Something feels off in the mechanics of PC gaming. Reports are increasing online of NVIDIA GeForce owners experiencing the so-called "black screen" problems. This menace seems to affect not only the latest RTX 50 series but also the older generation RTX 30 and RTX 40 series Single card stock.
Widespread Problem Across RTX Series
User reviews and forum posts hint at a worrisome trend. It appears that the RTX 30, RTX 40, and perhaps even RTX 50 series graphics cards are all suffering sudden loss of display output. Imagine gaming or working, and out of nowhere, the screen turns totally black. The cause remains unknown. Still, everyone appears to have something to say about it in the PC hardware arena.
Driver 572.16: A Potential Culprit
Many users affected by the black screen incident seem to be putting the blame squarely on NVIDIA driver version 572.16. The issue could be seen in people having multiple driver variants and not only the above-mentioned version. Many others, however, are experiencing this problem with that version. Could it be a driver bug, or is it something else with NVIDIA? Investigations continue.
Reported User Workarounds (Materialized or Not)
Hoping to find a solution, some users have been doing trial-and-error with various methods. A lucky few have reported successful implementation of the following steps:
- PCIe operating mode switching: In the UEFI/BIOS settings, try switching the PCIe mode from 5.0 to 4.0. Several users claim it has stabilized their systems.
- Safe Mode reinstall: Go into Windows Safe Mode and cleanly reinstall your NVIDIA graphics driver. It's an age-old remedy but worth a try.
- Tweak these settings: Some other less mainstream fixes discussed were tweaking the voltage settings of the GPU and lowering the refresh rate of your monitor. Note: use caution when tweaking voltage.
Important Note: These are user-reported fixes, not NVIDIA-provided solutions. Effectiveness is certainly variable among cases. Exercise caution when adjusting BIOS or voltage parameters.
NVIDIA Admits the Issue
NVIDIA knows about these reports on increasing black screens. They have confirmed that their team is troubleshooting this issue. There is no official statement and no solution put forth yet by NVIDIA. The community waits for drivers that work or instructions from NVIDIA itself.
Keep Monitoring for Updates
If black screening is bothering your NVIDIA GeForce RTX 30, 40, or 50 series cards, you are not alone. Keep checking NVIDIA's official pages and tech news sites for updates. There are hopes for a proper remedy soon. Until then, the above-given user suggestions could be worth a try at your own risk.
