This is the memory clock speed – this can also be overclocked, but only after testing the core clock.This is your core clock speed – this is the main speed you’ll be overclocking.Details for each element have been provided below. In the image above, we’ve numbered the different elements in Afterburner that you need to pay attention to. You’ll need to get to grips with this software as you stress test your GPU. Now that we’ve gone over the basics, let’s look at how you can start to overclock your GPU.įirst, open up MSI Afterburner. Getting Started With The Overclocking Software It’s best to start slow and make your way up until you notice problems.

If you try to push your GPU too hard with the MSI Afterburner overclocking software, your graphics card will either show graphical glitches, or your PC will crash.ĭon’t worry – you can simply dial your GPU speeds back down to a safe level if this happens.

As a result, you must test your own overclocking speeds to find the sweet spot. For example, your GTX 1080 may be able to safely overclock to a higher speed than your friend’s GTX 1080. It’s important to find a good balance between more performance and a stable temperature for your graphics card.Įvery GPU is different. Understanding What Overclocking a GPU Doesīefore we get into the overclocking process, let’s first talk about what overclocking a GPU actually does.Įssentially, overclocking a GPU increases its performance by boosting the speed that the graphical processor works at.Īll GPUs are set to run at a certain speed, called the base clock, but different cards usually have the potential to surpass the speed set by the manufacturer.īy overclocking the speed, your GPU will increase in temperature and it will draw more power. Finally, if you’d like an extra temperature and voltage monitor, you can download GPU temp.For stress testing software, you should download Heaven Benchmark.For overclocking software, you should download MSI Afterburner from MSI.com.The overclocking software suggested below already does this, but it’s nice to have an external program that can be minimized to the system tray. You may also want to download an optional third program that can monitor your GPU temperature. Secondly, you’ll need a program that can stress test your system to make sure the settings you’ve used are stable. Firstly, you’ll need the software that can be used to set new speeds for your GPU. To overclock your graphics card, you’ll need two pieces of software.

Afterburner stress test