amdgpu-clocks vs nvcontrol
amdgpu-clocks
github.comnvcontrol
github.comSide by side
| Figure | amdgpu-clocks | nvcontrol |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | Free | Free |
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Free trial | — | — |
| Open source | — | — |
| Linux | Yes | Yes |
| Plans published | 1 | 1 |
| Spec score · GPU Overclocking Software | 8.2 (#4) | 7.1 (#15) |
| Controls | It can set GPU and memory clocks, voltages, and other power state parameters. | It provides digital vibrance, display color controls, VRR/G-SYNC, HDR, overclocking, fan control, and power management. |
| Distribution | The README instructs users to place the script in /usr/local/bin and run it with sudo; it does not list packaged downloads or a commercial pricing page. | Installation instructions cover Arch Linux, Fedora/Nobara, Pop!_OS, Debian/Ubuntu, and building from source. |
| GPU support | The README says it should work with Polaris, Vega, Navi, and RDNA cards, while noting that Vega GPUs in AMD APUs do not expose the required API. | The project lists RTX 50, 40, 30, and 20 series plus GTX 16 and 10 series, with support varying by driver and hardware. |
| Purpose | A script for setting custom power states on recent AMD GPUs driven by the amdgpu Linux kernel driver. | nvcontrol is an NVIDIA GPU settings manager for Linux designed for Wayland. |
Plans
In their own words
amdgpu-clocks
amdgpu-clocks is a free, GPL-2.0-licensed Linux script for setting custom power states on AMD GPUs that use the amdgpu kernel driver. Where the hardware exposes the controls, it can adjust GPU and memory clocks, voltages, power caps, performance levels, and power profiles. The project says it should work with Polaris, Vega, Navi, and RDNA cards, but Vega GPUs in AMD APUs lack the required API. It can manage multiple cards, with custom state files selected by card identifier or PCI address. Users define settings in files under /etc/default. Fine-grained control requires Radeon OverDrive to be enabled in the kernel. A systemd service can apply states at startup, and a resume script can reapply them after suspend. For RDNA 3 and newer, it can handle driver-exposed Zero RPM fan settings; these require Linux 6.13 or newer, and stop-temperature control is available only on RDNA 3. A restore option returns states to their initial defaults, except the power profile, which it sets to 0. The README directs installation to /usr/local/bin; the GitHub releases page lists no releases.
nvcontrol
nvcontrol is a free, open-source NVIDIA GPU settings manager for Linux designed for Wayland. It offers both a terminal dashboard and a GUI, with controls for digital vibrance, display color, VRR/G-SYNC, HDR, overclocking, fans, and power management. The project lists KDE Plasma, GNOME, Hyprland, Sway, and Pop!_OS COSMIC as supported compositors. Read-only diagnostics cover CUDA, Ollama, local AI/ML workload fit, and environment setup; CLI workflows can create support bundles with options to redact paths and identifiers. Listed GPU families are RTX 50, 40, 30, and 20 series, plus GTX 16 and 10 series, with support depending on drivers and hardware. Matching NVIDIA open modules and userland are required, and Linux kernel 6.6 or later is recommended. The driver guide identifies NVIDIA open driver 610 as its primary target and directs users of 590 and earlier to an older vibrance-compatible build. Installation instructions cover Arch Linux, Fedora/Nobara, Pop!_OS, Debian/Ubuntu, and source builds. Overclocking and voltage modification are experimental and may cause instability or hardware damage.