MSI Afterburner, the renowned overclocking and monitoring utility for graphics cards, is set to receive a significant update tailored for NVIDIA’s GeForce RTX 50 series GPUs. The software’s lead developer, Alexey “Unwinder” Nicolaychuk, recently confirmed that upcoming MSI RTX 50×0 cards, specifically non-reference “Extreme OC” designs, will feature unlocked extended voltage control, unlocking new possibilities for enthusiasts and overclockers. This development, combined with other enhancements, solidifies MSI Afterburner’s position as a leading tool for GPU tweaking.
In a recent post on the Guru3D forums, Unwinder revealed that MSI has collaborated with NVIDIA to enable advanced overclocking features on future MSI RTX 50×0 graphics cards. Unlike current reference design RTX 5080 and RTX 5090 cards, which have restricted PWM controller access due to NVIDIA’s limitations, these upcoming “Extreme OC” models will support extended triple-channel voltage control. This includes:
Core Voltage Control: Direct PWM access mode with a ±100mV range, a significant improvement over the default 0 to ~20mV overvoltage range on reference designs.
Memory Voltage Control: Allowing fine-tuned adjustments to memory voltage.
Auxiliary (MSVDD) Voltage Control: Providing additional control over auxiliary power delivery.
Additionally, these cards will feature onboard VRM temperature monitoring through the on-die MP29816A temperature sensor, a capability not available on existing reference models. These features are exclusive to MSI’s upcoming non-reference designs, ensuring compatibility with advanced PWM controllers like the MP2988 and MP29816A. This update, expected in September, will enhance MSI Afterburner’s ability to push these GPUs to their limits, offering overclockers unprecedented control.
Sources : Guru3D Forums, Uniko’s Hardware