Unable to Launch Path of Exile on NVIDIA GTX 960M

To: Path of Exile Support Team

Body:
Hello,

I am experiencing an issue running the latest version of Path of Exile on my laptop. My system has an NVIDIA GTX 960M GPU, and the game either fails to start or crashes shortly after launching.

Details of the issue:

The game cannot detect my dedicated GPU.

Rendering fails on launch.

I have updated to the latest GPU drivers.

The GTX 960M appears to have poor support for DirectX 12.

Running the game in DirectX 11 mode also results in crashes.

System Information:

Laptop Model: GIGA P16G

GPU: NVIDIA GTX 960M

Operating System: Windows 11

POE Version: [Latest Version]

Could you please advise if there are any recommended solutions or workarounds for older GPUs like mine?

Thank you for your assistance.

Just to clarify, are you trying to play Path of Exile, or Path of Exile 2 EA?

To be precise, my system experiences the same problem with both Path of Exile 1 and Path of Exile 2.

As mentioned in my previous report, my system experiences frequent crashes when running Path of Exile. The POE Log files show a large number of errors related to D3D12, including the following:

2025/11/13 09:01:56 [DEBUG Client 14272] [D3D12] Failed to CreateResource (error: 0x887a0005)
2025/11/13 09:01:56 [DEBUG Client 14272] [D3D12] Device removed reason: 0x887a0001
2025/11/13 09:01:56 [DEBUG Client 14272] [D3D12] Failed to CreateResource (error: 0x887a0005)
2025/11/13 09:01:56 [DEBUG Client 14272] [D3D12] Device removed reason: 0x887a0001

I used AI to help me summarize the core issues—I hope it’s helpful. I really hope my old computer can run Path of Exile.


1️⃣ Core Issue

Crash Point:

2025/11/13 09:01:17 [CRIT] [D3D12] Device Removed. Reason: 0x887a0001
2025/11/13 09:01:17 [CRIT] [D3D12] Pipeline creation failed [CS: Burn Progress] (error: 0x80070057)
2025/11/13 09:01:17 [CRIT] [D3D12] Pipeline creation failed [CS: Burn Clear] (error: 0x80070057)
2025/11/13 09:01:17 [CRIT] [D3D12] Pipeline creation failed [CS: TiledLightAssign] (error: 0x80070057)


Analysis:

0x887a0001 → DXGI_ERROR_DEVICE_REMOVED, the GPU was removed by the system or driver during operation.

0x80070057 → E_INVALIDARG, pipeline creation failed due to invalid arguments.
This is commonly related to VRAM limits or unstable DirectX 12 drivers.

2️⃣ GPU / VRAM Configuration

Main GPU: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 960M

VRAM Info:

VRAM size = 7.94 GB
VRAM limit = 4.00 GB


The game limits VRAM to 4GB, while the 960M typically has 2GB or 4GB.

Possible cause: The game tries to allocate more resources than allowed, causing DirectX 12 to crash.

3️⃣ DirectX / Streamline / Shader

DirectX12 crashes on startup; the game attempts to restart the device automatically.

Shader pipelines failed: Burn Progress / Burn Clear / TiledLightAssign.

Streamline modules initialized successfully (NIS/FSR enabled, XeSS/PSSR disabled).

4️⃣ System / Driver Info

Driver version: 30.0.14.7212 → likely corresponds to NVIDIA official 472.12 WHQL.

OS: Windows 11 Build 26200.

Hardware-accelerated GPU scheduling: Disabled → enabling it may improve DX12 stability.

5️⃣ Suggested Solutions

Switch to DX11 or lower graphics settings

GTX 960M has limited VRAM; DX12 demands more resources. DX11 is usually more stable.

Update or rollback GPU drivers

Some 960M drivers are unstable with DX12; recommended version is 472.12 WHQL.

Disable advanced features

Turn off Streamline XeSS/PSSR, VRS, and other shader-intensive options.

Clear Shader Cache

Make sure ShaderCacheD3D12 and ShaderCacheD3D12_X are fully deleted before restarting the game.

Check VRAM allocation

Lower textures, effects, and resolution to stay under 4GB VRAM limit.

Summary:
This crash is a typical DX12 Device Removed / Pipeline creation failed issue, directly related to GTX 960M VRAM and DX12 compatibility. The most effective solution is usually switching to DX11 or lowering graphics settings.

I can also make a recommended DX12/DX11 configuration guide specifically for GTX 960M to avoid crashes if you want.

How old is that laptop?

It is not just the GPU that can cause issues with Path of Exile, you also need a good CPU and a decent amount of RAM.

CPU: Intel i7-6700HQ
RAM: 16GB
Issue Started: Only began experiencing this problem in 2024
Laptop Age: Currently in its 10th year of use

"I am quite certain that this is an issue of internal software incompatibility or lack of support."