GPU overclocking is the method of boosting your graphics card efficiency utilizing third-party software program. You can push your GPU to ship higher efficiency, although there’s a high-quality line between boosting efficiency and doubtlessly damaging your {hardware}.
While this text will not discover the idea of GPU overclocking itself, it seems to be at the most effective GPU overclocking apps you should utilize to overclock your graphics card.
1. MSI Afterburner
MSI Afterburner is without doubt one of the hottest GPU overclocking apps accessible. It’s very dependable and works with non-MSI graphics playing cards as nicely.
It’s a free piece of software program with a variety of options (primarily the GPU overclocking) and a customized fan profile for an ideal steadiness of efficiency and cooling. You’ll additionally get real-time studies of voltage, GPU utilization, temperatures, and clock speeds, each in your display and accessible by way of the built-in {hardware} monitor.
MSI Afterburner additionally options an automatic overclocking device, OC Scanner, which makes an attempt to mechanically discover the very best secure overclock settings for your GPU.
Main Feature Highlights
- Compatible with most accessible GPUs
- You can modify fan velocity and GPU voltage
- Real-time efficiency and temperature studies
- OC Scanner could make GPU overclocking simpler
Download: MSI Afterburner (Free)
2. RivaTuner
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RivaTuner is one other well-liked GPU overclocking app. You can use RivaTuner to tweak and handle your system’s RAM, fan velocity, and efficiency, plus to overclock virtually NVIDIA GPUs and a restricted variety of AMD graphics playing cards.
It is probably not as visually interesting as MSI Afterburner or EVGA Precision, but it surely’s a really succesful and highly effective GPU overclocking software program you could depend on that features choices to regulate core voltage, energy limits, clock speeds, and extra.
Main Feature Highlights
- Supports most NVIDIA graphics playing cards; some AMD assist
- Supports each 32-bit and 64-bit Windows variations
- Real-time efficiency and temperature monitoring
Download: RivaTuner (Free)
3. NVIDIA Inspector
NVIDIA Inspector, because the title suggests, is designed solely to overclock NVIDIA GPUs. With it, you possibly can overclock your GPU and examine your graphics card information, because it tells you a lot of the technical information you might want to learn about your GPU.
Its easy consumer interface lets you overclock your NVIDIA GPU with ease. On the house panel, you will discover information in your GPU. Selecting the Overclocking button on the backside of the window reveals the NVIDIA Inspector overclocking choices. From right here, you will discover presets for efficiency ranges, goal efficiency for fan speeds, GPU voltage, energy, and temperature, permitting you to overclock your GPU with relative ease.
NVIDIA Inspector additionally receives pretty common updates, including assist for new GPUs and the most recent {hardware}.
Main Feature Highlights
- Works with NVIDIA GPUs
- Simple consumer interface
- Total management over your NVIDIA graphics card
Download: NVIDIA Inspector (Free)
4. EVGA Precision X1
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Next up is EVGA’s feature-rich GPU overclocking software program, EVGA Precision X1. EVGA’s GPU overclocking app has one of many extra eye-catching overclocking consumer interfaces, which makes it look a little bit futuristic in design.
That mentioned, it is nonetheless largely straightforward to make use of, with numerous sliders to overclock your graphics card and reminiscence, together with different superior options, together with voltage adjustment, efficiency graph curves, fan management, computerized tuning, customized profiles, and hotkeys.
Like MSI Afterburner, EVGA Precision X1 additionally options an OC Scanner that may try and discover a quick but secure GPU overclock, with out you having to tinker an excessive amount of.
Main Feature Highlights
- Hotkeys for straightforward management
- Full management over your GPU
- Support for a variety of NVIDIA GPUs
- Integrated OC Scanner could make GPU overclocking straightforward
Download: EVGA Precision X1 (Free)
5. ASUS GPU Tweak
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Next on the GPU overclock checklist is ASUS GPU Tweak, which has a helpful interface filled with dials, tabs, and sliders.
Regarding GPU overclocking, you will discover ASUS GPU Tweak a complete device. The tabs of the primary web page allow you to change between the Default Mode, OC Mode, Silent Mode, and a private User Mode. Each web page has choices to vary voltages, set energy targets, GPU frequency, fan controls, and rather more.
The different characteristic that makes ASUS GPU Tweak is the Profile Connect, which allows you to set totally different overclock settings for particular apps. Build out a profile, then put it aside to load if you launch the precise software.
Main Feature Highlights
- Manual fan velocity management
- Supports most AMD and Nvidia GPUs
- Custom profiles for particular person apps
- Integrated {hardware} monitor
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Download: ASUS GPU Tweak (Free)
6. AMD Radeon Performance Tuning
AMD’s Radeon Software Auto Overclock is a useful one-click GPU overclock device designed particularly for AMD {hardware}. It comes with a variety of preset overclock choices for AMD Radeon 6000-Series GPUs and can obtain an replace to assist AMD’s 7000-Series GPUs after they launch on the finish of 2022.
Better nonetheless, Radeon Software Auto Overclock additionally consists of some preset CPU overclock choices, too, permitting you to spice up efficiency in your AMD Ryzen CPU. The consumer interface is easy to make use of, and as AMD has opted for a one-click GPU overclock strategy, it ought to make it a easy overclocking device for most customers.
Main Feature Highlights
- One-click GPU overclocking
- Preset overclocking profiles
- Easy to make use of interface
Download: AMD Radeon Software Auto Overclock (Free)
7. ZOTAC FireStorm
Next up, we have now ZOTAC Firestorm, a complicated one-click GPU overclocking device primarily for Nvidia GPUs. It helps a number of graphics playing cards in SLI configuration, although with at the moment’s beefy RTX 3000 and RTX 4000 Series GPUs, that is not fairly the draw it as soon as was.
Still, the one-click GPU overclocking performance is useful and makes ZOTAC Firestorm straightforward to make use of for virtually everybody. You may use ZOTAC Firestorm to regulate voltages, fan velocity, clock speeds, and extra, plus it additionally presents customized profiles, BIOS save, and {hardware} monitoring studies.
Main Feature Highlights
- One-click GPU overclocking
- Easy-to-use interface
- SLI assist
- Hardware monitoring studies
Download: ZOTAC FireStorm (Free)
8. SAPPHIRE TriXX
Next on our checklist of finest GPU overclocking instruments is SAPPHIRE TriXX. It is for AMD graphics playing cards, and the consumer interface is sweet and pleasant, permitting you to overclock your AMD GPUs simply.
You can overclock your reminiscence, modify the fan velocity, and see information about your GPU together with overclocking your graphics card. Additionally, you additionally get the choice to watch your {hardware} and management the voltage for a extra exact GPU overclock.
TriXX Boost is an built-in FPS increase that reduces rendering decision, then upscales the output picture in your display. Sounds acquainted? That’s as a result of that is how instruments like NVIDIA’s Image Scaling work, boosting high quality and determination general. Note this isn’t GPU overclocking, it is only a useful further device.
Main Feature Highlights
- Hardware monitoring studies
- Lots of customization
- Supports AMD graphics playing cards
- TriXX Boost offers picture upscaling
Download: SAPPHIRE TriXX (Free)
9. Gigabyte Xtreme Engine Utility
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Gigabyte Xtreme Engine Utility helps each AMD and Nvidia GPUs, permitting you to overclock graphics playing cards, reminiscence, management fan velocity, set temperature restrict, change the LED settings, and GPU voltage management.
It helps each NVIDIA and AMD GPUs, although assist for each GPU producers is restricted. Plus, if you wish to overclock a high-end GPU from Gigabyte’s AORUS lineup, you will have to obtain Gigabyte’s AORUS Graphics Engine Software, which comes with a special set of GPU overclocking choices.
Main Feature Highlights
- Appealing and easy-to-use interface
- Supports each AMD and Nvidia GPUs
Download: Gigabyte Xtreme Engine Utility (Free)
10. Palit ThunderMaster
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ThunderMaster is a feature-rich and highly effective GPU overclocking software program from Palit. You can use it to overclock your graphics card, clock velocity, and modify voltage settings and fan velocity.
Additionally, it additionally exhibits you information about your graphics card and presents fan velocity curves, customized profiles, and VBIOS loading.
Main Feature Highlights
- Supports NVIDIA graphics playing cards
- Monitoring capabilities
- User-friendly interface
Download: Palit ThunderMaster (Free)
GPU Overclocking FAQs
Here are some incessantly requested questions on GPU overclocking and their solutions.
Is GPU Overclocking Dangerous?
GPU overclocking can enhance your working temperatures, placing extra stress in your GPU. But, if that sounds worrisome, the worst that may occur is a crash, freeze, or a blue or black display, simply fixable with a easy laptop restart.
This is often an indication that you just went overboard in overclocking your GPU, so pulling again the clock velocity a notch ought to repair this up. Most trendy GPUs will minimize out earlier than something really terrible occurs.
Please observe that that is common recommendation and MakeUseOf shouldn’t be accountable for any {hardware} injury that comes from overclocking. Always analysis your particular GPU specs and limits earlier than overclocking.
Will GPU Overclocking Increase FPS?
Yes, GPU overclocking may give you a 10-15 p.c gaming efficiency increase. But, it is probably not secure always, and your GPU could throttle down due to the elevated temperatures if you do not have an excellent GPU cooling system in place.
Is Overclocking a GPU Difficult?
As with most issues, it would not need to be, as long as you’re taking your time and watch or learn some tutorials first. The following video is a useful information on the fundamentals of overclocking. Give it a watch, then think about the instruments listed above.
These are a number of the finest GPU overclocking instruments in the marketplace proper now, protecting each NVIDIA and AMD graphics processing models. Most GPUs from the most recent generations, the NVIDIA 3000-Series and AMD 6000-Series, do not require overclocking. They’re already extremely highly effective bits of {hardware}. And as for NVIDIA’s RTX 4000-Series, nicely, there isn’t a manner you’d think about upping the ante with a kind of.
As ever, proceed with warning, and good luck!