Install This NVIDIA GeForce GPU Hotfix Driver To Stop Your Gaming Monitor From Flickering
NVIDIA released a 'Game Ready' GPU driver earlier this week, optimized for Diablo IV, which coincided with the game's early access release. Unfortunately, it also introduced a screen flickering issue on certain setups, resulting in a rash of complaints on NVIDIA's support forum, Twitter, and Reddit. Fortunately, there's now a hotfix available.
Hotfixes are essentially out-of-band updates that are intended to resolve issues straight away, rather than having to wait for a regularly scheduled release. In this case, NVIDIA says its v536.09 hotfix addresses a bug affecting setups with more than one display.
"When using multiple monitors which support adaptive sync, users may see random flicker on certain displays when G-Sync is enabled after updating to driver 535.98," NVIDIA states.
Applying the hotfix is entirely optional. If you're not running a multi-monitor setup or otherwise are not experiencing any screen flickers, you don't need to install the hotfix. Or if you're content for the time being with having rolled back to a previous driver release, you can wait for the next WHQL driver update, which will include this hotfix anyway.
"The GeForce hotfix driver is our way to trying to get some of these fixes out to you more quickly. These drivers are basically the same as the previous released version, with a small number of additional targeted fixes. The fixes that make it in are based in part on your feedback in the Driver Feedback threads and partly on how realistic it is for us to quickly address them. These fixes (and many more) will be incorporated into the next official driver release, at which time the hotfix driver will be taken down," NVIDIA explains.
There's a related thread in NVIDIA's support forum in which the reactions are mixed so far. One user notes they initially bought a new power adapter for their second screen thinking it was failing, but discovered that the "hotfix works." The very next reply, however, comes from a person who claims that their flickering issue persists after applying the hotfix, even with G-Sync disabled.
So, your mileage may vary. If you do decide to apply the hotfix, though, you'll need to fetch it manually from NVIDIA.
"To be sure, these hotfix drivers are beta, optional, and provided as-is. They are run through a much abbreviated QA process. The sole reason they exist is to get fixes out to you more quickly. The safest option is to wait for the next WHQL certified driver. But we know that many of you are willing to try these out. As a result, we only provide NVIDIA hotfix drivers through our NVIDIA Customer Care support site," NVIDIA explains.
That means they're not delivered through GeForce Experience. If you want to give the latest hotfix a go, however, just head over to 536.09 hotfix page and grab the update.
