The short answer is no, you don't necessarily need RivaTuner for MSI Afterburner. MSI Afterburner is a standalone utility that can be used independently to overclock and monitor your graphics card.

If you only plan to use MSI Afterburner for the following tasks, you need to install or run RivaTuner: Overclocking or underclocking your GPU. Setting up custom fan curves . Adjusting voltage or power limits.

MSI Afterburner is the industry-standard utility for overclocking graphics cards (GPU) and monitoring hardware performance. During installation, the setup wizard typically prompts the user to install RivaTuner Statistics Server. Many users mistakenly believe RivaTuner is bloatware or an unnecessary add-on. This report clarifies the distinction between the two programs and defines the necessity of RivaTuner based on user requirements.

When installed and run without RTSS, Afterburner can perform the following core tasks: