I’m hesitant to make use of the phrase ‘thrilling’ once I’m speaking a few piece of PC software program that merely facilitates enjoying video video games once I’ll watch out about how I exploit that phrase even describing precise full-blown video video games. However we’re the place we’re, and I’ve to embrace my internal saddo – so right here it goes: I’m actually, actually excited about Nvidia’s new settings app on PC.
Merely titled the ‘Nvidia App’, this all-in-one setup goals to exchange the previous ‘GeForce Expertise’ software program – and the official 1.0 model of the app launches right now. Actually, by the point you’re studying this, it’ll be out there by way of the standard official channels – however I’ve been highway testing the brand new software program forward of launch.
The logic is fairly easy; the app has been designed to supply up a single, unified place for settings. Throughout the Nvidia App you possibly can tweak settings for video games and packages, set up driver updates, fiddle with show settings, observe or restrict efficiency, and extra. It goals to have the next degree of utility than Nvidia’s earlier choices, however arguably its greatest success is in how a lot tighter, clearer, and cleaner it’s than something that got here earlier than.
The primary constructive sign comes once you first boot the applying, pitching a easy query: are you utilizing this for gaming, or productiveness? With this one alternative, the app instantly reorients what it presents you with, ensuring the settings that truly matter for you’re front-and-centre. When you’re in, it continues to be good and clear.
I’m impressed by little issues, like how the house display screen has prompt obtain hyperlinks to the varied different spears of the Nvidia portfolio. Earlier than, I’m fairly certain that putting in the massively helpful Nvidia Broadcast app required searching to Nvidia’s web site. If it was out there in GeForce expertise, it was buried away.
Right here, the hyperlink to obtain this must-have software that makes use of your GPU’s energy to scrub up your outgoing audio or video for streaming or discord calls is proper there within the homepage of the identical app you’ll use to tweak GPU settings. The identical is true of best-in-class cloud gaming service GeForce Now, efficiency measuring device FrameView, and different instruments – together with numerous AI-augmented apps Nvidia is presently going large on. As soon as every app is put in, these residence display screen buttons immediately open every of them – one other small however welcome change.
Lots of how the brand new Nvidia app pleases is within the little issues. It’s snappy. It’s sharp. It appears good. It’s received the next degree of utility to it than GeForce Expertise, which at all times felt like its utility was sacrificed within the title of being extra explicitly ‘gamery’. Utility comes first right here.
I notably benefit from the clear and enlightening presentation of the driving force set up display screen when new drivers can be found. In a ‘Whats New’ part, you’re informed briefly precisely which video games the brand new drivers are optimised for, even represented by little icons. Reverse, ‘What’s Fastened’ enlightens bug fixes. I mainly by no means learn GPU patch notes – however the presentation right here is such that I’ll doubtless skim this each time.
Gone is that bloody terrible overlay that you just’d use to set off recreation recordings and such by urgent alt-Z. As an alternative is a sleeker new overlay that solely covers a part of the display screen, sliding in from the left. It carries over the design language of the principle app – which is to say it’s higher, clearer, and less complicated to make use of.
I like {that a} handful of settings beforehand buried within the extra nuts-and-bolts Nvidia Management Panel at the moment are out there right here – although the management panel stays out there, an untouchable barometer for all graphics settings. However actually, more often than not, customary customers ought to solely want this new Nvidia app. Crucially, I’ve observed no efficiency distinction after switching from GeForce Expertise – so this snazzy new setup isn’t having a efficiency hit.
I’ve received to be trustworthy right here: all of it simply appears and feels a hell of lots higher. There’s lots to be stated for an software like this that, to steal a phrase from Steve Jobs, “simply works”. This factor isn’t the rationale you boot your PC; it’s a way to an finish. It’s a method of making certain your video games run the perfect they will. It’s a utility. This redesign looks like one which places that utility first – and I, actually, am right here for it.
I gained’t miss the previous GeForce expertise. This app has already usurped it for me, even in its very first iteration. Hopefully over time issues like Nvidia Broadcast could be built-in extra straight into the app so that they don’t function as discrete functions. However even the place issues run individually, they lastly really feel extra unified and cohesive. It’s an enormous win. The app is out now – so head to the Nvidia web site and get downloading.