Is it save to overclock GPU

[XplosiveNoctua99]

I want to overclock my gpu and i have a few questions.

 

1. How do I actually do it

2. Is it safer than overclocking a CPU

3. What are the downsides

4. Can I get it to run as good as a R9 290X or GTX 970 ??? (with safe temps and fan speed)

5. how do you work out OC % (I use a site where you can put in OC but it asks for it in %)

 

Thanks

[Aytex]

MSI Afterburner just slide a few buttons and bam its overclocked

[XplosiveNoctua99]

MSI Afterburner just slide a few buttons and bam its overclocked

But like what is a safe way of OC

[CoolaxGaming]

1. MSI Afterburner

2. Don't know bout that.

3. Higher heat output higher noise, shorten life span

4. Nope, impossible

5. Calculate the boost in terms of stock

[CoolaxGaming]

But like what is a safe way of OC

That is the safe way...

[ImBleu]

MSI Afterburner just slide a few buttons and bam its overclocked

 

But like what is a safe way of OC

 

Yes it's safe, Use MSI Afterburner (or my favourite, EVGA PrecisionX 16) and just push up the Core clock and the Mem clock, you can also set thermal limits to your overclock. I personally added 355Mhz to my GPU Clock Offset and 306Mhz to my GPU Mem Clock. Look at average overclocks for a GTX960 and play around that region. My card hovers between 35C and 60C.

[WereCat]

It is safe as long as you dont mess with voltages (if you have NVIDIA card then you are really limited in terms of changing voltages so that you cant screw something up).

It is relatively easy to do.

 

Just get programs like:

MSI Afterburner

Unigine Valley

Unigine Heaven

 

Insall them

 

Run MSI Afterburner:

Set your CORE CLOCK max +20MHz higher and save

 

Run Unigine Valley and then Heaven to see if your OC is stable.

How do you know if it is stable?

Did your screen went suddenly black? Have you noticed any artefacts? Are there some really big FPS drops?

If yes then your OC is not stable and you have to take few MHz from your OC back.

 

If everything is stable then go to MSI Afterburner again and add another +20MHz to your CORE CLOCK.

repeat testing as above untill you find your max possible CORE CLOCK where it is stable.

 

Now when you are done with OCing your core clock you can go and OC your MEMORY CLOCK.

 

In MSI Afterburner bump up your memory +50MHz at the time to be safe and then do the same testings again untill you get your max stable MEMORY CLOCK.

[XplosiveNoctua99]

4. Nope, impossible

 

Why?

 

( Just wondering )

[Gofspar]

Overclclocking is VERY safe, I push my card twice its stock TDP and sub-ambient temps almost daily for hwbot. Then I turn my OC down to 1570/2030 and play some BF4.

[XplosiveNoctua99]

It is safe as long as you dont mess with voltages (if you have NVIDIA card then you are really limited in terms of changing voltages so that you cant screw something up).

It is relatively easy to do.

 

Just get programs like:

MSI Afterburner

Unigine Valley

Unigine Heaven

 

Insall them

 

Run MSI Afterburner:

Set your CORE CLOCK max +20MHz higher and save

 

Run Unigine Valley and then Heaven to see if your OC is stable.

How do you know if it is stable?

Did your screen went suddenly black? Have you noticed any artefacts? Are there some really big FPS drops?

If yes then your OC is not stable and you have to take few MHz from your OC back.

 

If everything is stable then go to MSI Afterburner again and add another +20MHz to your CORE CLOCK.

repeat testing as above untill you find your max possible CORE CLOCK where it is stable.

 

Now when you are done with OCing your core clock you can go and OC your MEMORY CLOCK.

 

In MSI Afterburner bump up your memory +50MHz at the time to be safe and then do the same testings again untill you get your max stable MEMORY CLOCK.

I don't have Unigine Valley or Heaven 

and I don't know what artefacting is

[CoolaxGaming]

Overclclocking is VERY safe, I push my card twice its stock TDP and sub-ambient temps almost daily for hwbot. Then I turn my OC down to 1570/2030 and play some BF4.

Well ya know, your chip ain't gonna live that long

Why?

 

( Just wondering )

They 290x/970 have a lot more cores/higher memory speed/higher memory bus etc.

With even really high clocks you can't do that

[spartaman64]

Why?

 

( Just wondering )

it will get too hot or become unstable before it can OC that high

[CoolaxGaming]

I don't have Unigine Valley or Heaven 

and I don't know what artefacting is

Download it?

Artifacting is when your GPU over clock shows sign on instability.

[spartaman64]

I don't have Unigine Valley or Heaven 

and I don't know what artefacting is

if you dont want to download those run a gpu intensive game and artifacting comes in many forms but usually its like white lines or something 

[WereCat]

I don't have Unigine Valley or Heaven 

and I don't know what artefacting is

Those programs are all free. Just donwload them form internet.

 

Artifacting = if you notice defects in your image. Lets say missing texture or inverted colors or some pixels flashing, etc...

 

EDIT:

 

 

[zipmiX]

To say a OC is safe or not is quite hard. You have to try to apply a modest OC, and then test it out to see of temps are OKAY, and games don't crash because of it. MSI Afterburner is a good program to use. I would suggest just tro try OC:ing core and memoy WITHOUT touching the voltages. You can get a respectable OC without needing to increase voltages. So you have to apply a small OC and then try it out. And by small I mean just a few Mhz at a time. Say 50Mhz on core at first and then very small steps forward.

[XplosiveNoctua99]

Well ya know, your chip ain't gonna live that long They 290x/970 have a lot more cores/higher memory speed/higher memory bus etc.

With even really high clocks you can't do that

What about 290 ???

Not the exact same but just similar performance

 Enough to run witcher 3 at High with solid fps or so

[CoolaxGaming]

What about 290 ???

Not the exact same but just similar performance

 Enough to run witcher 3 at High with solid fps or so

Not even the 290...

[XplosiveNoctua99]

Not even the 290...

What to then

(GPU equivalent)

[CoolaxGaming]

What to then

(GPU equivalent)

280x if you go withh really high oc's...

[XplosiveNoctua99]

280x if you go withh really high oc's...

I am thinking of OC by 25%

is that doable???

It'll get me where I need to go

[DotoreN]

I actually had the same question.

 

If you notice that you oc'd to far and the screen goes black or whatever (becomes unstable) doesn't this already damage your gpu by a lot?

 

Also if it happens.. how do you revert the change if your screen is black? I assume plugging cable from mobo to monitor or something?

[Aytex]

JUST PUSH YOUR CARD UNTIL IT REACHES 80C + OR YOU GET DRIVER CRASHES