New to GPU overclocking

[gundershot]

So as the title says, I'm a beginner with GPU overclocking. I did a bit of research and it seems the basic process is to up the core clock speed in about 10MHz increments until you see artifacts in your benchmarking/stress testing utility, then repeat the process for the memory clock speed. So, I want to know a few things:

 

1. How safe is overclocking if I'm not going to overvolt?
2. Is it safe to increase the power limit?
3. How do I know I've stress tested enough and I should further increase the clock speed? At what point do artifacts usually start to appear?
4. A bit more of a specific question: What are some safe values for the R9 290? My exact card is the Sapphire Tri-X R9 290 4GB OC, with Hynix memory.

[Prokart2000]

 

So as the title says, I'm a beginner with GPU overclocking. I did a bit of research and it seems the basic process is to up the core clock speed in about 10MHz increments until you see artifacts in your benchmarking/stress testing utility, then repeat the process for the memory clock speed. So, I want to know a few things:

 

1. How safe is overclocking if I'm not going to overvolt?
2. Is it safe to increase the power limit?
3. How do I know I've stress tested enough and I should further increase the clock speed? At what point do artifacts usually start to appear?
4. A bit more of a specific question: What are some safe values for the R9 290? My exact card is the Sapphire Tri-X R9 290 4GB OC, with Hynix memory.

 

1.not really to worry

2.not too sure i havent yet personally

3.run a valley benchmark and carry on upping it up thats what i do

4. safe values, search on the internet what other people get

[AustinKZombie]

 

So as the title says, I'm a beginner with GPU overclocking. I did a bit of research and it seems the basic process is to up the core clock speed in about 10MHz increments until you see artifacts in your benchmarking/stress testing utility, then repeat the process for the memory clock speed. So, I want to know a few things:

 

1. How safe is overclocking if I'm not going to overvolt?
2. Is it safe to increase the power limit?
3. How do I know I've stress tested enough and I should further increase the clock speed? At what point do artifacts usually start to appear?
4. A bit more of a specific question: What are some safe values for the R9 290? My exact card is the Sapphire Tri-X R9 290 4GB OC, with Hynix memory.

 

1. It can shorten life time even without voltage increase but very little. You may experience system crashes well trying that's normal or black screens this is because the gpu doesn't have enough power.

2.Yes but I don't remember the exact figure to not pass.

3 Actifacts appearance are usually not right away but can happen randomly and I would say 24-48 before you know its stable.

4 don't have an answer for you mate.

[gundershot]

3.run a valley benchmark and carry on upping it up thats what i do

Hmm but how long does it take before artifacts start showing up?

[Prokart2000]

Hmm but how long does it take before artifacts start showing up?

it depends on what chip you have, like if you got a good ocing chip or a bad one

[gundershot]

3 Actifacts appearance are usually not right away but can happen randomly and I would say 24-48 before you know its stable.

As in between 24-48 scenes?

[gundershot]

it depends on what chip you have, like if you got a good ocing chip or a bad one

How long would you say it would take assuming I have an average chip?

[Prokart2000]

How long would you say it would take assuming I have an average chip?

hmm not too sure on a 290, about 1100+ people were getting

[gundershot]

hmm not too sure on a 290, about 1100+ people were getting

Haha as in how long would the benchmark usually run for before encountering artifacts on average when ocing too high, but thanks for that info I guess 

[Prokart2000]

Haha as in how long would the benchmark usually run for before encountering artifacts on average when ocing too high, but thanks for that info I guess 

oh sorry, i run a valley benchmark untill it crashes or artifacts then, back off the oc untill stable then play good quality games for a while

[gundershot]

oh sorry, i run a valley benchmark untill it crashes or artifacts then, back off the oc untill stable then play good quality games for a while

Well, how long would that usually take? 

[AustinKZombie]

Hmm but how long does it take before artifacts start showing up?

Random it all depends on the card.Usually it could be right away if it is too under power or near the end of the test in a certain area.

[gundershot]

Random it all depends on the card.Usually it could be right away if it is too under power or near the end of the test in a certain area.

Alright cool, so would you say running the benchmark for 1 loop is enough to know I can up the clock speed again?

[Socratic]

Overclocking vram can actually increase the timings on the memory, I believe there's set thresholds on the cards that when you reach a certain clock speed say 1500mhz the timings jump up. I'll need to research into this and find a way how to test for it.

[Prokart2000]

i just hit my cards max @ 1200mhz core with 1.269v on my 280x (pretty much stock voltage, stock is 1.265)

[AustinKZombie]

Alright cool, so would you say running the benchmark for 1 loop is enough to know I can up the clock speed again?

2-3 Loops so the card reaches max heat and power draw then bump it u0p. Oh and I ment 24-48 hours or a bit less at lowest maybe 12 hours

[gundershot]

2-3 Loops so the card reaches max heat and power draw then bump it u0p. Oh and I ment 24-48 hours or a bit less at lowest maybe 12 hours

So just to confirm, if I don't see any artifacts during the 2-3 loops I bump it up? And once I find a stable clock speed I leave it running for 24-48 hours?