Why does PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds freeze on a high-performance PC?
System:
- CPU: 9800x3D
- GPU: Palit RTX 5080 GameRock
- RAM: G SKILL 6400 cl32 2*16(A-Die)
- Storage: 9100 pro 2 TB
- Motherboard: msi x870e Tomahawk
- Operating System: Windows 11
- Drivers: All up to date
Problem: The game PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds periodically freezes. I have already taken the following steps to resolve the issue:
- Reset all overclocking settings and timings
- Complete Windows 11 reinstallation
Neither of these solutions helped. What could be causing the freezes in the game and how can I fix this?
PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds may freeze on your high-performance PC due to known compatibility issues between the RTX 5080 graphics card and NVIDIA drivers, as well as due to specific features of your hardware. According to research, there is an official hotfix driver version 572.24 that is specifically designed to fix PUBG crashes on RTX 5080 and 5090.
Table of Contents
- Main causes of freezes in PUBG
- Driver solutions to the problem
- Hardware and BIOS configuration
- Game settings optimization
- Additional troubleshooting methods
Main causes of freezes in PUBG
Based on analysis of numerous user reports, freezes in PUBG on your configuration are caused by several main factors:
RTX 5080 compatibility issues
As shown in NVIDIA reports, RTX 5080 series graphics cards have known performance and stability issues in some games, including PUBG. This is related to architectural features and early driver versions.
Conflict between 9800X3D and RTX 5080
Many users with similar 9800X3D processor and RTX 5080 configuration report similar issues. In Reddit discussions, it is noted that such component combinations can cause unstable operation due to specific memory and PCIe interaction features.
RAM issues
Your G SKILL 6400 CL32 RAM with A-Die chips, despite high quality, may cause issues when operating in EXPO or XMP mode. Some users report that reducing RAM frequency helped resolve freezing issues.
Driver solutions to the problem
Installing hotfix driver 572.24
The most effective solution is to install the official NVIDIA hotfix driver version 572.24. As confirmed by PUBG developers, this driver was specifically designed to fix crashes in the game on RTX 5080 and 5090.
“We identified an issue where crashes occur more frequently when using NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5080 and 5090 graphics cards. To resolve this issue, we worked with NVIDIA, and a new driver has been released that addresses this problem.”
Disabling voltage monitoring
If the issue persists, try disabling voltage monitoring in Afterburner and similar utilities. As recommended in the NVIDIA community, this can help avoid software conflicts.
Rolling back drivers
If you have newer drivers installed (e.g., 576.xx), try rolling back to version 572.42 or 572.60. Some users report that newer driver versions may cause more problems than stable versions.
Hardware and BIOS configuration
PCIe settings
Since you have an X870E chipset motherboard, ensure that PCIe is set to Gen4 mode, not Gen5 in BIOS. Some users report that switching to Gen4 improved system stability.
RAM settings
Try temporarily reducing the RAM frequency to 5600-6000 MHz with CL30 or CL28 timings. This will help determine if the issue is related to high memory frequency.
CPU settings
Ensure that all CPU overclocking features are disabled, especially if you’re using features like PBO or Curve Optimizer. Sometimes excessive aggressive optimization can cause instability.
Game settings optimization
Using DirectX 11
As experienced players note in discussions, it’s better to use DirectX 11 in PUBG as it’s more optimized than DirectX 12.
Disabling DLSS and Frame Generation
Temporarily disable all NVIDIA DLSS and Frame Generation technologies. Although these features should improve performance, they can cause additional loads and instability on new drivers.
Reducing graphics settings
Try temporarily reducing some graphics settings, especially those that require high memory bandwidth:
- Shadows
- Rendering distance
- Particle effects
- Texture quality
Additional troubleshooting methods
Complete driver cleanup
Use DDU (Display Driver Uninstaller) utility to completely clean old drivers before installing new ones. This will help avoid conflicts between different driver versions.
Checking component temperatures
Ensure that component temperatures are within normal range:
- GPU: not above 85°C
- CPU: not above 90°C
- RAM: normal operating temperature
Updating motherboard BIOS
Check for BIOS updates for your MSI X870E Tomahawk motherboard. Sometimes new BIOS versions contain fixes for compatibility with new graphics cards.
Verifying game file integrity
In Steam or Battle.net, verify the integrity of game files. This will help restore corrupted files that may be causing crashes.
Sources
- Official NVIDIA announcement about hotfix driver 572.24
- PUBG News - fix for RTX 5080 crashes
- RTX 5080 issues discussion on Reddit
- RTX 5080 problem solutions from users
- Issues with 9800X3D and RTX 5080
- Discussion on ASUS Forum
- Solutions from r/techsupport users
Conclusion
The main cause of freezes in PUBG on your PC is most likely related to known RTX 5080 driver issues. I recommend starting with installing the hotfix driver version 572.24, as confirmed by the game developers. If the issue persists, try disabling voltage monitoring and temporarily reducing RAM frequency. Also ensure you’re using DirectX 11 and temporarily disable DLSS.
For a complete solution to the problem, it is recommended to:
- Install driver 572.24 via DDU
- Disable all monitoring utilities in Afterburner
- Check PCIe settings in BIOS
- Update motherboard BIOS
- Verify game file integrity
These steps should help resolve most freezing issues on your system.