How to Underclock a GPU? [2024]

Most PC builders are all about pushing their hardware to the limit through overclocking. Everyone loves tinkering with their CPUs and GPUs to see how many more MHz they can squeeze out. It’s common knowledge that CPUs and graphics cards are both processors, and tweaking them is a favorite hobby among tech folks. While overclocking guidance is a dime a dozen, underclocking rarely gets a mention. That’s a shame, since downclocking your GPU can be hugely beneficial. Ever notice your graphics card running hot and sucking down more power than necessary? Undervolting is a great way to keep temperatures in check and lower electricity bills. Curious about how it’s done? Don’t worry, I’ll explain the process for underclocking step-by-step later on.

Graphics cards are critical components that take rendering stress off the CPU. This lets us game in stunning 3D worlds. Naturally, gamers always want more FPS from their video cards. Overclocking delivers on that by pushing clocks beyond factory speeds. But did you know underclocking can optimize performance too? Believe it or not, downclocking isn’t just for lunatics; it’s a valid method for balancing graphics power with efficiency. By the end of this guide, you’ll understand how undervolting your GPU can keep temperatures down while still delivering awesome frame rates. Too good to be true? Just keep reading to see how simple it is to underclock your graphics card.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

• Underclocking is the process of lowering your GPU’s clock speed and voltage to reduce power consumption and heat output.
• The benefits of underclocking include saving energy, extending battery life on laptops, keeping your fans quieter, and preventing thermal throttling from overheating.
• However, underclocking will reduce your graphics card’s performance and stability since it’s running at slower speeds. Only do it if you don’t need maximum power or are having serious overheating issues.
• Thankfully, there are excellent software tools that make underclocking easy and safe. Apps like MSI Afterburner, EVGA Precision X1, and AMD Radeon Software give you full control over clocks and voltages.
• Before and after underclocking, be sure to benchmark and monitor your FPS, temperatures, and power draw. This will help you determine the optimal underclock settings for your specific GPU setup.

What is underclocking? What are the benefits of underclocking?

At the heart of every graphics card are the GPU cores; these little guys do all the heavy lifting when it comes to rendering graphics on your screen. Straight from the factory, these cores run at a certain “engine clock” speed. This factory speed can then be increased or decreased through overclocking or underclocking. Underclocking is basically the opposite of overclocking; it means lowering the clock speeds of your GPU cores. You might decide to do this for various reasons. Some cool benefits include using less power, staying cooler, extending your laptop’s battery life, getting more stable performance, and making your GPU last longer overall.

Now, underclocking isn’t going to be the best move for everyone. I mean, why purposely make an expensive part like your GPU weaker, right? But sometimes it can actually improve things more than overclocking would. Maybe your card gets too hot or your power supply is maxed out as is. Turning the clocks down could help maximize your setup in different ways.

Don’t get me wrong—extra performance from overclocking rocks most of the time. But don’t sleep on undervolting and underclocking either. They can definitely optimize your PC when overclocking just won’t cut it. In the end, it’s all about finding the sweet spot that works best for your individual usage and hardware setup. Cool? Then let’s check out how to actually do this underclocking thang.

How do I underclock a GPU? Possible methods

How to actually underclock your GPU! But first, don’t sweat it—underclocking is way easier than it sounds. Thankfully, you don’t need to take your whole computer apart or anything.

The best part is that every graphics card has special software just for tweaking its performance settings. Programs like MSI Afterburner or Radeon Software let you modify clocks easily without breaking a sweat.

By now, I hope y’all understand the concept of underclocking and when it could be useful. Now it’s time to get those hands dirty! Pay attention, because each step is important. Feel free to go back if needed. I’ll explain everything clearly.

There is no need to experiment without guidance. Stick to the instructions and do some testing between steps. We want this to be a safe learning experience. Any questions, just holler!

Alright, are you ready to start optimizing that GPU? Follow me, and I’ll walk you through it step-by-step.

Method 1: Underclocking GPU Using MSI Afterburner

MSI Afterburner is widely considered the best free software for overclocking and tweaking GPUs. It offers extremely detailed monitoring of your graphics card’s various components.

Underclocking using MSI Afterburner is straightforward:

• Launch the MSI Afterburner application. On the main screen, you’ll see two circular dials; the left one controls the core clock speed.
• The core clock value displayed is your GPU’s current frequency in MHz.
• Locate the vertical slider below the left dial. This is used to adjust the core clock setting.
• For underclocking, move the slider to the left to lower the core clock speed to your desired value.
• Don’t forget to click “Apply” to save the new underclocked setting.
• Verify in MSI Afterburner that the core clock displayed has decreased to your new value.
• Further testing is recommended by running benchmarks or games while monitoring for stability at the underclocked speed.

Check the temperatures, utilization, and performance impact of the underclock.

Make additional adjustments as needed, remembering to always “apply” any changes made.

Method 2: Underclocking GPU Using EVGA Precision X16

EVGA Precision X is a powerful overclocking and monitoring tool. It allows fine-grained control of clock speeds, voltages, fans, and more.

• To underclock your GPU using Precision X, follow these steps.
• Install and launch the latest version of EVGA Precision X. Use Precision X-OC for older cards.
• On the main screen, locate your graphics card listed at the top
• Click on the GPU name to open its settings page.
• Find the GPU clock offset slider. This adjusts the core clock speed
• For underclocking, drag the slider to the left to lower the clock speed to your desired value.
• Moving the slider left underclocks; moving the slider right is for overclocking.
• Click “Apply” to save the underclocked setting.
• Verify that the core clock speed has decreased as intended.
• Stress tests the underclocked speed through benchmarks and games.
• Monitor the temperature, load, and performance impact of the underclocked setting.
• Make additional adjustments as needed after reapplying the changes.

When is it necessary to underclock a GPU? 

• Underclocking your GPU can be pretty useful in certain situations. If you’re just browsing the web or playing some chill low-graphics games, your card really doesn’t need to be running at full speed for that.
• Those kinds of lighter tasks don’t push the GPU very hard, so dropping the clocks can save some juice. The same goes if you’re just doing basic stuff on your PC.
• It’s also great for saving money long-term. Lower clocks mean less power being drawn, so your electricity bill won’t get as high over months of use. Plus, it’s easier on your hardware.
• I know some peeps play in super warm places. When it’s hot out, your PC can struggle to keep cool, even with fans blasting. Underclocking creates less heat, so your cooling has an easier time. Really, anytime your GPU isn’t under a heavy work load, it’s a good idea to set some underclocks. An easy way to optimize power and take care of your components for the long haul. Just kick the clocks back up when you need that power for intense games or tasks.

Conclusion

In the end, underclocking takes some experimenting to really figure out. Part of what makes it fun is tweaking things and seeing how stable they are at different clocks and voltages. The best way is to stress test as you go—run games or benchmarks and keep an eye on temps, wattage usage, and any crashing. If it crashes, adjust the voltage or clocks and test again. Rinse and repeat until you find the lowest stable underclock. Now I know not everyone needs maxed-out, overclocked performance all the time. But going through this process can really help you dial in efficiency gains for folks like laptop gamers or crypto miners. It does require some back-and-forth testing to find that sweet spot between maximum efficiency and raw power. But man, does it feel good when you nail it? Lower heat, power use, and noise—plus less strain on your hardware over time.

Of course, there is a trade-off in giving up some performance too. But when paired with undervolting, you can turn your PC into a super-efficient machine. Or, honestly, you may just want to blast things at stock speeds and not mess with any of this tweaking. Different strokes for different folks! I hope this article helped you understand what underclocking is about. Let me know if any other questions come up.