MSI Afterburner enables overclocking for Nvidia RTX 50 series

Owners of Nvidia’s RTX 50-series graphics cards can now boost their memory speeds for free. The popular overclocking tool, MSI Afterburner, has updated its software to allow memory overclocking. Users can increase their GDDR7 memory speeds by up to 10%, reaching data transfer rates of 36 gigatransfers per second (GT/s). The RTX 50-series GPUs typically have GDDR7 memory rated between 28GT/s and 32GT/s. Nvidia usually sets these default speeds lower to ensure stability, with most models at 28GT/s and the RTX 5080 at 30GT/s. The new MSI Afterburner update lets users go beyond these factory settings. To take advantage of this feature, users need to modify a specific database file in the latest version of MSI Afterburner. Detailed instructions are available on the Guru3D forums. However, overclocking can carry risks, such as system instability or hardware damage due to increased heat. This update is especially beneficial for RTX 5080 users, as their memory modules are rated for 32GT/s but run at a lower speed by default. With this update, they can unlock the full potential of their graphics cards. While MSI Afterburner remains a popular choice for overclocking, some users may consider alternatives like Asus’ GPU Tweak III, which also supports memory overclocking for these GPUs. Regardless of the tool used, users should carefully research overclocking and understand the potential risks before proceeding.