NVIDIA Thinks These GPUs Are Worthless
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Thanks to Morning Brew for sponsoring today's video! Sign up to Morning Brew for free today at bit.ly Save 10% and Free Worldwide Shipping at Ridge Wallet by using offer code LINUS at ridge.com Recently NVIDIA announced that they would be discontinuing Game Ready driver support for their Kepler architecture-based GPUs like the 600 and 700 series. Does this mean these GPUs can no longer game? Today we find out. Buy a GeForce GTX 780 Ti: geni.us Buy a GeForce GTX 760 Ti on eBay: ebay.us Buy a GeForce GTX 760 on eBay: ebay.us Purchases made through some store links may provide some compensation to Linus Media Group. Discuss on the forum: linustechtips.com ► GET MERCH: lttstore.com ► AFFILIATES, SPONSORS & REFERRALS: lmg.gg ► PODCAST GEAR: lmg.gg ► SUPPORT US ON FLOATPLANE: floatplane.com FOLLOW US ELSEWHERE --------------------------------------------------- Twitter: twitter.com Facebook: @LinusTech Instagram: @linustech TikTok: @linustech Twitch: twitch.tv MUSIC CREDIT --------------------------------------------------- Intro: Laszlo - Supernova Video Link: youtube.com iTunes Download Link: itunes.apple.com Artist Link: soundcloud.com Outro: Approaching Nirvana - Sugar High Video Link: youtube.com Listen on Spotify: spoti.fi Artist Link: youtube.com Intro animation by MBarek Abdelwassaa @mbarek_abdel Monitor And Keyboard by vadimmihalkevich / CC BY 4.0 geni.us Mechanical RGB Keyboard by BigBrotherECE / CC BY 4.0 geni.us Mouse Gamer free Model By Oscar Creativo / CC BY 4.0 geni.us CHAPTERS --------------------------------------------------- 0:00 Intro 1:21 Introducing the GTX 760 3:12 760 - CSGO 4:02 760 - Rocket League 4:42 760 - F1 2020 5:02 760 - Apex Legends 6:21 760 - Doom Eternal & VRAM Discussion 8:00 Introducing the GTX 780 Ti 8:50 780 Ti - F1 2020 9:36 780 Ti - Doom Eternal 10:25 780 Ti - Dirt 5 & DirectX 12 Discussion 11:25 780 Ti - Civilization VI 12:05 780 Ti - Control 12:23 Why Discontinuing These Cards Might Make Sense 15:45 What If You Already Have a Kepler-Based GPU? 16:28 Outro
NVIDIA has announced that Kepler-based GPUs, including the GTX 600 and 700 series, will stop receiving game ready driver updates as of August. The video explores what this means for owners of cards like the GTX 760 and GTX 780 Ti, examining whether these GPUs can still game effectively or if they’re destined to become e-waste. The host demonstrates practical gaming on a GTX 760, showing that with modern titles and varying settings you can still achieve playable performance, particularly in less demanding titles like CS:GO and Rocket League, albeit with significant caveats such as VRAM limits and DirectX 12 feature gaps. The discussion then shifts to the GTX 780 Ti, illustrating the performance uplift you can expect and how newer driver behavior, power draw, and aging hardware influence gaming on these older cards. Throughout, the video weighs pragmatic upgrade paths versus sticking with Kepler hardware, emphasizing power efficiency, VRAM constraints, and the realities of driver support timelines. In conclusion, while these cards can still run many games, the lack of ongoing driver updates and evolving API requirements mean buyers should consider newer generations for long term compatibility, even as 10-series hardware offers a more feature rich and power efficient option for similar price points. The host teases the idea that the discussion isn’t only about nostalgia, but about understanding the economics of aging hardware and the practical decisions around upgrading or repurposing old GPUs.
Topics · technology · gaming · hardware · pc_builds · graphics_cards · industry_news
Questions answered
- Can a GTX 760 still play modern games today, and at what settings?
- Yes, with reduced settings and resolution, the GTX 760 can still run several modern titles, but performance and visual quality will vary, and VRAM limits may cause stuttering in newer or VRAM heavy games.
- What are the main reasons NVIDIA stopped supporting Kepler with Game Ready drivers?
- The primary reasons are VRAM limitations and the evolving DirectX 12 feature set which older cards struggle to fully support, making continued driver investment less practical.
- Is upgrading to a GTX 1060 or similar newer card a better long-term choice?
- Generally yes, as newer cards offer lower power usage, better driver support, and more VRAM, improving performance and future game compatibility.
- Are there still legitimate use cases for Kepler GPUs after driver end date?
- Yes, for lightweight or older titles, or as dedicated secondary rigs, Kepler cards can still function, especially if you can live with lower settings and older APIs.