Software:MSI Afterburner

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MSI Afterburner
Original author(s)Alexey Nicolaychuk
Developer(s)MSI
Initial releaseOctober 2009 (2009-10)[1]
Stable release
4.6.6 (final) / October 2025; 8 months ago (2025-10)
Preview release
4.6.7 Beta 2 / 12 February 2026; 4 months ago (2026-02-12)
Operating systemMicrosoft Windows
TypeOverclocking
LicenseFreeware
Websitemsi.com/Landing/afterburner/graphics-cards

MSI Afterburner is an overclocking and monitoring utility software for graphics cards, provided by MSI.[2] Developed in Russia[3] by Alexey Nicolaychuk,[4] who also developed RivaTuner,[5] it is widely used for enhancing the performance of graphics cards, especially in gaming and high-performance tasks.[6] Afterburner can overclock the GPU and video memory, monitor hardware temperatures and clock speeds, perform benchmarks, and display an on-screen display to show frames per second, temperatures, GPU and CPU usage, etc. MSI Afterburner is compatible with Nvidia, AMD and Intel GPUs, including iGPUs.[7][8]

MSI Afterburner first released in October 2009, for Windows XP and later.[9] Following Russia's invasion of Ukraine in 2022, sanctions prevented MSI from paying Nicolaychuk, leading to a pause in the software's development until 2023.[10][11]

Features

One of the primary features of MSI Afterburner is its ability to overclock graphics cards. Overclocking can boost the performance of a graphics card by increasing the clock speeds and adjusting memory settings resulting in smoother frame rates and better performance in demanding games and applications, however if pushed too high, the overclock can damage the graphics card and may result in the warranty being voided. Afterburner provides sliders to tweak the core clock, memory clock, and voltage. By increasing the voltage, users can achieve more stability at higher frequencies, which is essential for running demanding games or tasks without crashes or instability. However, voltage increases should be done cautiously to avoid damaging the GPU or causing excessive heat.[12] It gives users full control over the GPU's fan speed. Users can create custom fan curves based on temperature thresholds, ensuring either higher temperature of the graphics card but quieter operation and vice-versa.[13]

Reception

In 2019, PC World praised Afterburner for its customizability and built-in video capture tool while criticizing its usability and negative performance impact on lower-end systems.[14]

See also

References

  1. ↑ Wright, Arol (2021-11-01). "The Complete Guide to Using MSI Afterburner" (in en). https://www.makeuseof.com/the-complete-guide-to-using-msi-afterburner/. 
  2. ↑ Hale, Brent (2021-08-06). "How to Use MSI Afterburner [Quick & Easy Guide"] (in en-US). https://techguided.com/how-to-use-msi-afterburner/. 
  3. ↑ Porter, Jon (2023-01-09). "MSI says Afterburner isn’t abandoned, despite its developer’s doubts" (in en-US). https://www.theverge.com/2023/1/9/23546476/msi-afterburner-abandoned-dead-unwinder-developer-russia-ukraine-war. "MSI Afterburner’s Russia-based developer Unwinder says he might need to drop the project, but MSI says it’s working to resolve the issue." 
  4. ↑ Klotz, Aaron (2025-09-11). "MSI Afterburner developer adding 'triple channel voltage' support for future MSI RTX 50 graphics cards" (in en). https://www.tomshardware.com/pc-components/gpus/msi-afterburner-developer-adding-triple-channel-voltage-support-for-future-msi-rtx-50-graphics-cards. "MSI Afterburner's sole developer, Alexey Nicolaychuk, is working on a new update for the app that will expand its voltage support for overclocking enthusiasts." 
  5. ↑ WhyCry (2012-11-09). "GPU Overclocking Apps Review" (in en-US). https://videocardz.com/35604/gpu-overclocking-apps-review. 
  6. ↑ Mujtaba, Hassan (2023-01-09). "MSI Afterburner GPU OC & Tuning Utility Is Facing A Funding Issues But MSI Working On A Resolution" (in en-US). https://wccftech.com/msi-afterburner-gpu-oc-tuning-utility-is-facing-a-funding-issues-but-msi-working-on-a-resolution/. "MSI Afterburner is probably the first software that comes to mind when we talk about GPU OC & tuning software. It has been widely used by gamers, enthusiasts, and professional overclockers for over a decade." 
  7. ↑ "Unlock the Power of Your Intel HD Graphics with MSI Afterburner's Overclocking Capabilities - Vtechinsider" (in en-US). 2023-10-25. https://vtechinsider.com/can-msi-afterburner-overclock-intel-hd-graphics/. 
  8. ↑ Elmore, John (2024-01-23). "Does MSI Afterburner Work with Any GPU? Unveiling Compatibility and Performance Boosts" (in en-US). https://thetechylife.com/does-msi-afterburner-work-with-any-gpu/. 
  9. ↑ "MSI Afterburner". 2009-12-05. http://event.msi.com/vga/afterburner/download.htm. 
  10. ↑ Cunningham, Andrew (2023-04-21). "MSI Afterburner GPU overclocking tool returns after Ukraine war paused development" (in en). https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2023/04/msi-afterburner-gpu-overclocking-app-finally-updated-with-rtx-4000-rx-7000-support/. 
  11. ↑ Norem, Josh (2023-04-20). "MSI Afterburner Is Back From the Dead" (in en). https://www.extremetech.com/gaming/msi-afterburner-is-back-from-the-dead. 
  12. ↑ Pande, Ayush (2023-08-09). "How to use MSI Afterburner to overclock and monitor your PC" (in en). https://www.xda-developers.com/msi-afterburner-guide/. 
  13. ↑ "How to use MSI Afterburner, one of the top GPU overclocking and monitoring tools" (in en). 2023-02-24. https://www.digitaltrends.com/computing/how-to-use-msi-afterburner/#dt-heading-how-to-overclock-your-graphics-card-with-msi-afterburner. 
  14. ↑ Paul, Ian (2019-01-31). "MSI Afterburner video capture review: You can do better" (in en). https://www.pcworld.com/article/402785/msi-afterburner-video-capture-review.html. 



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