Overclocking GTX 970

[fr0zen]

Hi everyone,

I recently bought GTX 970, the Gigabyte G1 Gaming super overclocked edition. I want to overclock it to 1500MHz. I'm not familiar with overclocking stuff, so I came here for help. I don't know how am I supposed to cool it other than waterblock. I don't want to liquid cool anything, I just don't like it! I wonder if I can overclock this bad boy to 1,5GHz? If not, can I at least do boost clock (1,3GHz) without adding waterblocks?

Thanks in advance!

[Suffokation]

Download the MSI Afterburner software. Then, drag the slider up in 50MHz steps and stress test them on Unigen Valley. The G1 will get 1600MHz easy.

You can also increase the core voltage slightly aswell, if a overclock fails.

[Archangel1994]

I am using the standard windforce cooler and I'm on 1550/7800 without breaking 60C. Watercooling a 970 is anything but necessary

[Senzelian]

I've the GTX 980 G1 Gaming and I also oced it a bit with MSI Afterburner. 

It's currently at 1328 Mhz base and 1429 Mhz boost. I didn't get the greatest card for overclocking, but it isn't a problem of cooling. The cooler is so efficient, you won't need to water cool it.

[tobben]

I am using the standard windforce cooler and I'm on 1550/7800 without breaking 60C. Watercooling a 970 is anything but necessary

in gaming or stress testing? my msi 970 is hitting 70+ at stock voltage. 

[Archangel1994]

in gaming or stress testing? my msi 970 is hitting 70+ at stock voltage. 

Both, Valley and BF4 both never break 60C with 55% fan speed and overvolted by 19mV

[fr0zen]

So I need to take my graphics card and overclock it to 1500MHz and slightly increase voltage and then stress test it? Will those 3 Windforce coolers be able to cool it down then? Thanks btw!

[tobben]

So I need to take my graphics card and overclock it to 1500MHz and slightly increase voltage and then stress test it? Will those 3 Windforce coolers be able to cool it down then? Thanks btw!

Pay attention to the temperatures as you increase the voltage, you could start by increasing the voltage

until you hit the temperature threshold you are comfortable with, then proceed to increase the clock speeds

until it becomes unstable, then dial it back to the point where it was stable again. 

 

You have a very solid cooler, just remember to take things slowly step by step and don't do something rash. 

 

Both, Valley and BF4 both never break 60C with 55% fan speed and overvolted by 19mV

What.. 73% fanspeed and 75 degrees, 0 overvolting, actually my temps have increased since one month ago. 

[fr0zen]

Pay attention to the temperatures as you increase the voltage, you could start by increasing the voltage

until you hit the temperature threshold you are comfortable with, then proceed to increase the clock speeds

until it becomes unstable, then dial it back to the point where it was stable again. 

 

You have a very solid cooler, just remember to take things slowly step by step and don't do something rash. 

 

What.. 73% fanspeed and 75 degrees, 0 overvolting, actually my temps have increased since one month ago. 

Thank you very much. I'm going to do that now! BRB with the results.

[tobben]

Thank you very much. I'm going to do that now! BRB with the results.

remember the "not be rash" though , be careful with the power limit, and you probably don't want to bsod by jolting the clock speeds to quickly. 

[fr0zen]

Ok, so overclocked core clock speed to 1542MHz, memory to 8 GHz effective, voltage 1.515! Stable so far. Did this overclock in Afterburner and after I ran Furmark (FHD preset), it scored 4956, average FPS was 82, and maximum temperature was about 70C. I'm really happy with this. Thanks guys!