My GTX 1650 OC 4GB used to run Horizon Forbidden West at around 70 FPS, but near the end of my playthrough it suddenly dropped to about 20 FPS. After uninstalling that game, I noticed the same issue in others: Genshin Impact now runs at 45–50 FPS instead of 60, and GTA V dropped from roughly 80–100 FPS to around 50. The CPU and GPU temperatures look normal. My system has a 12th-generation i3, GTX 1650 4GB, 16GB of RAM, and a 550W power supply. What could be causing the performance loss, and what should I try to restore the previous FPS?
2 Answers
Even with normal temperatures, a graphics driver problem or changed power setting could cause this. Try reinstalling the NVIDIA driver using a clean installation. Download the latest driver directly from NVIDIA, choose the custom installation option, select “Perform a clean installation,” and restart afterward. Also check that the games are using the GTX 1650 rather than integrated graphics, and set the NVIDIA power mode to maximum performance for testing.
Compare the GPU usage, clock speed, and power draw while a game is running. If GPU usage or clocks are much lower than before, check for a background process, Windows power-saving mode, a loose PCIe power connection, or a driver setting limiting performance. A benchmark can help determine whether the issue affects the card generally or only certain games.
If a normal reinstall does not help, remove the existing driver completely with Display Driver Uninstaller while in Windows Safe Mode, then install a known-stable NVIDIA driver. It is also worth checking Windows and NVIDIA Control Panel power settings, since an update can sometimes change them.