Last updated: October 21, 2026

To undervolt a GPU, you lower the voltage the GPU uses at a given clock speed. On NVIDIA cards, open MSI Afterburner’s curve editor (Ctrl + F), pick a target clock at a lower voltage such as 0.900 V and flatten the curve above it. On AMD Radeon cards, open AMD Software > Performance > Tuning and set a negative Voltage Offset, such as -50 mV. A good undervolt cuts temperature by 5–10°C and power by 10–25% with little or no performance loss.

What does undervolting a GPU do?

Undervolting a GPU reduces the voltage supplied to the GPU core. There are 4 results:

• Lower temperature, usually 5–10°C.
• Lower power draw, usually 10–25%.
• Quieter fans.
• Same or slightly higher performance, because a cooler GPU holds its boost clock longer.

Is undervolting a GPU safe?

Yes, undervolting a GPU is safe. Lower voltage cannot damage hardware. The only risk is instability: too little voltage causes crashes or driver resets, which disappear when you raise the voltage again.

How do you undervolt an NVIDIA GPU?

You undervolt an NVIDIA GPU with MSI Afterburner in 8 steps:

1. Run a game or benchmark and note the GPU’s usual boost clock and voltage in HWiNFO.
2. Open MSI Afterburner and press Ctrl + F to open the voltage/frequency curve editor.
3. Lower the whole curve by setting Core Clock to about -200 MHz and clicking Apply.
4. Choose a target voltage, for example 0.900 V on RTX 50 or RTX 40 cards.
5. Drag the point at that voltage up to your target clock, such as the card’s usual boost clock.
6. Flatten every point to the right: select them with Shift + drag and pull them below the target point, or click the target point and press L.
7. Click Apply and confirm the curve is flat after your target voltage.
8. Stress test for 30 minutes. If it crashes, lower the target clock by 15–30 MHz or raise the voltage by 0.025 V.

How do you undervolt an AMD GPU?

You undervolt an AMD GPU in AMD Software: Adrenalin Edition in 5 steps:

1. Open Performance > Tuning and choose Custom.
2. Enable GPU Tuning and Advanced Control.
3. Set Voltage Offset to -30 mV to start (RX 9000 series).
4. Run the built-in Stress Test or a game for 20–30 minutes.
5. Lower the offset in -10 mV steps until unstable, then go back one step.

Many Radeon RX 9070 XT cards run stable between -50 mV and -100 mV, but every chip differs.

What is the difference between undervolting and underclocking?

Undervolting lowers voltage while keeping clock speed; underclocking lowers clock speed, which reduces performance. To underclock a GPU, lower the Core Clock slider in MSI Afterburner or set a lower Max Frequency in AMD Software. Underclocking is useful for very small cases or for a failing card.

How much does undervolting lower temperature?

Undervolting lowers GPU temperature by 5–10°C on most cards, and sometimes 15°C on high-power cards like the RTX 5090. Compare your results with normal GPU temp ranges.

Should you undervolt or overclock?

You should undervolt if your GPU runs hot or loud, and overclock if your GPU runs cool and you want maximum frames. Read how to overclock a GPU and what overclocking does.

FAQ

Does undervolting reduce FPS?

A good undervolt keeps FPS the same, or within 1–3%.

Does undervolting lower GPU temps?

Yes. Undervolting lowers GPU temperature by 5–10°C on most cards.

Do I need to undervolt a new GPU?

No. It is optional, but it often makes a new card cooler and quieter.

Related guides

• GPU Overclocking & Undervolting Guide
• How Hot Is Too Hot for a GPU?
• How to Overclock a GPU
• GPU Cooler Guide

Related reading: see our guide on GPU coil whine and how to reduce it.