<ul><li>Nvidia has removed the instruction that prevented mismatched CPU and GPU combinations, allowing interesting pairings like the RTX 5090 with a 2006 Intel Core 2 Duo.</li><li>The removed instruction called POPCNT counted bits in a binary number and previously caused driver issues, hindering older CPU compatibility.</li><li>Recent Nvidia drivers no longer require POPCNT support from the CPU, enabling pairing of RTX 5090 with CPUs like Intel Core 2 Duo, which dates back to 2006.</li><li>While unusual, this update opens possibilities for unique setups, although the performance of pairing such advanced GPUs with much older CPUs remains questionable.</li></ul>

Pairing the RTX 5090 with a CPU from 2006? Nvidia said ‘hold my beer’

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