Nvidia driver update for GeForce RTX 50-series GPUs will address black screen issue

Stock shortages aren't the only roadblocks Nvidia RTX 50-series graphics cards have faced. Some buyers lucky enough to locate one of the GPUs are dealing with random black screens. While there isn't a clear explanation for the problem, graphics card manufacturers have been rolling out VBIOS fixes. Now, Nvidia is planning to release a driver update later this week that targets the black screen issue.

The dreaded black screen has mainly affected RTX 5080 and RTX 5090 GPUs. Still, some RTX 30 and RTX 40-series owners have had similar complaints. Even though RTX 50-series users have reported success with a recent MSI VBIOS update, gamers are left wondering about a root cause. Enabling or disabling multiple displays can reproduce the issue, so productivity is also affected. The unpredictable nature of the bug has confounded everyone, but Nvidia seems to have identified its source.

Nvidia is taking a dual-faceted approach to solving the black screen phenomenon. While encouraging vendors to distribute an updated VBIOS, a new Nvidia driver update is a more universal fix. Until the software is ready, limiting a display's resolution to 60Hz may resolve the black screen issue. Other RTX 50-series users have had success after moving the GPU from a PCIe 5.0 to a PCIe 4.0 slot.

Unfortunately, blank monitors aren't the only concerns with the RTX 5080 and RTX 5090 GPUs. The infamous melting cable issue plaguing the RTX 4090 has reared its ugly head again. It's currently unknown whether only improperly seated 12V-2x6 power cables are to blame. Also, some RTX 50-series graphics cards are shipping with fewer Raster Operators (ROPs) than advertised, bottlenecking performance.

Some gamers have been enjoying their new Blackwell GPUs without any technical snafus. However, it's wise to download the next GeForce Game Ready driver update to avoid any unhappy surprises.