The GPU community recently witnessed the power of collective feedback when Nvidia responded to mounting criticism over its RTX 50 series limitations. Initially, these GPUs couldn’t run 32-bit physics-based games, leading to major performance drops as the workload shifted to the CPU. For PC gamers who value backward compatibility, this limitation felt like a massive oversight. But Nvidia has now made a key change: the company open-sourced the GPU simulation kernel code for PhysX and Flow.
Although Nvidia had previously open-sourced parts of the PhysX SDK under the BSD license, it excluded the critical GPU-side functionality. With this update, modders and developers now have access to the complete GPU simulation kernel via GitHub. This opens the door to potential fixes, such as compatibility layers or wrappers that could allow 32-bit physics games to run smoothly on RTX 50 GPUs. The open-source community will likely handle this more effectively than Nvidia could have alone.
Modders Unlock Hidden Potential in RX970 GPUs
While Nvidia made headlines with the open-sourcing of PhysX, AMD’s RX970 series quietly stole the spotlight through modder ingenuity. Some modders demonstrated that flashing a 9070 XT V-BIOS onto a base 9070 card unlocked a massive performance boost. The stock 9070 had a TGP of 220 watts, but once flashed, this limit jumped to 317 watts, nearly a 100-watt increase. Clock speeds also rose from 2.52 GHz to 3.1 GHz.
Testing with 3DMark and a Ryzen 9 9950X3D processor showed consistent 15% to 20% performance gains. In some cases, the modded 9070 even outperformed a stock 9070 XT. However, this BIOS flashing comes with risks, including warranty voiding and potential hardware damage. Despite the dangers, the results prove that the base RX970 is far more capable than it appears when given room to breathe.
New Nvidia GPU Rumors: RTX 5060 Ti and 5080 Ti Incoming
Nvidia appears to have multiple new GPUs on the horizon. The RTX 5060 Ti has been spotted undergoing testing in Firmark. While Firmark isn’t ideal for benchmarking real-world performance, it confirms several important specs. This mid-tier GPU is expected to launch around April 16 and feature either 8 GB or 16 GB of VRAM, paired with a 128-bit memory bus. While the faster GDDR7 memory offers higher bandwidth, the 8 GB configuration has sparked disappointment among those who expect at least 12 GB in 2025.
Meanwhile, rumors of an RTX 5080 Ti refuse to die. Several Nvidia board partners, including MSI and Zotac, have referenced a 5080 Ti across various listings and promotional materials. This has occurred multiple times, making it unlikely to be a mistake. A 5080 Ti would bridge the performance and memory gap between the 5080 and the 5090, and it appears Nvidia might be preparing to fill that void. The only question now is pricing—both MSRP and real-world retail values.
Nvidia’s Strategic Pivot Reinforces Market Responsiveness
Nvidia’s decision to fully open-source PhysX is more than a technical shift; it reflects the company’s growing need to respond to community feedback. By removing the GPU-side restrictions and giving modders full access, Nvidia positioned itself as more adaptable and responsive than it has been in years. Gamers and developers can now create their own solutions to compatibility problems, which benefits both old and new users.
In contrast, AMD’s performance boost via BIOS modding shows that hardware still has untapped potential, even without official updates. The difference lies in approach—Nvidia adjusted its software strategy, while AMD’s community found new performance ceilings through hardware tweaks.
Together, these stories highlight a shifting dynamic in the GPU space. More transparency, community involvement, and developer freedom are starting to reshape how GPU makers operate—and Nvidia’s latest update proves that pressure from users can lead to real, tangible changes
