NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5060 Driver Release Delayed Until Retail Launch to Control Review Timing

NVIDIA is set to delay the release of drivers for the highly anticipated RTX 5060 until May 19, coinciding with the official retail launch of the GPU.

NVIDIA’s Driver Release Delay: Implications for RTX 5060’s Performance Assessment

With less than two weeks remaining until the retail debut of the GeForce RTX 5060 8GB, NVIDIA’s strategy surrounding this launch has raised concerns within the tech community. Unveiled alongside the RTX 5060 Ti last month, there are palpable apprehensions about the performance transparency of the RTX 5060, as NVIDIA seems intent on holding back crucial performance data until the product officially hits store shelves.

According to reports from Igor’s Lab, the public driver for the RTX 5060 will not be made available prior to the GPU’s launch on May 19, which aligns with NVIDIA’s latest announcements during the Computex event. This approach has sparked debate regarding the effectiveness of the card, as reviewers won’t have access to the necessary drivers to conduct thorough evaluations before the launch.

According to NVIDIA, the public driver will not be released together with the card until May 19, which is exactly the day I will be away and unable to return to the test environment until May 26.

– Igor’s Lab

The timing of this delay is particularly notable as many tech journalists will be attending Computex, thus limiting the availability of comprehensive reviews. Hardware Unboxed has corroborated this situation, stating that despite having several RTX 5060 samples for testing, they will refrain from publishing any reviews without the latest drivers.

Context, Nvidia are trying to hide the RTX 5060, just as they did the 8GB 5060 Ti. The strategy here is to release it the week of Computex when most of the tech media are in Taiwan attending the show. They’re also blocking reviewers from accessing the driver early to evaluate the…

— Hardware Unboxed (@HardwareUnboxed) May 8, 2025

This scenario presents a unique circumstance where gamers will rely heavily on NVIDIA’s own performance metrics at launch—a factor that has previously raised skepticism due to the potential for misleading claims. While NVIDIA asserts that the RTX 5060 will deliver a 25% increase in raster performance compared to its predecessor, the truth of this assertion can only be validated once independent reviewers have access to the GPU and its drivers post-launch.

Interestingly, the GeForce RTX 5060 maintains the 8 GB VRAM capacity of its predecessor. However, with evolving gaming demands, many observers argue that 8 GB of VRAM is becoming less viable for modern titles in 2025. This concern was evident previously when the RTX 5060 Ti 8 GB struggled in the market, possibly prompting NVIDIA to withhold independent reviews of that model to manage public perception.

For those eager to explore more about this subject, stay tuned for updates as the launch date approaches, particularly regarding independent analyses of NVIDIA’s claims once the drivers are available.

News Source: Igor’s Lab

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