NVIDIA's 616.56 Driver Boosts Performance but Triggers 8-Bit Flicker Bug, Fix Underway
NVIDIA's Game Ready 616.56 driver, released days ago, delivers notable performance gains but has been hit by a display flickering bug in 8-bit color depth mode. Users report the issue across multiple monitors, with 10-bit mode unaffected. NVIDIA has confirmed the bug and is working on a fix. The driver also offers up to 12% performance improvements in some games and adds optimizations for Marvel's Wolverine and Diablo IV: Vessel of Hatred.
NVIDIA released its Game Ready 616.56 graphics driver several days ago, touting it as one of the most significant performance improvements in recent years. However, the driver was soon found to contain a serious bug, with some users reporting screen flickering after updating.
According to user feedback, the issue was reproduced on multiple monitors, and several users subsequently confirmed the problem in follow-up posts. Compiled information indicates that the flickering occurs only in 8-bit color depth mode; switching to 10-bit mode almost immediately resolves the issue. The problem has been reported to NVIDIA, and an employee has confirmed the bug exists.
The 616.56 driver performs impressively in benchmarks such as 3DMark, with performance gains of up to 12% in some games. The driver also introduces optimization support for Marvel's Wolverine and Diablo IV: Vessel of Hatred, as well as compatibility for RTX 50-series graphics cards with DLSS 4 in Final Fantasy XIV.