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Nvidia GeForce Game Ready Driver 580.97 WHQL, released on August 12, 2025, is a targeted driver for Senua’s Saga: Hellblade II Enhanced and the DLSS 4 update for Grand Theft Auto V Enhanced. RTX 50-series owners get DLSS Multi Frame Generation in both games, while RTX 40-series owners get standard Frame Generation in GTA V Enhanced—not Multi Frame Generation. The corresponding game updates are also required; installing the driver alone does not add every feature.
What is GeForce driver 580.97?
Driver 580.97 is a WHQL-certified GeForce Game Ready release for Windows 10 64-bit and Windows 11. Nvidia lists an approximately 890.78MB download, although the displayed size can vary slightly by regional download page. It is available through the Nvidia App or Nvidia’s manual driver-download site.
Nvidia positioned the release around Hellblade II Enhanced and the DLSS 4 update for GTA V Enhanced. It is therefore better understood as a game-support and compatibility release than as a broad performance driver. The release notes list no fixed gaming bugs. The highlighted general fixes address flicker or underflow on Samsung’s 57-inch Odyssey Neo G9 while idle on the desktop, and dim notebook displays when an external HDR monitor is connected while the system uses Nvidia GPU-only mode. Hybrid Power notebooks are listed as an exception.
See the official release notes for the complete details.
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- OC mode: 2632 MHz (OC mode)/ 2602 MHz (Default mode)
- Powered by the NVIDIA Blackwell architecture and DLSS 4
- Axial-tech fan design features a smaller fan hub that facilitates longer blades and a barrier ring that increases downward air pressure
- A 2.5-slot design maximizes compatibility and cooling efficiency for superior performance in small chassis
What DLSS 4 changes in these games
“DLSS 4 support” does not mean that every GeForce RTX card receives the same feature set.
- DLSS Super Resolution renders internally at a lower resolution and uses AI reconstruction to produce a higher-resolution image.
- DLSS Frame Generation creates additional frames between traditionally rendered frames. In these updates, it is available to RTX 40-series and RTX 50-series GPUs where supported.
- DLSS Multi Frame Generation is the DLSS 4 feature for RTX 50-series GPUs that can generate multiple additional frames for each traditionally rendered frame. Nvidia says the technology can generate up to three frames per rendered frame, depending on the game and settings.
- Nvidia Reflex helps reduce latency. It matters because generated frames increase displayed frame rate but do not replace the need for a responsive underlying render pipeline.
The important distinction is summarized below:
| GPU | GTA V Enhanced | Hellblade II Enhanced |
|---|---|---|
| RTX 50 series | DLSS Multi Frame Generation | DLSS Multi Frame Generation |
| RTX 40 series | DLSS Frame Generation, not Multi Frame Generation | Existing DLSS Frame Generation and Super Resolution support |
| RTX 30/20 series | DLSS Super Resolution where supported; no Frame Generation | Existing DLSS features where supported; no Multi Frame Generation |
| GTX | No RTX DLSS feature set | No RTX DLSS feature set |
Feature availability remains dependent on the GPU, game build and in-game implementation. Nvidia’s announcement explicitly reserves Multi Frame Generation for RTX 50-series hardware.
GTA V Enhanced: what the update adds
The feature applies to GTA V Enhanced, not automatically to the original PC release, which Rockstar refers to as the Legacy version. Enhanced is a separate upgraded PC version with ray-traced graphics and other PC-specific improvements. Rockstar says existing PC owners can upgrade to Enhanced for free through the relevant entitlement on the Rockstar Games Launcher, Steam, Epic Games Store or PC Game Pass.
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- Ray-traced shadows
- Ray-traced reflections
- Ray-traced ambient occlusion
- Ray-traced global illumination
- DLSS Super Resolution
- Nvidia Reflex
The August 2025 update adds DLSS Multi Frame Generation for RTX 50-series GPUs and DLSS Frame Generation for RTX 40-series GPUs. It does not turn the Legacy version into a DLSS 4 game, and the driver cannot substitute for the game patch.
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- Powered by the NVIDIA Blackwell architecture and DLSS 4
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- PCIe 5.0
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Nvidia reports an average 3.9x frame-rate increase at 4K with ray tracing and maximum settings on RTX 50-series configurations using Multi Frame Generation, and an average 3.1x increase at 1440p and 1080p. Some configurations reportedly reach the game’s stated 500-FPS cap. These are Nvidia’s controlled, vendor-reported results—not a universal expectation. CPU limits, ray-tracing settings, base frame rate, display refresh rate and the specific RTX 50 model can all change the result.
Hellblade II Enhanced: what the update adds
Senua’s Saga: Hellblade II Enhanced adds a Very High graphics preset, Dark Rot mode, developer commentary and an enhanced photo mode. RTX 50-series owners can enable DLSS 4 Multi Frame Generation, while earlier RTX owners retain the DLSS Super Resolution and Frame Generation support available from the original PC release. The Enhanced update also includes Nvidia Reflex support.
Nvidia previously claimed that DLSS Super Resolution and Frame Generation produced an average 3x frame-rate multiplier at 4K and maximum settings at launch, and that Reflex reduced PC latency by up to 57%. Those figures describe Nvidia’s specified test conditions and should not be treated as guaranteed results on every system.
Does 580.97 add DLSS 4 by itself?
No. Driver 580.97 is the officially matched Game Ready release for the two game updates, but the games must also be updated. For GTA V, you must launch the Enhanced executable rather than Legacy. Steam, Epic Games, Rockstar Games Launcher or the Xbox app may install the game patch separately from the Nvidia driver.
Rank #3
- Powered by the NVIDIA Blackwell architecture and DLSS 4
- Powered by GeForce RTX 5070 Ti
- Integrated with 16GB GDDR7 256bit memory interface
- PCIe 5.0
- WINDFORCE cooling system
Readers already using a later Nvidia driver generally should not downgrade solely to 580.97 if the games and features work correctly. Conversely, installing 580.97 without updating the game will not guarantee that the relevant DLSS options appear.
How to install the driver and game updates
Using the Nvidia App
- Open the Nvidia App and select Drivers.
- Confirm that the offered Game Ready package is version 580.97, if you are installing the matched release.
- Download and install it.
- Restart Windows if prompted.
- Open Steam, Epic Games, Rockstar Games Launcher or the Xbox app and allow any pending game update to finish.
Manual installation
- Open Nvidia’s official driver page.
- Select your GPU and Windows version in the driver selector.
- Download and run the Game Ready installer.
- Choose Express Installation for the normal setup, or Custom Installation if you specifically need a clean installation.
- Reboot before testing the games.
In each game, verify that you are using the Enhanced build, the game is fully patched, DLSS is enabled in the graphics or display settings, and Frame Generation or Multi Frame Generation is enabled where the build exposes the option. Enable Reflex when available. If you are comparing results with Nvidia’s high-end claims, ray tracing and demanding graphics settings must also be enabled—but those settings can expose CPU or GPU bottlenecks.
Why generated FPS may not feel like native FPS
Frame Generation and Multi Frame Generation increase the number of frames shown on screen, but they do not make the GPU or CPU render every displayed frame traditionally. A low base frame rate can still feel sluggish, even if the displayed counter is high. Reflex can help reduce latency, but it does not remove the distinction between generated frames and conventionally rendered frames.
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Some systems may also show artifacts around fast-moving objects, foliage, particles, interface elements or camera motion. GTA V can be CPU-limited in situations where a faster GPU provides little proportional benefit. Finally, a 500-FPS game cap has no practical value if the monitor has a substantially lower refresh rate or the system cannot sustain a high base rate.
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- Powered by the NVIDIA Blackwell architecture and DLSS 4 OC mode: 2640MHz/Default mode: 2610MHz (Boost Clock)
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- 3.125-slot design with massive fin array optimized for airflow from three Axial-tech fans
- Phase-change GPU thermal pad helps ensure optimal thermal performance and longevity, outlasting traditional thermal paste for graphics cards under heavy loads
If the DLSS option is missing
- Confirm that GTA V is the Enhanced edition, not Legacy.
- Install the pending update from the game’s launcher.
- Check that the GPU is RTX-capable and that you are not expecting Multi Frame Generation on an RTX 40-series card.
- Update to a supported Nvidia driver and restart the game after installation.
- Check that the launcher did not start the Legacy executable.
- Reset graphics settings if an older configuration prevents the new options from appearing.
- If the Nvidia App does not list the game, rescan its library or manage the installation directly through the game launcher.
If performance becomes worse after enabling Frame Generation, first compare native rendering with DLSS Super Resolution alone. Check the base FPS, reduce ray-tracing settings, inspect CPU use and frame-time consistency, and temporarily disable overlays or third-party injectors. Adjust V-Sync and frame caps to suit the display. Only consider reverting the driver when the problem is reproducible and clearly driver-related; Nvidia directs technical reports to its GeForce driver feedback forum.
Should you install Nvidia 580.97?
- RTX 50-series owner playing either Enhanced game: Yes, if you want the officially matched driver and Multi Frame Generation. Update the game as well.
- RTX 40-series owner playing GTA V Enhanced: It is worthwhile if you want standard Frame Generation, but Multi Frame Generation is not available on RTX 40.
- RTX 20- or 30-series owner: Do not expect DLSS 4 Multi Frame Generation. Install based on compatibility needs, other fixes or your normal driver policy.
- GTX owner: The named RTX DLSS benefits do not apply.
- You own neither game: There is no topic-specific reason to change drivers unless you need another fix or feature.
- Creator or controlled-workstation user: Nvidia also offers Studio Driver 580.97, intended for creator workflows and tested against creative applications rather than launch-focused gaming support.
The Studio Driver alternative is not a different way to obtain Multi Frame Generation; GPU and game support still determine which DLSS features are available.
Verdict
GeForce Game Ready Driver 580.97 is a focused compatibility and optimization release accompanying the Hellblade II Enhanced and GTA V Enhanced updates. It is most significant for RTX 50-series players, useful to RTX 40-series GTA V Enhanced players seeking standard Frame Generation, and not a universal DLSS 4 upgrade for every GeForce card—or for GTA V Legacy. Install the driver and the relevant game patch together, then judge the result by base FPS, latency and image quality rather than the generated-frame counter alone.
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