Undervolting lowers the voltage your CPU or graphics card uses at a given clock speed, which reduces heat, fan noise, and power draw without necessarily losing performance. Done correctly, it can shave 10 to 20 degrees Celsius off peak temperatures on a budget gaming PC. Done badly, it creates the exact problems you were trying to fix: random crashes to desktop, freezes during loading screens, corrupted game saves, Windows blue screens, or a system that will not boot until you clear the CMOS. An unstable undervolt is also easy to misdiagnose as a failing power supply or bad RAM, which leads to wasted money on parts you did not need.
Unlike overclocking, undervolting does not automatically void most warranties, but pushing voltages too low and then forcing repeated hard shutdowns can stress storage drives and your operating system. The goal of this guide is to help you lower temperatures safely, test for stability at each step, and know when to stop.
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What You Need
| Item | Why | Optional? |
|---|---|---|
| Budget gaming PC with discrete GPU | The system you will tune. Most guides focus on GPUs like the NVIDIA RTX 4060, RTX 4060 Ti, or AMD RX 7600, and CPUs like the Intel i5-12400F / i5-14400F or Ryzen 5 5600. | No |
| Hardware monitoring software (HWiNFO64, HWMonitor) | To track temperature, wattage, clock speed, and voltage in real time. | No |
| Stress testing and benchmarking tools (Cinebench R23, Heaven Benchmark, 3DMark Demo, OCCT) | To verify stability after each voltage change instead of waiting for a crash in a game. | No |
| GPU tuning utility (MSI Afterburner) | Provides the voltage/frequency curve editor needed for GPU undervolting. AMD users can also use AMD Software: Adrenalin Edition. | No |
| CPU tuning utility (Intel XTU or ThrottleStop for Intel, Ryzen Master for AMD, or BIOS) | Lets you apply a negative voltage offset to the CPU. | No |
| Notebook and backup drive or restore point | To record stable settings and recover if Windows becomes unstable. A 500GB to 1TB external SSD typically costs $55 to $90. | Yes, but highly recommended |
| Aftermarket cooling (tower air cooler or 240mm/360mm AIO liquid cooler) | Not required for undervolting, but helps if your case has poor airflow. A 240mm AIO typically measures about 277 x 120 x 27mm for the radiator and costs $70 to $120. A 360mm AIO like the Yeyian CPU Liquid Cooling System PC Gaming Series with three 120mm fans often retails around $100 to $160. Prebuilt systems such as the Cooler Master Sneaker X Gaming PC Desktop with an i5-14600K and RTX 4060 Ti, which retails around $1,900 to $2,100, already include higher-end cooling, so undervolting is more about noise and efficiency than necessity. | Yes |
Step-by-Step
Step 1: Establish Your Baseline (15 minutes)
Before changing anything, know your starting point. Close all background apps, then run HWiNFO64 in sensors-only mode. Play a demanding game for 10 minutes or run a 10-minute combined test in OCCT, and note three numbers: maximum CPU temperature, maximum GPU temperature, and GPU hotspot temperature. Also note average clock speeds and wattage. For many budget towers with a single 120mm exhaust fan and a basic air cooler, expect CPU peaks of 80 to 90 degrees Celsius and GPU peaks of 75 to 85 degrees Celsius under load. Write these numbers down. You will compare every change against them.
Step 2: Create a Safety Net (5 minutes)
Create a Windows System Restore Point and, if possible, export your current BIOS profile to a USB drive from within the BIOS. For GPU work, take a screenshot of your stock MSI Afterburner voltage/frequency curve and save it. If the system becomes unbootable after a CPU undervolt, you can clear CMOS by powering off, unplugging, and either pressing the Clear CMOS button on the rear I/O or removing the coin-cell battery for 2 to 3 minutes.
Step 3: Undervolt the GPU First – The Biggest Win (20 to 30 minutes)
The GPU produces most of the heat in a gaming PC, so start there. Open MSI Afterburner and press Ctrl+F to open the voltage/frequency curve.
For an RTX 4060 or RTX 4060 Ti, a common stable approach as of 2026 is to target 925 to 950 millivolts at 2400 to 2550 MHz instead of the stock curve which often pushes 1050 to 1100 millivolts for the same frequency. Click on the point at 950 mV, drag it up to your desired frequency, then Shift-drag the entire curve flat after that point so voltage never exceeds 950 mV. Click Apply.
For an AMD RX 7600, open AMD Software: Adrenalin Edition, go to Performance then Tuning, enable Custom Tuning, enable Advanced Control for Voltage, and reduce voltage by 30 to 50 millivolts at a time. Do not use both Afterburner and Adrenalin at once for voltage control.
Keep power limit at 100 percent for now. You are reducing voltage, not capping power.
Step 4: Stress Test the GPU Undervolt (20 minutes)
Run a loop of Heaven Benchmark or the 3DMark Time Spy demo for 15 minutes while watching HWiNFO64. Look for artifacts (flashing textures, white dots), driver crashes, or sudden clock drops. If stable, play your most demanding game for another 15 minutes. If you crash, raise voltage by 15 to 25 millivolts and test again. If stable, you can try lowering another 15 millivolts. Most budget GPUs stabilize with a 50 to 100 millivolt reduction, which often drops board power by 20 to 40 watts and GPU temperature by 8 to 15 degrees Celsius.
Step 5: Undervolt the CPU (15 to 20 minutes)
Once the GPU is stable, move to the CPU. The safest method for beginners is a negative voltage offset in the BIOS.
Restart and enter BIOS (usually Del or F2). Find CPU Core Voltage or Vcore Offset. Set it to Negative or Minus and start with -0.030V (-30 millivolts). Save and boot into Windows. If BIOS feels intimidating, use Intel XTU (for Intel Core i5-13400, i5-14400, i5-14600K) or Ryzen Master (for Ryzen 5 5600, 7600) inside Windows and apply the same -30 millivolt offset.
For locked budget CPUs that do not allow traditional undervolting, look for Lite Load, CPU Lite Load, or Undervolt Protection settings and set to a lower mode, or use a small offset if available. Avoid touching CPU clock ratio or BCLK.
Step 6: Stress Test the CPU Undervolt (30 minutes)
Run Cinebench R23 multi-core for 10 minutes or OCCT CPU test for 15 minutes. Watch for WHEA errors in HWiNFO64 and watch temperatures. A good undervolt should reduce package power by 10 to 25 watts and lower peak temperature by 5 to 12 degrees Celsius while maintaining the same all-core frequency (for example, 4.0 to 4.4 GHz on an i5-14400F).
If the system freezes or Cinebench crashes, return to BIOS and make the offset less aggressive, such as -0.020V. If stable, you can try -0.040V to -0.060V, testing each step. Stop when you see instability and then revert to the last stable value.
Step 7: Final Combined Gaming Test and Fan Tuning (15 minutes)
With both CPU and GPU undervolted, run a real game session for 30 to 45 minutes. Monitor fan noise. Now you can benefit from the headroom you created. Open your BIOS fan curve or your case fan software and lower fan speeds by 10 to 15 percent at 65 to 75 degrees Celsius. Because the components are cooler, you can keep the same temperatures as before but with noticeably less noise, typically a 3 to 6 decibel reduction if you were previously at full fan speed.
Save your final stable profiles in Afterburner (click Save and assign to a number slot) and save your BIOS profile.
Mistakes to Avoid
Do not drop voltage in large jumps. Lowering by 100 millivolts at once almost guarantees instability and masks where your true limit is. Move in 15 to 30 millivolt increments.
Do not change CPU and GPU voltages at the same time. If you crash, you will not know which component caused it.
Do not ignore the hotspot and memory junction temperatures. A GPU core at 70 degrees Celsius can still have a hotspot of 95 degrees Celsius if case airflow is poor. HWiNFO64 reports both. If the hotspot is more than 15 to 20 degrees higher than the core, improve case airflow before pushing the undervolt further.
Do not run long stress tests on a laptop or small-form-factor PC sitting on carpet or bedding. Poor intake clearance raises temperatures by 10 to 15 degrees and invalidates your results. Place the PC on a hard, flat surface with at least 4 to 6 inches of clearance on intake and exhaust sides.
Do not set an undervolt and assume it is permanent. Driver updates, BIOS updates, and even a new game engine can shift stability. Retest for 10 minutes after any major update.
How Often
Undervolting is not routine maintenance. Once you find a stable setting, you can leave it for months. Check temperatures seasonally, especially when moving into summer when ambient room temperature rises by 5 to 10 degrees Fahrenheit. If you notice slightly higher idle temperatures or dust buildup, clean intake filters every 30 to 60 days and re-check with a 10-minute benchmark every 3 to 6 months. If you upgrade your graphics driver, BIOS, or add a new component, re-run your combined stability test before considering the job done.
When to Call a Pro or Replace
Call a professional or consider replacement if any of these apply even after restoring stock voltages. If the PC still crashes at default settings, the issue is not the undervolt. If temperatures remain above 90 degrees Celsius for the CPU or 85 degrees Celsius for the GPU at stock in a 72 degree Fahrenheit room, you likely have a hardware problem such as dried thermal paste, a dead fan, a 240mm or 360mm AIO pump failure, or blocked airflow from dust. Most thermal paste should be replaced every 3 to 5 years, and a basic repaste service typically costs $60 to $120 at a local shop.
If your budget case weighs under 12 pounds and has a solid front panel with only small side vents, no amount of undervolting will fix choked airflow; consider a mesh-front case that measures roughly 400 to 460mm tall and supports at least two 140mm intake fans. If your power supply is a generic unit under 500 watts and lacks an 80 PLUS Bronze rating or better, do not attempt to compensate with tuning. Have a technician test the unit, as an unstable 12-volt rail will cause crashes that look like a bad undervolt.
FAQ
Will undervolting reduce my FPS?
If done correctly, no. You are telling the chip to run at the same frequency with less voltage. You may lose 1 to 3 percent performance if you choose a very conservative frequency target to ensure stability, which is unnoticeable in most games. If you see a drop larger than 5 percent, your voltage is too low and the chip is throttling.
Is undervolting safe for a budget gaming PC?
Yes, when done gradually. You are reducing electrical stress and heat, which can extend component life. The risk comes from instability, not damage. Unlike overvolting, undervolting does not increase heat or current. Always test in small steps and revert to the last stable setting if you see crashes.
Should I undervolt CPU, GPU, or both?
For cooler, quieter gaming, undervolt the GPU first. It usually accounts for 60 to 70 percent of system heat while gaming. If your CPU still hits 85 degrees Celsius or louder fan speeds after the GPU is tuned, then undervolt the CPU as well. Doing both often reduces total system power by 30 to 60 watts, which a typical 550 to 650 watt budget power supply handles more comfortably.
Why does my PC crash only in certain games after undervolting?
Different games stress different parts of the chip. A setting that passes a synthetic benchmark may still fail in a game that rapidly changes load, such as open-world titles. If one specific game crashes, raise voltage by 15 millivolts and retest in that game. Saving two Afterburner profiles, one for general use and one slightly higher voltage for demanding titles, is a practical compromise.
