Overclocking Laptop GPU

[PakoNacho]

So, heres what i did.

 

I have a Lenovo Yoga Laptop.

Full specs:

CPU:Intel Core I5 6200U

RAM:8GB DDR4

GPU: Nvidia GeForce 940MX (2GB/GDDR3)

 

I wanted to squeze a little more performance while playing Skyrim(with a respectable mod list of about 300+mods), it was verry stutery. For me it was acceptable. Then i figured what if i overclock my GPU? I doubt my CPU is that big of an issue(and my GPU only has 14.4GB/s memory bandwith at stock speeds)

 

So i started researching about OC'ing Laptop GPUs and GPUs in general.(im not some idiot who just dosent research stuff)

 

And i've learned that as long as it dosent go over 80°C its ok.

 

So i got started installing the programs that i need. I got HWmonitor for viewing thermals. Got GPUZ installed and MSI Afterburner.And Heaven Benchmark 4.0.

 

The Heaven settings are as follow.

API D3D11

Quality:high

Tesselation,Stereo3D,Multi-Monitor and Anti-Aliasing disabled(i dont expect it to run these kinds of effects)

 

First i raned the benchmark at stock.

While idleing the GPU sits at 41~42°C

Results after the benchmark where as follows.

FPS 34

Score 855

Min FPS:8.9

Max FPS:66.0

Max Temp:74~76°C

 

I read that memory overclocking(it being the thing i wanted to OC), should be OC'd until it starts to have visible artifacting.

So i started by +100MHz directly(from 900 stock, the memory being samsung type).

At 1000MHz on memory clock(GPU clock not touched at all) it ran without any issues no artifacting or wiered visual effects present, and the temp being identical.

So i took it up a noch +200Mhz(at 1100Mhz on memory speed), the same thing as above. Then i went on the internet and read somewhere that samsung memory can go to 1.4Ghz easy. So i went up to +500 on afterburner and windows f ed itself. 

 

I said ok, 500 is to much i took it down to 400 and it worked it applied the settings no questions asked. I ran the benchmark, and oh boy the artifacting was VERY noticable. I stoped the benchmark and took it down to +350 and still noticable just not as bad(but i wanted a perfectly safe OC) I took it down to +300 and the artifacts disappeared. Yes i ran the benchmark and the temp was still the same this time only going up by 1°. 

 

At that point i said well lets test Skyrim to see how it feels. And oh boy the stutter its GONE(mostly).

I stoped and said well thats ok no need to go to mess with the Core Clock.

 

But then i thought welp i started it might as well make it through the end.

 

I saw that i can increase the core clock only by +135.I applied the settings windows didnt f'ed itself(it was looking ok aleardy).

I ran the benchmark(no artifacting)

The results:

FPS:42

Score:1058

Min FPS:10.1

Max FPS:79.3(80 fps)

 

And now i actually got to the reason i wrote this long as post.

 

I let the benchmark running and went to eat after about 10~15 min i came back to see the temps at 79~80°C. I posted this to ask you guys if i am still on the green here(i wont OC it any further, this OC i got without any Voltage modifications and wont even dare to mess with Voltages).

 

Idleing at 41~42°C when OCed like that still.

 

So what do you think will my laptop die ?

 

 

[Fasauceome]

2 minutes ago, PakoNacho said:

this OC i got without any Voltage modifications and wont even dare to mess with Voltages).

if you did not increase voltage, and temps are within reason, any overclock is perfectly safe

 

this is a long ass post so I hope that answers your question. put a TL:DR into the top of the post and use some of these

Spoiler

spoilers, little eyeball icon at the top

 

to hide content cause damn, you got a lot of lists

[LordWk]

Rather than Overclocking you should try to modify your voltage curve with MSI Afterburner (open Afterburner and press Control+F)

 

The simple fact of increasing +30mhz by each voltage step will make your gpu cooler, in my 1060 on my laptop I have +150Mhz by each voltage step and it works perfectly. 

 

Then Increase the frequency in each voltage period. So your GPU clocks higher with less voltage, making it faster and cooler.

 

Dont press the windows icon in afterburner untill you know your voltage curve is stable.

 

And yes, your temperatures are safe. 

 

Spoiler

 

 

Take in mind that your PSU has a limited amount of power that can deliver to your laptop, and they are very short margins to overclock.

[PakoNacho]

9 minutes ago, LordWk said:

Rather than Overclocking you should try to modify your voltage curve with MSI Afterburner (open Afterburner and press Control+F)

 

The simple fact of increasing +30mhz by each voltage step will make your gpu cooler, in my 1060 on my laptop I have +150Mhz by each voltage step and it works perfectly. 

 

Then Increase the frequency in each voltage period. So your GPU clocks higher with less voltage, making it faster and cooler.

 

Dont press the windows icon in afterburner untill you know your voltage curve is stable.

 

And yes, your temperatures are safe. 

 

  Reveal hidden contents

 

 

Take in mind that your PSU has a limited amount of power that can deliver to your laptop, and they are very short margins to overclock.

 I dont know man, the word Voltage itself sounds scary. 

 

And i achived what i wanted anywhay the game its smooth A F. 

 

Thanks for the info though who knows maybe in the future i wont be as paranoid about this stuff.

[LogicalDrm]

-> Moved to Laptops and Pre-Built Systems