HWiNFO vs MSI Afterburner
HWiNFO
hwinfo.comMSI Afterburner
us.msi.comSide by side
| Figure | HWiNFO | MSI Afterburner |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | Free | Free |
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Free trial | — | — |
| Open source | — | — |
| Windows | Yes | Yes |
| Android | — | Yes |
| Plans published | 8 | 3 |
| Spec score · Hardware monitoring tools | 9.1 (#1) | 8.7 (#10) |
| Spec score · Hardware Monitoring Software | 8.7 (#8) | 8.3 (#13) |
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Headquarters | Malacky, Slovakia | New Taipei City, Taiwan |
Plans
HWiNFO
- Pro Subscription (starting price)Priced on request
- Pro Subscription (starting price)Price not published
- Pro Lifetime (starting price)Priced on request
- Pro Lifetime (starting price)Price not published
- Subscription Pro$29 a year
- Lifetime Pro$199, paid once
- Commercial evaluationFree
- Personal non-commercialFree
In their own words
MSI Afterburner
MSI Afterburner is Windows software for tuning graphics cards and monitoring hardware in real time. Its controls cover GPU clock frequency, voltage, power limits and fan speed, and users can set fan curves and save tuning profiles. MSI says it works with graphics cards from all brands, not only its own. OC Scanner can find the highest stable overclock settings for a card. While gaming, an on-screen display can show live system performance information. The page also describes Predator, a separate recording tool for games or overclocking that supports H.264, WMV and AVI formats. MSI lists a free plan at free, with overclocking and undervolting, hardware monitoring, custom fan control and an on-screen display. There is no free trial. MSI lists versions 4.6.6 (Final) and 4.6.7 (Beta), both released in September 2026. It warns that phishing sites may steal data and identifies msi.com and Guru3D as the correct sites.