How Far Can You Undervolt? The Science of Performance per Watt

For years, PC enthusiasts have focused on overclocking — squeezing every bit of performance out of their CPUs and GPUs. But in 2025, a quieter, more efficient revolution is underway: undervolting.

Instead of pushing your hardware harder, undervolting is about making it work smarter. By lowering voltage while maintaining the same performance, you can reduce temperatures, noise, and power draw. The result is a cooler, quieter, and often longer-lasting gaming PC.

What Is Undervolting?

Undervolting means supplying your CPU or GPU with less electrical voltage than its factory default settings. Every processor and graphics card has a “silicon lottery” margin built in to ensure stability across all units. That means your chip probably runs at a higher voltage than it truly needs.

By carefully lowering voltage while keeping clock speeds stable, you reduce power consumption and heat output without losing noticeable performance.

For example, if your GPU runs at 1.1 volts by default, it might stay perfectly stable at 1.0 volts — or even 0.95 — saving several degrees of temperature and tens of watts of power under load.

Why It Matters in 2025

Modern CPUs and GPUs like AMD’s Ryzen 9000 series and NVIDIA’s RTX 50 series already boost aggressively to hit performance targets. These chips dynamically adjust voltage and frequency based on workload and thermal conditions.

But factory settings are designed for worst-case scenarios and global stability. They assume low-quality power supplies, poor cooling, and hot environments. That means there is almost always headroom for optimization.

With power-hungry hardware like the RTX 5090 pulling over 450 watts and CPUs like the Ryzen 9 9950X pushing 170 watts under load, undervolting has become one of the easiest ways to improve your performance per watt ratio.

The Science of Performance per Watt

Performance per watt is simply how much computational work your system does for each unit of power consumed. Efficiency curves for CPUs and GPUs follow a pattern: as voltage increases, power rises exponentially, but performance gains flatten out.

That means shaving off 5–10% voltage can reduce power draw by 15–25%, often with no visible change in FPS. Lower temperatures also reduce thermal throttling, helping sustain higher average clock speeds.

In some cases, undervolting can even improve performance consistency by preventing power limit throttling on GPUs or laptops.

The Technical Deep Dive: Voltage, Frequency, and Curves

Here’s where things get more detailed. Both CPUs and GPUs operate along a voltage-frequency curve. Each frequency requires a certain amount of voltage to remain stable.

When you undervolt, you are effectively shifting that curve down — telling the hardware to achieve the same frequencies at lower voltage.

For CPUs:

Modern chips like AMD’s Ryzen 7000/9000 and Intel’s Core Ultra series use adaptive voltage and boost algorithms. Tools like AMD Curve Optimizer or Intel XTU let you apply per-core voltage offsets.

For GPUs:

Software like MSI Afterburner or AMD Adrenalin allows fine-tuning the voltage-frequency curve manually. For example, setting your GPU to run 2700 MHz at 1.0V instead of 1.1V could save up to 50 watts and drop temps by 10°C.

It takes trial and error, but once dialed in, the results are impressive.

Real-World Gains

Gamers who undervolt typically report:

• 5–10°C lower temperatures
• 10–20% lower power draw
• Quieter fans and more stable boost clocks

In some cases, a well-tuned undervolt allows a GPU to sustain higher average clocks under thermal limits compared to stock settings. It’s not uncommon to see smoother frame times and fewer drops in long gaming sessions.

How to Undervolt Safely

1. Use Reliable Tools
2. For CPUs, use BIOS-level controls like Curve Optimizer (AMD) or Intel XTU. For GPUs, use MSI Afterburner, AMD Adrenalin, or NVIDIA’s Control Panel.
3. Start Small
4. Reduce voltage by 25–50 mV at a time and test stability with long gaming sessions or stress tests.
5. Monitor Temperatures and Stability
6. Use software like HWInfo or GPU-Z to watch clock speeds, temperatures, and power usage. If you experience crashes or visual artifacts, raise voltage slightly.
7. Keep an Eye on Power Limits
8. Some GPUs will automatically reduce frequency if undervolted too far, reducing performance. Aim for balance, not extreme savings.

The Hidden Benefits: Longevity and Thermals

Lower voltage means less heat, and less heat means less stress on your components. Over time, this can extend the life of your GPU, CPU, and even your power supply.

It also means less noise, since fans don’t need to spin as fast, and a more comfortable gaming environment overall.

For compact builds or high-performance rigs with limited airflow, undervolting can be the difference between thermal throttling and a perfectly stable gaming session.

When Not to Undervolt

While undervolting is generally safe, it’s not ideal for everyone.

If your system already runs cool, or you’re chasing every last frame in competitive gaming, the benefits may be minimal.

Some chips already run near their efficiency limit, and pushing voltage lower can cause intermittent crashes that are difficult to diagnose.

Always remember that undervolting is a form of manual tuning — stability testing is part of the process.

Q&A

Q: Will undervolting void my warranty?

A: No, undervolting is considered safe and reversible. Overvolting is what can cause damage.

Q: Does undervolting reduce FPS?

A: Not if done correctly. If you go too far, you may lose stability or cause slight drops, but a mild undervolt should maintain identical frame rates.

Q: Can I undervolt a laptop?

A: Yes, and it’s often more beneficial due to limited cooling. However, some manufacturers lock voltage controls for security reasons.

Q: Is undervolting better than underclocking?

A: Undervolting maintains performance while reducing power. Underclocking reduces performance directly. They can be combined for maximum efficiency, especially in small form factor builds.

Final Thoughts

Undervolting isn’t about sacrificing performance. It’s about understanding how your hardware behaves and tuning it for balance and efficiency.

In a world where high-end GPUs consume more power than entire PCs did a few years ago, efficiency tuning is no longer just for enthusiasts — it’s smart gaming.

If you’re building or upgrading your next system, consider undervolting as part of your setup process. It’s free, it’s safe, and it can make your gaming PC cooler, quieter, and longer lasting.