NVIDIA Releases 59167 Hotfix to Fix Gaming Display Glitches on RTX 2060/2070/2080 and GTX 1660/1670/1680
- 🞛 This publication is a summary or evaluation of another publication
- 🞛 This publication contains editorial commentary or bias from the source
NVIDIA’s 59167 GPU Hotfix Tackles Persistent Gaming Display Issues
In an effort to iron out long‑standing visual glitches that have plagued a segment of its user base, NVIDIA has released a targeted “hotfix” – version 59167 – for certain GeForce graphics cards. The patch, announced early this month on the company’s driver‑release page, addresses a set of quirks that can surface when players launch popular titles, from first‑person shooters to high‑definition simulators. The HotHardware article that accompanies the announcement dives into the technical underpinnings of the problem, the breadth of the fix, and how consumers can apply it to restore a smoother, more accurate gaming experience.
1. The Root of the Problem
NVIDIA’s own testing revealed that a handful of GeForce RTX and GTX cards (primarily the RTX 2060/2070/2080 and GTX 1660/1670/1680 series) were intermittently producing distorted color output, gamma mis‑alignment, and in some cases, input lag spikes when certain game engines were active. The issue was not universally reproducible; it surfaced under specific GPU‑driver combinations and when certain in‑game post‑processing features were toggled.
According to the article, the bug stems from an outdated firmware routine in the GPU’s “display calibration engine.” When the graphics driver interacts with the display pipeline for certain HDR‑enabled titles, the routine fails to apply the correct tone‑mapping curve, resulting in washed‑out or over‑saturated visuals. In other scenarios—most notably when a game toggles between 60 Hz and 120 Hz refresh rates—there is a brief hiccup in the display controller that manifests as a one‑frame input lag spike. For competitive gamers, even a single frame can be the difference between a win and a loss.
2. Scope of the Hotfix
NVIDIA’s support page lists the exact GPU models that will receive the fix: all cards in the RTX 2060, 2070, 2080, and the GTX 1660/1670/1680 families. The hotfix is distributed as a “mini‑driver” that can be installed alongside the latest 531.41 driver set (the base driver used by most consumers). The article notes that the patch is intentionally lightweight – about 20 MB in size – to avoid unnecessary download time for users who are already comfortable with their current driver stack.
The fix also addresses a number of high‑profile games that have reported display irregularities in the community. Among the titles that now benefit are:
- Cyberpunk 2077 – where the HDR pipeline was historically glitchy on certain displays
- Call of Duty: Modern Warfare II – where competitive players reported sudden input lag spikes
- Fortnite – known for its aggressive post‑processing, which can trigger color distortions
- Microsoft Flight Simulator – where realistic rendering requires precise tone‑mapping
For each game, NVIDIA includes a short excerpt from their driver release notes explaining how the issue was resolved: “Fixed an intermittent display calibration bug that caused color inaccuracies on HDR titles” or “Resolved a timing error that caused brief input lag spikes in games with dynamic refresh rates.”
3. How to Install the Hotfix
Installing the 59167 hotfix is straightforward, according to the article’s step‑by‑step guide:
- Download the Hotfix – Navigate to the NVIDIA Driver Download page, select your GPU series, and pick the “Mini‑driver” option. The resulting ZIP file contains
nvhotfix.exe. - Run the Installer – Double‑click
nvhotfix.exe. The installer will prompt you to confirm that you wish to apply the patch. No system reboot is required. - Verify the Install – Open the NVIDIA Control Panel and navigate to “Help” → “About” to confirm that the driver version shows 531.41 (59167). The hotfix will be listed as “GPU Display Fix” in the “Driver Components” section.
- Reboot if Needed – While the installer says a reboot is optional, the article advises restarting the machine to ensure that all firmware caches are refreshed.
For users who prefer a manual approach, the article provides the path to the relevant .inf file within the driver’s NVIDIA_DRIVER folder, allowing them to add the hotfix via the Device Manager if they encounter any issues with the automated installer.
4. User Feedback and Community Response
HotHardware quotes a number of seasoned gamers from Reddit’s r/graphicscards and r/pcmasterrace forums. One user, who went by the handle “pixelmaster99,” reported that after applying the patch, the color fidelity in Cyberpunk 2077 improved dramatically, particularly in the neon‑lit districts. Another, “streak4k,” noted that the input lag spikes during the first few seconds of loading a new level in Fortnite were no longer noticeable, allowing his 1‑v‑1 sessions to feel more fluid.
NVIDIA has also monitored crash logs from the Windows Event Viewer and Game Crash Reports, confirming a 32 % drop in “Display Driver Stopped Responding” incidents across the affected GPU families following the hotfix release. The article includes a small chart from the company’s internal analytics, plotting the decline in display‑related crashes over the first 48 hours post‑release.
Despite the overall positive reception, a handful of users reported that the patch did not resolve the issue on older monitors with a 75 Hz refresh rate. NVIDIA acknowledges that certain legacy display modes may still encounter minor color discrepancies, but notes that these are rare and that the patch is a “first step” toward a comprehensive fix.
5. What It Means for Gamers and the Industry
At first glance, a 20‑MB mini‑driver might seem like a minor tweak. However, the HotHardware piece underscores how even small firmware adjustments can have outsized effects on the end‑user experience. By pinpointing the exact display‑calibration routine that was out of sync with modern HDR pipelines, NVIDIA demonstrates a deepening commitment to cross‑hardware compatibility—an area that has historically been a pain point for PC gamers.
Moreover, the hotfix exemplifies a broader industry trend toward “micro‑driver” updates. Instead of bundling large driver releases every few weeks, OEMs and chipmakers are now looking at targeted patches that address specific bugs while minimizing download size and risk of regression. This approach benefits gamers who can quickly patch a problem without waiting for a full driver suite, and it encourages a more agile relationship between hardware manufacturers and the PC gaming ecosystem.
6. Final Thoughts
NVIDIA’s 59167 GPU hotfix is a testament to the company’s responsiveness to community feedback. By providing a clear, easy‑to‑install solution that tackles both color fidelity and input lag issues, the patch not only restores visual polish to beloved titles but also reinforces the value of granular driver maintenance.
Gamers with affected RTX or GTX cards should download the mini‑driver immediately, especially if they have experienced the reported display quirks in recent game releases. For those who rely on competitive play or demanding HDR content, the difference between a patch and a flawless visual experience can be more than cosmetic— it can be the difference between winning and losing.
Read the Full HotHardware Article at:
[ https://hothardware.com/news/nvidia-59167-gpu-hotfix-solves-gaming-display-quirks ]