PenguinBurner
PenguinBurner is a free, open-source Linux app for tuning NVIDIA GPUs through automatic undervolting, overclocking, and per-game profiles.
What PenguinBurner is
PenguinBurner is a free, open-source Linux app for tuning NVIDIA GPUs through automatic undervolting, overclocking, and per-game profiles. Its Auto-UV process runs a managed Q2RTX benchmark and CUDA load, then finds and checks stable settings and voltage-frequency curves. Adaptive mode can switch among saved Efficiency, Balanced, and Performance profiles to meet a game's FPS target and reduce power use when there is headroom; it needs at least two usable tiers to switch. Per-game profiles work with Steam, Lutris, and Heroic, applying at launch and restoring the standing profile on exit. The overlay can display FPS, frame-generation FPS, PC latency, GPU clocks, power, temperatures, and the active tier. Manual voltage-frequency and fan curve editors are also available. The install guide lists NVIDIA RTX 30, RTX 40, and RTX 50 series cards and requires the proprietary NVIDIA driver and CUDA. Hardware tuning can hang the GPU, crash its driver, freeze the display, or require a reboot.
Good
- Automatic undervolting checks stable voltage-frequency settings.
- Per-game profiles support Steam, Lutris, and Heroic.
- Overlay displays GPU metrics and frame rates.
- Imports MSI Afterburner curves and exports NVIDIA LACT configurations.
Watch out
- Requires Linux, NVIDIA RTX 30, 40, or 50 series, and CUDA.
- Adaptive switching needs at least two usable tiers.
- Tuning can hang the GPU, crash the driver, or freeze the display.
Who it suits
PenguinBurner suits Linux users with supported NVIDIA RTX cards who want automatic or manual GPU tuning and per-game profiles. Users must install the proprietary NVIDIA driver and CUDA first.
Verdict
PenguinBurner offers automatic tuning, saved profiles, and game-specific behavior for supported NVIDIA GPUs on Linux. Hardware tuning carries the stated risk of crashes or a required reboot.
The facts
Each one read from PenguinBurner's own pages, with the date it was checked.
What it does
- Adaptive profiles
- Adaptive switches among saved Efficiency, Balanced, and Performance profiles to meet a game's FPS target and reduce power use when there is headroom.checked 30 Sep 2026
- Adaptive tuning
- Adaptive mode switches between saved tiers to meet a game's FPS target and can reduce power when there is headroom or during idle periods.checked 30 Sep 2026
- Auto-UV
- Auto-UV tests a GPU with Q2RTX and CUDA, then saves verified voltage and frequency profiles.checked 30 Sep 2026
- Distribution
- Linux installation options include pip, Flatpak, Fedora COPR, Arch or CachyOS AUR, and Ubuntu PPA packages.checked 30 Sep 2026
- Game launchers
- The shared game library supports Steam, Lutris, and Heroic, with per-game profiles that apply at launch and restore the standing profile on exit.checked 30 Sep 2026
- Hardware risk
- The security policy warns that hardware tuning can hang the GPU, crash the driver, freeze the display, or require a reboot, and says users tune at their own risk.checked 30 Sep 2026
- Import and export
- PenguinBurner can import MSI Afterburner voltage-frequency curves and export saved curves as NVIDIA LACT configuration.checked 30 Sep 2026
- Limit
- Adaptive requires at least two usable tiers to switch; with one tier, it runs that profile.checked 30 Sep 2026
- Manual controls
- The app includes manual voltage-frequency and fan curve editors, plus an automatically generated silent fan curve.checked 30 Sep 2026
- Other integrations
- PenguinBurner can import V/F curves from MSI Afterburner and export saved curves as NVIDIA LACT configurations.checked 30 Sep 2026
- Overlay
- The in-game overlay can show base FPS, frame-generation FPS, PC latency, GPU clocks, power, temperatures, and the active tier.checked 30 Sep 2026
- Privileged service
- The root hardware daemon is installed with one administrator prompt, after which privileged GPU operations use the running service without further prompts.checked 30 Sep 2026
- Privileges
- The app installs a root hardware service with one admin prompt, after which GPU operations use the running service.checked 30 Sep 2026
- Product
- PenguinBurner is an open-source NVIDIA GPU tuning app for Linux with automatic undervolting, overclocking, and adaptive per-game profiles.checked 30 Sep 2026
- Purpose
- PenguinBurner is an open-source Linux app for automatic NVIDIA GPU undervolting, overclocking, and per-game tuning.checked 30 Sep 2026
- Security and safety
- The security policy directs vulnerability reports through GitHub Security Advisories and warns that hardware tuning can hang the GPU, crash the driver, freeze the display, or require a reboot.checked 30 Sep 2026
- Support
- The repository directs users to report bugs through GitHub Issues and offers a GitHub Sponsors link to support the project.checked 30 Sep 2026
- Supported GPUs
- The install guide lists NVIDIA RTX 30, RTX 40, and RTX 50 series cards as supported.checked 30 Sep 2026
- Supported hardware
- The install guide lists NVIDIA RTX 30, RTX 40, and RTX 50 series cards as supported.checked 30 Sep 2026
- System requirements
- The install guide says to install the proprietary NVIDIA driver and CUDA before PenguinBurner.checked 30 Sep 2026
- Vulnerability reporting
- The project asks users to report security issues privately through GitHub Security Advisories, or to open a minimal issue requesting private contact if that is unavailable.checked 30 Sep 2026
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