{
  "id": 17612746,
  "title": "Open-source USB tool unlocks Nvidia's half-speed GPU AI limiter on Windows — lifts GPU's FP16 math performance up to 65%, UEFI unlocker covers RTX 20, 30, and 40-series desktops and laptops",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/11/01/open-source-usb-tool-unlocks-nvidias-half-speed-gpu-ai-limiter-on",
  "topic": "ai",
  "section": "AI",
  "published": "2026-11-01T14:00:00.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Tom's Hardware",
    "slug": "tom-s-hardware",
    "url": "https://www.tomshardware.com/pc-components/gpus/open-source-usb-tool-unlocks-nvidias-half-speed-gpu-ai-limiter-on-windows-lifts-gpus-fp16-math-performance-up-to-65-percent-uefi-unlocker-covers-rtx-20-30-and-40-series-desktops-and-laptops"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Open-source UEFI tool unlocks Nvidia's half-speed GPU AI limiter on Windows, significantly improving GPU performance on RTX 20, 30, and 40-series desktops and laptops. The \"UEFI pre-driver NVIDIA GPU unlocker,\" or nv-uefi-unlocker project, runs from a bootable USB drive before the Nvidia driver loads, removing the tensor limiter using the V67 payload. This method eliminates the need for VBIOS flash or patched drivers. The unlocker increases FP16 math performance on Nvidia GPUs by up to 65%. The project credits Zagitta's gpu-unlock as its source and builds on other community projects. Users must boot in UEFI mode with Secure Boot disabled or set to trust a self-signed EFI. Compatibility includes RTX 20, 30, and 40-series desktops and laptops, with some cards and configurations having known issues or untested performance. Results vary based on power and thermal limits, and the unlock may exceed factory power and thermal envelopes when combined with other unlocks.",
  "summary": "An open-source UEFI tool, nv-uefi-unlocker, lifts Nvidia’s tensor rate cap on RTX 20, 30, and 40-series GPUs under Windows.",
  "key_points": [
    "Open-source UEFI tool unlocks Nvidia's GPU AI limiter on Windows",
    "FP16 math performance increases up to 65% with the unlocker",
    "Compatible with RTX 20, 30, and 40-series desktops and laptops"
  ],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}