When you have a GPU, then there are a few things that you should know about it. That can help you maintain it well and have better durability than most other GPUs. Though most GPU models these days come with terrific specifications and other features, knowing how to Undervolt the AMD & NVIDIA GPUs is highly beneficial for you.
It is ideal for you when you require to refresh the model so that it can perform much better than it should. Doing that can help you reduce the voltage demands, decrease the noise level, and enhance your GPU’s thermal activity.
But it can also improve the performance of your device to what you were expecting from it. How do you do the Undervolting for the GPU model in your PC? Don’t fret. We have provided you with everything that you will require for doing that. Keep reading to learn all about Undervolting your graphics card.
Why Undervolt?
If you use your CPU, it sometimes uses more power. When that is the case, then you would want to do something that can help it reduce the power consumption. Besides, under volt also helps in decreasing the temperature.
It may benefit your battery life in the long run and enable it to be durable. However, if your CPU runs fine, then it is alright. You do not need to tweak it too much. Perhaps, you can ask a technician who can help you out with it.
How to start?
You will want to know that the GPU models can be undervolted if you wish to, but not all of them can be done. Few outdated models like the NVIDIA 10 series may not let you do so. Moreover, you also have the voltages are usually locked on most of them.
It is done on the Pascal series (GTX 10xx). It means that the popular Undervolting GPU tools do not actually support the graphics card. Likewise, we also have AMD GPUs that can be undervolted.
You can also do the same on their older models, too, if you want. Few models like the Vega series could require some Undervolting when you can infuse some additional power into them. Besides, their clock speeds improve as the temperature decreases, and work at low voltage.
How to undervolt an AMD graphics card?
First, we will see how to under volt the AMD graphics card and then move on to the NVIDIA graphics card. Though the title says only about the AMD RX 6000 Series GPU, we thought we would provide our readers will both these brands as they are popularly used globally.
We begin by letting you know a small secret based on our research. The NVIDIA GPUs are more difficult to undervolt than the AMD GPUs. That is because the AMD models come with the tools that one might need for Undervolting the GPU.
You do not need to do any extra steps for Undervolting it.
1. Enter the Radeon control panel
The AMD GPUs come with the Radeon Wattman that can be found inside the Radeon control panel. To get inside the control panel, you need to right-click on the desktop. Then you need to choose from the dropdown menu and click on the Radeon control panel.
2. You have to open Radeon Wattman
Some AMD GPUs may have a different kind of Radeon control panel. In a sense, they all might not appear as the same. So, there is no need to panic or get annoyed about that. You can easily navigate through it.
On the top of the screen, you will need to click on the gaming section. Then you need to make use of the global settings. Finally, you can find what you want in there, Global Wattman. You have to accept the warning; otherwise, you won’t be allowed to proceed further by AMD.
You might want to read the warning properly because it warns about you the potential risks. Many users don’t tend to give it a read and then complain if something bad happens. It helps you to retain the warranty if damage occurs during the procedure.
3. You must test the frequency of your GPU
You have to use the Radeon Wattman to map the clock speed and the voltage of the Radeon card. In the Wattman interface, you can navigate to the tuning control and then make use of the GPU stress test program.
Some users made use of a program like the FurMark. You need to let the program to run for 15 minutes, and then the Radeon Wattman is open in the back of your screen. You might want to note the numbers that are present on the left-hand side of the screen.
You also need to note the core speed and the peak core speed of your GPU. Please do not forget to do that. This is again something that many users tend to miss out on, so please do so. Now, you can make use of the tuning control interface to auto-undervolt the GPU.
We encourage you to try it out, but you can also do it yourself if you want.
4. You should adjust the voltage and frequency
You have to navigate on the frequency and voltage section of the Global Wattman. Now, you can adjust the control from manual to auto. There will be a curved line that offers you with the mV and the MHz values.
When you want to under-volt the PGU, you need to reduce the power consumption of the GPU model and maintain its frequency of it. The dots that are present on the screen show the voltage, and the white bars represent the clock speed.
You can get under volt the graphics card by using the low voltage value when the model touches the maximum at the right frequency. However, though you lower the voltage, you do not require to use the dotted and curved lines.
If you place the new values at the bottom of the screen, then you may have to choose the values that can give you the right kind of frequency. However, they can come with a low voltage
If you are satisfied with what you see, you can click on the apply button.
5. You can test your graphics card
Now, you have to test the graphics card. You should find out the long-term stability of the GPU model. You can know that by seeing how well it does when it is put to the stress test. You can try a few ways to get the actual value of it.
You can start by playing your favorite game. When you do that, you would want to make use of the stress test or do the benchmark using 3DMark Time Spy & FurMark. You can let it go for some time.
When you have done the stress test for some time and see that they are no crashes, then it is complete. Your GPU model has been successfully undervolted. You can do the steps that you want if you want.
Supposing you have any crashes, then you can increase the voltage or reduce the clock speeds till the issues get over.
6. Monitor your graphics card with HWiNFO
A user suggested this method. The AMD Radeon Wattman & MSI Afterburner are good enough. However, you may want to make use of HWiNFO. When you have installed the program, you get plenty of information on the system.
The right corner of the screen provides you with the details you would want to know. This is about the graphics card and the speed of the model. When you want to get the actual figures, then you can play a game or let the PC work for some time.
You can write down the best number that has been provided with the GPU model. It is also helpful in ensuring if your Undervolting was good or not. You need to make use of it along with the game or benchmark and find out if the frequencies were able to match.
How to undervolt the NVIDIA graphics card?
The Undervolting process of the NVIDIA GPUs is somewhat complicated. But it can be done when you try it out yourself. We have provided you with all of the steps that are required in this procedure.
1. You need to download MSI Afterburner
The first step in this process would be to download the MSI Afterburner. This is one of the most popular Undervolting software that is used for NVIDIA graphics cards. You would want to download the program to begin using the tool.
Once it is downloaded, then you would want to install it on your PC device and then launch it effortlessly.
2. You can access the curve editor
At the lower left screen on the interface, you can find the details of the power consumption on the GPU. The detail can help you decide accordingly. Then you can find the curve editor that can be accessed by pressing the ctrl + F buttons.
After the curve editor is opened, you can see a graph that comes with two crucial items of information for you: the Y-axis and the X-axis. The X-axis is the voltage data, and the Y-axis is the frequency.
3. Now, you need to test the GPU
You need to understand the kind of frequency that the GPU works when it is under stress. This data can help you understand the performance of your model. You can do that using two methods.
You can run the stress test like the FurMark or make use of the GPU-intensive program. You will want to let the program run for 15 minutes or more. This can help you understand things. Besides, some of the games can be based on the processor and not the GPU model.
This gives you with the exact frequency that happens at the high resolution. Some users highly recommended the use of the Amazon Games New World. When the program has been run on the PC, you will want to make use of the Window mode.
You can see the data that is present on the MSI Afterburner. You may want to see the section that comes as MHz with the number it presents.
4. You should find the right axis in the curve editor
Now you need to find the right axis in the curve editor. You can do that by knowing what the frequency is on the Y-axis. For that, you need to click on the dotted curve line when you can find the correct frequency.
Now, you can look down and then see the voltage that is present in there. Then it would help if you compared that to the MHz.
5. You need to pick the new voltage
You may know by now that the Undervolting process cannot be exact at most times. This is why it is finding it out yourself. When you begin with 1000mV of the frequency of 1873MHz, then you would want to understand more about it.
Slowly, you can increase the temperature of the GPU from 950mV and go up. The numbers depend on the graphics card. You will want to under volt the number little by little until you are able to reach the right score.
The number that is finally provided to you is a figure that comes with a lower frequency than what you would like to maintain. Of course, there are methods to fix that.
6. You need to adjust the core clock
Now, you have to go back to the main window of the MSI Afterburner and then check for the MHz section. You need to then adjust the core clock for the graphics card frequency that is then able to blend with the voltage that you feel to maintain.
It would help if you improved the curve on the curve editor changes. Then you have to track the voltage that is present at the bottom of the GPU model. The frequency is also present on the left of the unit, where you can increase the clock speed until the frequency is the same when present on the stress test operating on the low voltage.
The end results that come on the GPU can run on the same frequency that was present when you were maintaining the voltage. The numbers can change depending on the values.
7. You have to maintain the voltage and core speed
You have now changed the voltage and the clock speed of the GPU. You will want to make sure that the values do not push above then what you wanted. However, you can make use of the curve editor and then make the adjustment.
You will want to then click on the voltage of your choice. It would help if you came down from the small squares present in the area that you have highlighted. Then you need to form a straight line along with the frequency of the GPU.
8. You need to save and adjust
It is essential that you save and adjust the values that you got during the readings. To do that, you have to proceed to the MSI Afterburner window and then press on the save icon that is present in the middle of the screen.
If you wish, you will want to place the new voltage and frequency values by booting using the same game or another game. You can then track the importance of the MSI Afterburner to find out that you are on the same frequency you were when Undervolting the graphics card.
When you have not, then you may want to increase the core clock. You can then begin doing the process again. Allow the game to go on for 60 minutes or more. When everything works just fine, then you can proceed.
If you want to try out things again, then you may want to reduce the voltage and try again. But when you have graphical issues or experience a crash, then the card has been undervolted too further.
You have to begin again using a high voltage, maintaining the clock speed. Doing that enables you to get to the exact spot.
9. You need to stress-test the card
You need to stress-test the graphics card. Though it is an additional step, you would want to consider doing it. Place the GPU under a stress test to know if it can take the pressure appropriately. You can play any amount of games to understand how well the graphics card plays.
But you can also make use of other methods to find out. You can download the 3DMark Time Spy or the FurMark and then run the stress test a few times. When everything is fine, then you have managed to get things into order and now can under volt your NVIDIA GPU model.
Conclusion
This is it. We hope that you liked what you read and were able to learn how to under volt AMD RX 6000 Series GPUs and NVIDIA GPUs in that process. After all, these two manufacturers provide you with GPUs.
There is no harm in knowing more about them. You never know when you might want to under volt your GPUs, irrespective of the make. You are welcome to share this post with your friends or any professional gamer who is having trouble with their GPU.
Have you done this before? Which method do you find helpful? Which one was easier, the AMD model or the NVIDIA model? Do write to us about your GPU experience and performance after you have done the Undervolting to them.
Not necessarily. We should know that by now after going through this post. The Undervolting process helps in increasing the thermal tasks on your GPU, nothing else. So, we really cannot say that this process allows GPU performance.
Yes, you must be careful at times, especially if your PC GPU is more than 8-10 years older. That is because older GPUs can cause a loss in performance if you undervolt them. So, you can adjust the temperature of your GPU so that it decreases the voltage of your PC system.
When the voltage of your GPU device is very low, then it can cause some deflection in the frame rate of your PC. Hence, you will want to check whether the GPU performance for being able to improve the voltage change in the device.
You must not under-volt your GPU a lot because it can crash. Some of the latest Windows version offers you with a message, and then your screen becomes blank. You need to reset your PC device then.
That will not happen. You can do the Undervolting procedure to your PC device without worrying about your GPU warranty; if you want to damage your PC device or the GPU, that can void your warranty.
That is not really possible. Your CPU requires you to be able to have the proper voltage, and sometimes it can change with time. When you see that your PC is freezing, then you should decrease the Undervolting process till this issue is solved.
James Smith has always been intrigued by electronic products since his childhood. After his post graduation in electronics from a popular university, he decided to pursue a career in the electronics sector. But his calling for writing about these marvellous pieces of work got the better of him. That is how UBG was started. With a writing career spanning more than 12 years, James has worked on several hundred product reviews. During his free time, he like to spend time with his pet dog and relax in the swimming pool.