CoreCtrl vs LACT

CoreCtrl is a free, open-source GNU/Linux application for controlling hardware through profiles. Profiles can launch when an associated Linux or Windows application starts, then restore their settings when it ends. You can also activate a manual profile, which takes priority over automatic profiles; only one manual profile can be active at a time. The project describes its AMD GPU controls as full, covering fans, frequency, power, sensors, and hardware and software information. CPU support is more limited: it includes a frequency-scaling governor control, a package maximum-frequency sensor, and CPU package information. Automatic profiles need an executable binary name, so they cannot be tied to scripts or interpreted-language applications. The available controls depend on the Linux kernel version and hardware. Full AMD GPU control with the amdgpu driver requires a boot parameter and reboot. CoreCtrl is free, with no paid plans stated, and the project recommends installation through a distribution package manager. It is in maintenance mode, with development focused on fixes and upkeep rather than new features or hardware support.

LACT is a free, MIT-licensed Linux tool for controlling and monitoring AMD, Nvidia, and Intel GPUs. It reports VBIOS, VRAM, hardware units, Resizable BAR status, and Vulkan features. Monitoring provides configurable historical charts for power, thermals, and frequency, plus throttling information and CSV export. Controls include power caps, AMD power states, GPU and VRAM clocks, and custom fan curves on AMD and Nvidia. Undervolting uses voltage offsets on AMD and VF curves on Nvidia. Profiles can activate according to running processes or gamemode status. A system service applies GPU configuration without depending on a graphical session and can run headless from a configuration file. LACT includes an OpenTelemetry metrics exporter and exposes a JSON API over a Unix socket or TCP. The TCP listener is disabled by default; remote TCP management has no authentication or encryption. Packages are listed for several Linux distributions, with Flatpak and Docker service-only options. Available controls vary by GPU generation, driver, and hardware.