Question about VRM efficiency.

[don_svetlio]

 Not entirely sure about this but a guy I was talking to told me that if your run Furmark you can decrease the efficiency of the VRMs on a GPU - does that make any sense? I mean, Surely any GPU OEM must build in some form of buffer for torture tests like this so that a stock card doesn't get killed by furmark/kombustor or any other torture software. I know furmark = bad (boo hiss) but this guy sounds like he has no idea what he's talking about. IIRC furmark either kills the card or does nothing or gets throttled by drivers.

[Godlygamer23]

The VRM gets stressed pretty badly when using Furmark. That's why drivers make the card throttle. Furmark is not a realistic way to stress a card, nor is a Furmark pass definitive in any way.

[don_svetlio]

The VRM gets stressed pretty badly when using Furmark. That's why drivers make the card throttle.

Yeah, but can that have an effect on their efficiency? I mean, I am guilty of stressing mine but nothing blew up or became unstable. I also screwed up my airflow thus the 4*C increase in temps under full gaming load.

[Godlygamer23]

Yeah, but can that have an effect on their efficiency? I mean, I am guilty of stressing mine but nothing blew up or became unstable. I also screwed up my airflow thus the 4*C increase in temps under full gaming load.

Certain things can become less efficient over time - power supplies for example if they're used for years. Capacitors can't hold their charges as long, thus drawing more power.

[don_svetlio]

Certain things can become less efficient over time - power supplies for example if they're used for years. Capacitors can't hold their charges as long, thus drawing more power.

But it's unlikely for me to have damaged the vrms/reduced efficiency by running furmark for an hour? I mean, drivers would have throttled down, right? I did also do the dumb thing of switching my front intakes into exhaust so no more cool air for the VRMs and the fan above them.

[Godlygamer23]

But it's unlikely for me to have damaged the vrms/reduced efficiency by running furmark for an hour? I mean, drivers would have throttled down, right? I did also do the dumb thing of switching my front intakes into exhaust so no more cool air for the VRMs and the fan above them.

Constantly stressing them like that could damage them. I would steer clear of Furmark just because of the fact that the card must throttle in order to survive - Furmark is an unrealistic stress test and some cards have died because of it.

[don_svetlio]

Constantly stressing them like that could damage them. I would steer clear of Furmark just because of the fact that the card must throttle in order to survive - Furmark is an unrealistic stress test and some cards have died because of it.

I've only used it once for 1 hour and I also checked to see how everything was in Witcher 3 - fortunately, the game for some reason taxes GPU at 100% even when alt-tabbed thus I have this screeny of Aida64.

[Godlygamer23]

I've only used it once for 1 hour and I also checked to see how everything was in Witcher 3 - fortunately, the game for some reason taxes GPU at 100% even when alt-tabbed thus I have this screeny of Aida64.

Everything looks fine. Games are generally the best thing you can use to properly stress a GPU, whether it's for overclocking or wanting to make sure everything is fine out of the box.

[don_svetlio]

Everything looks fine. Games are generally the best thing you can use to properly stress a GPU, whether it's for overclocking or wanting to make sure everything is fine out of the box.

Before it use to be 67/65 - could the changing of the front intakes to exhaust and the back exhaust into intake cause the temps to change like so?

[Godlygamer23]

Before it use to be 67/65 - could the changing of the front intakes to exhaust and the back exhaust into intake cause the temps to change like so?

Maybe. Test it and see what happens. If the card is getting less airflow, it could increase temperatures.

[don_svetlio]

Maybe. Test it and see what happens. If the card is getting less airflow, it could increase temperatures.

That's also what some others seem to think - before intakes were blowing air towards the vrm and now without cool air they probably get a bit warmer under full load.