The New NVIDIA App is Here to Help You Break up with GeForce Experience

If you have been a gamer for as long as I have, you have probably developed a love-hate relationship with companion apps. One such sample is the GeForce Experience app, an almost all-in-one solution by NVIDIA that promises gamers all the convenience they could need. Sadly, I always found it a bit too clunky for my taste. That was until I got wind of the new NVIDIA app, which is currently in beta, and its promise to bring everything together. Well, I used it for some time earlier this week, and I’m in love with it. Why? Let me tell you.

1. Unified UI for the Win

One of my biggest pet peeves with GeForce Experience’s UI was that it all seemed so complicated. That, combined with the fact that each NVIDIA app had its own settings, was frustrating. To my surprise, NVIDIA has combined three of its most important apps under one umbrella. This includes the GeForce Experience, the Control Panel, and all RTX Experience apps.

From the first time I booted it, I was in awe of the new NVIDIA app’s redesigned look. The company has ditched its info-heavy design and gone with a minimalist approach. While the colors naturally remain the same, the app has now been restricted to a single left pane that houses all vital bars. The NVIDIA Discover page on the home screen even lets you install all the popular apps right from there itself.

However, don’t let simplicity fool you into thinking it lacks substance. All the important settings gamers look for can now be found in the NVIDIA app. I was pleased to know that even application and global settings have been moved here, which makes it all so easy now. From the handy home page to in-depth settings, everything is finally in plain sight and without any fuss.

2. No More Need to Log In!

Forget the UI for a second. If I had a cent for how many times I installed GeForce Experience only to be frustrated because it forced me to log in, I would be a millionaire. One of the best things about the new NVIDIA app is that you finally don’t have to log in anymore! That’s right.

While setting up the app, I was given a simple option to either log in for game rewards or skip it altogether. I very eagerly picked the latter, and life has been so simple since. No more Google 2FAs, no more waiting for temporary links or broken web pages. All of that is history because NVIDIA finally recognizes that all gamers want to do is play. Thank you for finally listening.

3. Revamped Game Overlay

I don’t really care if you use OBS to record and stream. Because I already know how much we all rely on the Geforce overlay for performance monitoring. But it was too slow, wasn’t it? Always glitching and breaking down. Well, the new NVIDIA has something for that, too. That is a completely revamped overlay that is so much better than it ever was.

For starters, major animations have been introduced, making navigating this overlay a buttery experience. No more lagging cursors when going through settings or simply pressing Performance. NVIDIA has also streamlined all the overlay settings into the left pane for easy access. I was finally no longer lost when trying to find the record button or even the gallery.

Besides the ease of use, the new overlay has completely reworked the Performance bar. Instead of a clunky grid, you can now freely adjust all the metrics in a much more custom manner. Move the position, change the visibility, or enjoy the new and improved font; it was all there for me to play with. For once, I can have the NVIDIA overlay up and not have to worry about it dying on me. Oh, and you can record in 120FPS now. Yes, you read that right.

4. The Driver Panel Is Helpful for Once

I agree that I’m not too smart when it comes to understanding GPU patch notes. However, GeForce’s driver update page had little to no information about the latest update, which always left me curious. That, combined with how it used to malfunction often, did not inspire confidence in me. Thankfully, NVIDIA took note of that, too.

I was pleased to know that the new NVIDIA Driver Panel has finally been reworked to be helpful for once. Instead of barebones info, the new panel now lists a detailed summary and two sections for new and fixed changes.

Another interesting that I noticed is that you can now choose between Game and Studio drivers right from the app itself. While I always stick to the former, switching is much easier! The new driver panel is something gamers who love to dive deep will adore. I know I did.

5. AI Filters Pop Things up

NVIDIA Freestyle Filters by themselves aren’t anything new. However, the new NVIDIA app brings about a few new ones that I have fallen in love with. The two in question here are “RTX Dynamic Vibrance” and “RTX HDR.” While I don’t filter up my games often, I just had to try these ones out.

I began by booting up Cyberpunk 2077 and testing out Dynamic Vibrance. Granted, it was a bit annoying to have to restart after applying it, but it was worth it. As soon as the filter came on, the game got a pop of color and luminance I wasn’t expecting. The entire scene by itself became so much brighter, and I saw details I hadn’t seen before. Saturation followed, and the pale colors I used to hate in the game suddenly had zest. Don’t believe me? Have a look for yourself.

While I couldn’t show you RTX HDR here, believe me when I say I absolutely loved it. The filter lets me adjust all manner of settings, including peak brightness, midpoint luminance, saturation, and so much more. However, if it’s all the same, I’ll stick to the one above.

Depending on how you are as a gamer, these filters in the new NVIDIA might be something you use every day or not at all. I will stick to somewhere in the middle for now. Remember that you need to have an HDR display for these to work.

Besides my favorite features above, the new NVIDIA app will come with a ton of improvements. The company has promised that the new app is just the first step towards in unifying the entire experience. So, I do expect certain missing features like GPU overclocking and driver-roll back. But baby steps, right?

What do you think about the new NVIDIA app? Are you excited to finally be rid of GeForce Experience? Tell us in the comments below!