Overclocking my 7600GT

[avi85]

the highest stable core speed that I can reach is 594 (560 standard) and the highest memory speed is 841MHz (1682 DDR) (700 standard, or 1400 DDR).

1) that speed on the memory seems a bit high to me but I get no artifacting/lines etc... is this considered too high for the memory?

2)once I reach my highest stable speeds, how far should I back down for permanent use (on the core and the memory)

 

[Munky]

Run some games, and see if you get artifacts, freezing or crashing. Oblivion is a good torture test for the video card, but others like FEAR or Farcry will work too.

 

[aznrice54]

Originally posted by: avi85
2)once I reach my highest stable speeds, how far should I back down for permanent use (on the core and the memory)

Most people try to reach the highest stable speeds they can. If your card can make it through a torture test for a long time, it should be fine. However you can back down a couple MHz if you're really paranoid

 

[Saku]

I got well over 610 with my Evga 7600GT, just keep an eye on your temps.

 

[avi85]

I wasn't clear before (probably cause I was half asleep), My RAM reaches 841 MHz fine but even one notch up and it won't pass the test button in RivaTuner ("The driver failed to pass the internal test with the clock frequencies you are about too set..."), I thought that there would be a point where it would pass the test but then I would see some artifacting.
This is why I'm worried that I may have pushed it too high

 

[avi85]

bump...is my memory speed too high???

 

[Gautama2]

Run some stress tests, if its stable then its fine. Dont worry about it

 

[avi85]

Originally posted by: Gautama2
Run some stress tests, if its stable then its fine. Dont worry about it

what stress tests are there for video cards?

 

[Auric]

Loops of 3DMock or just play a demanding game in SP (so as not to have a good MP game rudely interrupted by a crash or artifacts). ATITool may be useful but note it reads the memory as 350.

The Nvidia auto-oc does 614/817 on mine. For auto, the core is no shocker but the mem is decent. I have not tried manual yet. It is still a bit disconcerting because it remains so cool and quiet and I have to remind myself about the relatively conservative percentages (10/17%) at such high frequencies as the numbers would otherwise seem dangerous on the mem especially. With the 128-bit bus, most of the performance increase will prolly come from that; anyone know the part number (i.e. removed HS)? I would like to look up the specs.

If really keen on oc'ing both HSs could be remounted with some fancy goo and an 80 or 92 mm fan slapped on top (optionally disable the integrated one) or buy a Zalman but I don't see the value in that when the original is already quiet and extreme cooling could be had for the price of a fan (which may already be laying about). Note the original speeds are apparently set to 25/65 so it could be even quieter in 2D and cool better in 3D with some adjustment -or with a different fan it could draw power from a mobo header and have its variable speed (say 10-100%) linked to CPU temps in SpeedFan. FYI, SF may be capable of varying the card fan header but not on my mobo (same case with previous card as ATT could but not SF). Well, I guess there's always RivaTuner but better to consolidate as many functions into as few utilities as possible. Too bad there is no Nvidia equivalent of ATI Tray Tools.

-
oops, typo on auto-mem

 

[dug777]

Do you see much of a benefit from that oc? I've seen reviews that have shown a fairly limited benefit to overclocking 7600GTs in the past, and of pre-oc'd models vs stock speeds, so it would be interesting to see...

 

[avi85]

Originally posted by: dug777
Do you see much of a benefit from that oc? I've seen reviews that have shown a fairly limited benefit to overclocking 7600GTs in the past, and of pre-oc'd models vs stock speeds, so it would be interesting to see...

to be honest...no, if there is an increase it's by a few fps, although my 3dmark05 score went up from 5907 to 6600, so I guess it does something

 

[Auric]

I suppose it depends upon the game's demands but even if FPS does not go up signficantly an oc may allow higher quality settings without FPS going down.