters,” which aim to enhance the visual quality of gaming experiences. These filters are set to be on by default, and even in cases where they aren’t actively in use, they can still hamper frame rates. The app, which launched just last month, was designed to be a simple tool for downloading drivers and managing Nvidia functionalities, but this default configuration has led to an unforeseen performance problem.
Nvidia recognized the issue in a statement to Tom’s Hardware and shared a simple solution for users facing performance declines. Here’s how you can disable the game filters and get your frame rates back to normal:
1. **Launch the Nvidia app and head to Settings.**
2. **Select the Features section.**
3. **Click on Overlay.**
4. **Find Game Filters and Photo Mode, then disable the game filters.**
By following these instructions, you should be able to fix the issue and return your gaming performance to its previous state.
### A friendly tip
Although Nvidia’s app was intended to enhance the gaming experience, this glitch highlights the fact that default configurations can sometimes lead to unexpected results. If you’re a PC gamer experiencing sluggishness, it might be beneficial to review your settings. Best of luck, and enjoy gaming!