# How to Safely Undervolt Your GPU for 10C Lower Temps Without Losing FPS > Markdown version of an Informer Tech article. Canonical HTML page: https://www.informertech.com/post/how-to-safely-undervolt-gpu > Source: Informer Tech, https://www.informertech.com/ - **Canonical URL:** https://www.informertech.com/post/how-to-safely-undervolt-gpu - **Publisher:** Informer Tech (https://www.informertech.com/) - **Category:** Advanced Tutorials, PC Components - **Author:** Alex Carter - **Published:** 2026-10-31 - **Description:** Learn how to safely undervolt your NVIDIA or AMD GPU using MSI Afterburner and Adrenalin. Lower temps, power draw, and fan noise without losing gaming FPS. --- Learning how to safely undervolt your GPU starts with measuring performance before changing voltage. A successful adjustment can reduce power consumption, heat and fan noise while preserving gaming performance. A 10°C reduction is a target rather than a guarantee. The result depends on your particular chip, cooling system and workload. Careful benchmarking separates a useful undervolt from settings that merely look cooler. ## How GPU undervolting works and why results vary Undervolting reduces operating voltage while aiming to preserve useful clock speeds. Lowering clock speeds deliberately is underclocking, while reducing the power limit restricts the GPU’s power budget. The voltage-frequency curve shows which clock speeds the GPU targets at different voltages. Adjusting that relationship can improve efficiency without sacrificing measured performance. However, identical graphics cards can have different voltage tolerances. [MSI’s undervolting documentation](https://www.msi.com/blog/msi-afterburner-overclocking-undervolting-guide) explains why another owner’s stable settings may fail on your card. Treat shared settings as context rather than instructions to copy. ## Before undervolting: record your GPU’s baseline A reliable baseline makes temperature and performance changes meaningful. Download tuning software from its official website, save important work and restore existing GPU tweaks to defaults. Keep automatic application at startup disabled during experimentation. Record these measurements during a repeatable game benchmark: - Average FPS and 1% lows, which summarize slower frames. - Frame times, which show how consistently frames arrive. - GPU temperature, clock speed, voltage, power consumption and fan speed. Repeat the benchmark to establish normal variation between runs. Keep resolution, graphics settings, fan controls and room conditions consistent. Allow temperatures to stabilize before recording results. Choose a benchmark that represents games you actually play. ## How to safely undervolt your GPU with MSI Afterburner ### Adjust the voltage-frequency curve conservatively On supported NVIDIA cards, MSI Afterburner provides a voltage-frequency curve editor. Press **Ctrl+F** to open it, with voltage along the horizontal axis and frequency along the vertical axis. Start from default settings and note the sustained clock during your baseline workload. Select a slightly lower voltage point and move it toward that observed frequency. Flatten the points to its right at the target frequency, then apply the adjustment. Check the resulting curve and actual operating readings under load. Make conservative changes and test after each adjustment rather than jumping to an aggressive target. [MSI documents curve editing and the available controls](https://www.msi.com/blog/msi-afterburner-overclocking-undervolting-guide), although its broader workflow also includes overclocking. ### Keep other settings unchanged Leave memory clocks, power limits and fan settings at baseline during initial tuning. Changing several controls together makes any performance difference harder to explain. Save successful settings to a separate profile after testing. Use Afterburner’s Reset control whenever a change produces instability or confusing results. ## How to undervolt an AMD Radeon GPU in Adrenalin ### Start with automatic undervolting where available AMD Software: Adrenalin Edition includes an automatic **Undervolt GPU** option on selected cards. Open Performance Tuning and check whether your hardware exposes this control. [AMD’s tuning documentation](https://www.amd.com/en/resources/support-articles/faqs/DH3-020.html) explains that available settings vary by GPU and system configuration. Automatic undervolting provides a starting point that still needs performance and stability testing. ### Use manual controls for finer adjustments For manual tuning, enable the supported GPU voltage controls and reduce voltage gradually. Keep frequency targets unchanged initially and test after each adjustment. On supported Radeon models, the voltage slider applies an offset across the voltage-frequency curve. Its displayed value therefore requires different interpretation from an individually selected Afterburner curve point. Export a successful profile and locate the Reset control before continuing. If voltage controls are unavailable, skip manual tuning rather than forcing unsupported settings. ## Verify lower temperatures without losing FPS ### Compare performance under matched conditions A cooler temperature reading matters only when the comparison uses equivalent conditions. Repeat the baseline benchmarks after temperatures stabilize, using the same settings and measurement tools. Compare average FPS, 1% lows, frame times, power consumption and fan behavior. Accept settings only when performance remains within the variation observed during baseline runs. A repeatable drop in FPS or worse frame delivery means the adjustment missed the goal. Compare GPU core temperature with the same sensor afterward. Where hotspot readings are available, record them separately rather than mixing different measurements. ### Test stability and recover from failures Combine stress testing with several games that represent your normal workload. Include demanding graphics features you actually use, such as ray tracing. Passing one benchmark establishes stability only for that tested workload. [MSI identifies stuttering, artifacts and crashes as possible instability symptoms](https://www.msi.com/blog/msi-afterburner-overclocking-undervolting-guide). If problems appear, move voltage back toward the last stable setting or restore defaults. Enable automatic application at startup only after repeated successful testing. ## GPU undervolting FAQ ### Will every GPU run 10°C cooler after undervolting? Temperature reductions vary with the chip, cooling system and workload. Lower power consumption or quieter fans can still make a smaller temperature reduction worthwhile. ### Can undervolting reduce FPS without crashing the game? An undervolt can remain operational while producing worse performance or frame delivery. Compare benchmark results instead of treating the absence of crashes as proof of success. ### What if voltage controls are unavailable? Control availability depends on the GPU, firmware and tuning software. Check supported options in the manufacturer’s documentation rather than modifying firmware to unlock missing controls. ### How do I undo an unstable GPU undervolt? Use the tuning application’s Reset control to restore default settings. [AMD also documents automatic restoration of defaults](https://www.amd.com/en/resources/support-articles/faqs/DH3-020.html) when its stress test causes a system crash or reboot. ## Conclusion To safely undervolt your GPU, prioritize repeatable performance and stability over reaching exactly 10°C lower temperatures. Keep the settings that survive your tested workloads without measurable regression, with a default profile available whenever troubleshooting becomes necessary.