Apex freezes (r5apex_dx12.exe Stopped responding) on GT 1030, Steam

Summary:
The game freezes randomly, both in the lobby and during a match, and I have to End Task. The rest of Windows keeps working and I can still Alt+Tab to the desktop.

System:
- GPU: NVIDIA GeForce GT 1030
- CPU: Intel Core i5-3330
- RAM: 8 GB (2 x 4 GB)
- Storage: HDD, game installed on D: (D:\Games\steamapps\common\Apex Legends)
- OS: windows 10
- NVIDIA driver: latest version
- Platform: Steam
- Game runs in DirectX 12 (r5apex_dx12.exe)

What happens:
- The game stops responding at random times, in the lobby or in a match.
- During the freeze, CPU usage drops from about 80% to about 20%, disk activity is 0 MB/s, and Apex uses about 2 GB of memory (not full).
- I can Alt+Tab to the desktop, but the game window does not respond until I End Task.

Error details (Reliability Monitor):
- Problem: Stopped responding
- Date: 11/14/2026 10:03 AM
- Description: r5apex_dx12.exe version 1.0.0.0 stopped interacting with Windows and was closed.
- Hang type: Top level window is idle
- Report Id: 117ccdb5-bde8-44cf-b8ff-c22486cab9f8

What I already tried (no change):
- HDD health checked with CrystalDiskInfo: status Good
- Disabled overlays (Steam, Discord, Xbox Game Bar)
- Installed the latest NVIDIA driver
- Switched display mode between Fullscreen and Windowed
- Verified integrity of game files: yes

Expected: the game should keep running without freezing.
Actual: the game hangs and must be closed with End Task.

Note: as far as I understand, DX11 is no longer available, so I cannot switch back. Any known workaround for DX12 hangs on older GPUs would be appreciated. Thank you.