Most people try to overclock their GPUs for better performance—but what if you could do the opposite to gain hours of extra battery life?
Why Underclocking Matters
When you’re using a gaming laptop or a workstation with a dedicated GPU, you may not always need full graphics performance. Yet, that GPU still draws considerable power even when idle. The result?
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Drained battery
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Unnecessary heat
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Loud fan noise
Underclocking your GPU helps reduce power consumption by lowering its clock speed and voltage. It’s the secret to making your laptop run cooler and last longer—especially when you’re just browsing, writing, or watching videos.
What You’ll Need
To underclock your GPU safely, you’ll need:
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A Windows laptop with an NVIDIA or AMD GPU
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A utility like NVIDIA Inspector or MSI Afterburner
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Admin privileges
⚠️ Disclaimer: Adjust settings at your own risk. Monitor temperatures and system stability after each change.
Step-by-Step Guide to Underclocking
1. Install the Software
For NVIDIA: Download NVIDIA Inspector
For AMD: Use AMD Radeon Software
2. Launch and Locate GPU Settings
Open the tool and locate:
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Core Clock (MHz)
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Memory Clock (MHz)
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Voltage Control (if available)
3. Reduce Core Clock by ~10–20%
Start small. If your core clock is 1500 MHz, reduce to around 1350–1400 MHz.
4. Apply Settings and Test
Click “Apply Clocks & Voltage”
Test the system by running YouTube or light apps. Observe:
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Battery duration
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Heat levels
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Stability
Real-World Results
On a Dell G15 with an RTX 3060:
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Before: Battery lasted 2h 15m, high fan noise
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After underclocking: Battery extended to 3h 40m, fans barely audible
Reverting the Changes
You can always return to default settings by restarting your laptop or resetting the values in the tool.
Final Tips
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Create multiple profiles (e.g., Gaming, Battery Saver)
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Avoid using it while on AC power—it’s unnecessary
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Great for students, remote workers, and travel