The last update for the MSI Afterburner came in December 2021. (Image: MSI)
Update 10.01.2023 19:06: MSI meanwhile has pcgamer.com informed that they will continue the development of MSI Afterburner and that they will quickly search for a solution. It is not yet clear whether they are looking for one to be able to pay Nicolaychuk or whether they want to further develop the tool without him.
Original message: Appreciated by many gamers and PC enthusiasts for its user-friendly interface and extensive overclocking and undervolting features, MSI Afterburner has built a loyal following and is a must-have tool for many.
But now the Russian developer of Afterburner, Alexey Nicolaychuk, has announced that he is no longer able to continue work on the tool due to sanctions and the economic impact of the war between Russia and Ukraine. This means that the latest graphics cards are no longer supported.
Whether the development will be continued at some point is questionable. Fortunately, there are some alternatives so you don’t end up without tuning software for your computer. We have selected six software options for you.
ASUS GPU Tweak
(Image: ASUS)
Implementing the analysis and monitoring capabilities of TechPowerUP’s GPU-Z makes ASUS GPU Tweak a reliable application for optimizing GPUs. The user interface is clear and simple.
Just like MSI Afterburner, you can adjust core speed (GPU frequency), memory speed (VRAM frequency), power supply and fan speed. So, it is a full-fledged alternative to MSI Afterburner and offers the same features to optimize GPU performance. Asus GPU Tweak is free and compatible with all Nvidia and AMD graphics cards – except integrated GPUs.
more on the subject
Overclock graphics card – How to get more performance out of your graphics card
EVGA Precision X1
(Image: EVGA)
Although EVGA has withdrawn from the graphics card market, work on theirs appears to be ongoing GPU-Software to go on – at least the Geforce RTX 4090 is supported. The functionality and user interface is very similar to that of MSI Afterburner. For AMD graphics card owners, EVGA Precision X1 is not an option as the tool only supports Nvidia graphics cards.
NZXT CAM
(Image: NZXT)
That CAMtool from NZXT is not only used to customize the company’s own products. You can also make minor adjustments to the GPU. It is possible to display the performance values and adjust the GPU clock. There is also the option to fine-tune the power consumption of the entire PC, but only in conjunction with an NZXT power supply.
AMD Radeon Software
If you have an AMD graphics card, you can use Radeon Software to monitor and optimize your GPU’s performance. To do this, open the user interface by right-clicking on your desktop and then AMD Radeon Software
selects. Alternatively, you can also use the keyboard shortcut ALT+R. Under Windows 11 you have to open beforehand Show more options
walk.
Im Menureiter power
you will find functions that are similar to those of MSI Afterburner. You can monitor the performance values displayed in an overlay, change clock rates, voltages and fan speeds. Attention: AMD warns that the available functions may vary depending on the GPU used and some of them may not be available.
Nvidia Inspector
(Image: TechPowerUp)
Nvidia Inspector is a tool designed to monitor and optimize the performance of Nvidia graphics cards. Like Afterburner, the Inspector offers features such as GPU performance monitoring, overclocking, fan control, and displaying information and settings for 3D applications. The tool is therefore a good alternative if you have a graphics card from the green camp. Only the slightly outdated user interface could be better.
Nvidia Geforce Experience
Nvidia Shadowplay, which is integrated into Nvidia’s Geforce Experience driver, offers a slightly better user interface. Before you can get started, you need to go to the Geforce Experience settings and enable the in-game overlay there. You can then open it with the keyboard shortcut ALT+Z.
Then click on the tab power
. Here you can monitor the performance values live and make rudimentary settings on the GPU. The range of functions is unfortunately very limited. It is possible to activate an auto-tuning, adjust the maximum voltage, change power consumption, chip temperature and fan speed.
But to be honest: none of these alternatives are quite a match for the MSI Afterburner. After all, the great popularity of the tool is no coincidence. However, until MSI finds a way to pay Nicolaychuk, development is unlikely to proceed. We hope that our alternatives could still help you at least a little bit.
Undervolting, which can be done with the MSI Afterburner, among other things, has become increasingly popular in times of high energy prices. You can read about exactly how this works and what it brings here:
I do this with every graphics card – and you should do it too
Do you know any other Afterburner alternatives? Which tools do you use to overclock and undervolt your computer? Tell us your favorites in the comments and tell us why you recommend them!
Table of Contents
