Choosing tools honestly
MSI Afterburner alternative: monitor FPS, temps and usage
Reviewed July 2026
Afterburner does two jobs: OC and RTSS overlay monitoring. For monitoring only: Task Manager, HWiNFO, or vendor overlays (NVIDIA App / Adrenalin) are free. Neon measures and explains but doesn't OC or overlay.
Step by step
01 Why you'd want an MSI Afterburner alternative
MSI Afterburner is the classic free tool for overclocking your GPU and showing an on-screen overlay with FPS, temperatures and usage. It's powerful, but many people only want to see the numbers (FPS, GPU/CPU temps, usage), not overclock. If that's your goal, a lighter, monitoring-focused MSI Afterburner alternative is often simpler with less to break. Afterburner is still excellent — the real question is whether you need everything it bundles.
02 What Afterburner actually does
It does two separate jobs. One: overclocking and fan curves (raising or lowering your GPU's clocks and voltage). Two: monitoring, almost always via RivaTuner Statistics Server (RTSS), which draws the on-screen overlay. Plenty of people install Afterburner purely for the RTSS overlay. Knowing this helps you choose: if you want to overclock, keep Afterburner; if you only want to see data, simpler options exist.
03 Pure monitoring vs overclocking: pick your lane
For pure monitoring (just watching FPS, temps and usage) you don't need an overclocking tool at all. Overclocking carries real risk: instability, crashes and, done wrong, more heat. If your goal is to understand what's limiting your PC, start with monitoring only. You can always add overclocking later if you truly want it, as a separate, deliberate step.
04 Lightweight monitoring-only alternatives
If you just want the numbers, consider: Windows' own Task Manager (Performance tab) for CPU/GPU/RAM usage; HWiNFO for very detailed sensors (temps, voltages, clocks); CapFrameX or Windows' built-in FPS counter (Game Bar, Win+G) for FPS; and tools like Neon that measure and explain the numbers in plain language. None of these overclock — and for pure monitoring, that's a feature, not a gap.
05 How to show FPS without extra overlays
Before installing anything, try what you already have. The Windows Game Bar (Win+G) has a performance widget with FPS. Many games include their own FPS counter in the graphics options. The NVIDIA App and AMD Adrenalin software both include FPS and metrics overlays without Afterburner. If that's enough for you, you don't need additional overlay software at all.
06 How to read temperatures (what's normal)
Under gaming load, modern GPUs commonly sit around 65–85 °C, and many are designed to run in the 80s safely — check your specific model's spec rather than assuming. CPUs can hit 80–90 °C under heavy load depending on the model and cooling. What matters isn't a magic universal number but the trend: temperatures that keep climbing, thermal throttling (clocks dropping due to heat), or shutdowns point to a cooling problem — not a number you have to memorize.
07 How to read FPS, usage and bottlenecks
Look at three things together. GPU usage near 99–100% in-game = the GPU is fully working (normal, usually what you want). Low GPU usage with low FPS and one CPU core pinned at 100% = a possible CPU bottleneck. FPS lows (the stutters) usually matter more than the average for how smooth it feels. Don't chase one number — read the set.
08 Where Neon fits in (honestly)
Neon isn't an overclocking tool or a replacement for Afterburner's in-game overlay. What it does is measure your real numbers — CPU/GPU usage and temperature, RAM, network — and explain them in plain language, so you know what's limiting your PC before changing anything. The Windows-side wins it applies are safe and reversible, and it never forces or overclocks your hardware. If you specifically want an on-screen overlay while gaming, Afterburner + RTSS or the NVIDIA/AMD overlays remain the best tool for that — and the manual steps above work without installing Neon.
09 How to choose, in one line
Want to overclock → MSI Afterburner. Want an in-game FPS overlay → Afterburner+RTSS or the NVIDIA/AMD overlays. Want detailed sensors → HWiNFO. Want to understand your numbers and apply safe wins without overclocking → tools like Neon or Task Manager. Most are free: try the simplest first and level up only if something's missing.
Which tool for which goal
| Your goal | Best fit |
|---|---|
| Overclock the GPU | MSI Afterburner |
| In-game FPS overlay | Afterburner+RTSS or NVIDIA/AMD overlays |
| Detailed sensors | HWiNFO |
| Quick CPU/GPU/RAM usage | Task Manager (Windows) |
| Understand the numbers + safe wins | Tools like Neon |
Where Neon helps
Neon doesn't overclock or draw an in-game overlay — for that, Afterburner is still the right tool. What Neon does is measure your real numbers and explain them in plain language, without overclaiming or inventing improvements.
- Measures real values: CPU/GPU usage and temperature, RAM and network — measured data, not estimated or made up.
- Explains what those numbers mean and what's limiting your PC, before you change anything.
- Never forces or overclocks your hardware. The wins it applies are Windows-side, safe and reversible, logged so you can undo them with one click.
- The manual steps in this guide work without Neon — use it only if you want measuring and explaining made easier.
Worried about temps? See how to lower your CPU temperatures or how to fix FPS drops and stutter.