Safe overclocking for GT 970 SC?

[mao91]

Forgive the typo in the title.

 

My EVGA Geforce GTX 970 SC maxes out at 1366MHz and 1.875v. 

What is a safe overclock? I wouldn't mind going 1400MHz but it seems negligible if I'm not going a little higher.

[zlolslavez]

It varies a lot, just try stress testing on your own and see what works.

[The_Stig]

OC'ing is safe as long as it stays cool.

[mao91]

It varies a lot, just try stress testing on your own and see what works.

 

Will have to do.

 

OC'ing is safe as long as it stays cool.

 

Not a problem for me.

[mao91]

Update: I have overclocked the GPU from 1366MHz to 1440MHz (+74MHz). Is this adequate, or can I go further? Temps seem to be holding around 46-49C with fans at 37%.

[Lays]

Forgive the typo in the title.

 

My EVGA Geforce GTX 970 SC maxes out at 1366MHz and 1.875v. 

What is a safe overclock? I wouldn't mind going 1400MHz but it seems negligible if I'm not going a little higher.

 

do you mean 1.1875v?

1.875v will kill your card, and it doesn't let you put that much voltage anyways without modifications to the card.

 

 

1366 mhz in GPU-Z tab? Or actual in-game boost clock?

[mao91]

do you mean 1.1875v?

1.875v will kill your card, and it doesn't let you put that much voltage anyways without modifications to the card.

 

 

1366 mhz in GPU-Z tab? Or actual in-game boost clock?

 

I actually meant 1.2V. .875 is what it normally runs when it's not doing much. Sorry. 

I don't use GPU-Z, so I'm a little confused. I'm using EVGA PrecisionX 16. Should I be using something else? I'm brand new to overclocking a graphics card.

[Lays]

I actually meant 1.2V. .875 is what it normally runs when it's not doing much. Sorry. 

I don't use GPU-Z, so I'm a little confused. I'm using EVGA PrecisionX 16. Should I be using something else? I'm brand new to overclocking a graphics card.

 

Here's an easy tutorial on how to figure out what your card is boosting to, once you find it out, it's easier to fine tune & I'll be able to give better advice.

 

Open 2 GPU-Z windows,  on one of them click "sensors" tab, then click the question mark on the other, and start render test.

[SteveGrabowski0]

Damn 1440 MHz is higher than I can get even with GPU Boost 2.0 on my GTX 970 SC at 1.212V and 110% power target.

[mao91]

Here's an easy tutorial on how to figure out what your card is boosting to, once you find it out, it's easier to fine tune & I'll be able to give better advice.

 

Open 2 GPU-Z windows,  on one of them click "sensors" tab, then click the question mark on the other, and start render test.

 

 

Here you go.

 

[Lays]

Here you go.

 

gpu_z_2.png

 

 

Ok so you can probably add another 60 onto the boost clock, 1500 mhz should run just fine on a 970 if you have a halfway average card.

[mao91]

Ok so you can probably add another 60 onto the boost clock, 1500 mhz should run just fine on a 970 if you have a halfway average card.

 

Should I offset the voltage at all to compensate? Don't want to ignorantly break my $320 graphics card.

[SteveGrabowski0]

Should I offset the voltage at all to compensate? Don't want to ignorantly break my $320 graphics card.

 

You can't break it by adding the small amount of voltage the BIOS will allow. You'd have to flash a new BIOS on your card to ever be able to put a dangerous voltage on it.

[mao91]

I've gone up a tiny bit further, to 1470MHz, without having to boost voltage at all. I may try to go 1480MHz, but so far between 1366MHz and 1470MHz I'm only seeing 3-4fps increase in my primary game (Minecraft with Sonic Ether's Unbelievable Shaders). Seems the mod is just super demanding. It's enough to smooth out some stutters, though, so I'm happy with that.