GPU boost 3(?) making overclocking extremely difficult

Aaron1001 · September 2, 2016

I have a ASUS strix 1070, and I've been attempting to overclock it, but I have hit a wall. I know my max overclock (2114), and I know what voltage to stay at (1.075v), but my GPU just doesn't want to cooperate with me. Sometimes, the voltage will jump up to 1.093, and the clock will move up with it to 2124, which will lead to instability. and sometimes, the voltage will drop to 1.050v, and the clock will drop with it.

I've put in a old gtx 460, just to make sure I wasn't going crazy, and indeed, the core clock I put in, is the core clock it runs at. The voltage I put in is the voltage it runs at.

anyone have any ideas for how i can make my card run at 2114 at 1.075v under load, no more, no less?

thanks in advance

SaladFingers · September 2, 2016

I'm right there with you. It's plain stupid, no other words to describe it.

Your best bet to keep that clock stable is to overclock to 2126mhz, and make your fan curve so that it will quickly get to 60C (which will downclock you to 2113) and then have it very aggressive when approaching 70C so it won't downclock any further. That's what I'm doing to keep my stable 2138mhz at 1.093V. If the card reaches 71-72 it's SO LOUD, when in reality it could be silent and running perfectly fine at 74-75C.... So yeah. The way they made it is all about your cooling, which makes no damn sense at all.

Edit: Also, if you want to go more aggressive, say one step more to 2151 just so you can let it downclock twice to 2126 and 2113, you run into their STUPID design that it will not keep its voltage for your lowest clock, creating instability at your otherwise stable clock. Did I mention it's stupid?

Edit2: To prevent it from getting up to 1093V you should lower the "Power" slider (which is a percentage for this series..) and find your limit.

Aaron1001 · September 2, 2016

6 minutes ago, SaladFingers said:

I'm right there with you. It's plain stupid, no other words to describe it.

Your best bet to keep that clock stable is to overclock to 2126mhz, and make your fan curve so that it qill quickly get to 60C (which will downclock you to 2113) and then have it very aggressive when approaching 70C so it won't downclock any further. That's what I'm doing to keep my stable 2138mhz at 1.093V. If the card reaches 71-72 it's SO LOUD, when in reality it could be silent and running perfectly fine at 74-75C.... So yeah. The way they made it is all about your cooling, which makes no damn sense at all.

thanks for the quick reply. Im a bit of a silence freak, so your method is definitely a no go for me. Currently, I have it running at 2101, and just letting the voltage go higher then it really needs to. I know 13 mhz makes absolutely no difference, but it is upsetting that I pay good money for a card, and it wont do what I tell it to do

SaladFingers · September 2, 2016

Just now, Aaron1001 said:

thanks for the quick reply. Im a bit of a silence freak, so your method is definitely a no go for me. Currently, I have it running at 2101, and just letting the voltage go higher then it really needs to. I know 13 mhz makes absolutely no difference, but it is upsetting that I pay good money for a card, and it wont do what I tell it to do

To be honest, getting a little more voltage at a stable clock shouldn't get it unstable. It will lower it once it feels it's getting "too hot".

But yeah, without a custom BIOS and a way to flash it overclocking will never be as good as it once was. Nvidia is just giving us the middle finger...