When stress testing a graphics card using MSI Afterburner, certain indicators might suggest that the achieved overclock is not stable for long-term use. These indicators can include visual artifacts like screen tearing, flickering, or graphical glitches within benchmark applications or games. Additionally, system crashes, driver timeouts, or application freezes during the test can signal instability. A proper stress test requires a certain duration to confirm stability; a short, artifact-free run does not guarantee consistent performance under extended load.
Verifying a stable overclock is crucial for maintaining hardware health and preventing data loss due to system crashes. A stable overclock allows users to maximize their graphics card’s performance potential within safe operating parameters. Historically, overclocking tools lacked the sophisticated monitoring and control features available in modern software. This made identifying and addressing unstable overclocks more challenging and potentially risky for hardware. Today, stress testing utilities like MSI Afterburner provide detailed metrics and stability testing features to aid in achieving stable performance enhancements.
