First time overclocking 8600GT - tips and opinion?

[syliam]

Hey,

So this is my first time overclocking my GPU, it runs stock at 540/400/1188, but I've just overclocked it to 700/450/1540.

I've not done some SERIOUS testing, I've only tried a few games like Dead Space, Fallout 3, Team Fortress 2, and WoW, my max temperature is around 69°C (runs at 53°C just on Windows, not doing anything), and I've read that the max the GPU's stock cooling can take is 80°C? Should I give it a try overclocking more?

The increase in performance is pretty amazing, in Fallout 3, I'd have to play it at 1024x768 with no AA/AF to play it smoothly, but now I can play it at high quality, 1440x900, 2xAA, 4xAF, and I'm getting 40-60FPS just walking around and about 28-40 in a firefight (decided to shoot a Raider at Paradise Falls for a good test, plenty of people shooting at you.)

Any tips for someone new to overclocking?

Thanks!

Here's my specs:

AMD Athlon 64 X2 6000+
N61PB-M2S motherboard
4GB PC2-6400
8600GT
550w PSU (just a cheap brand)

 

[syliam]

Sorry can't edit my message, my max temperature is actually 73°C.

 

[roush2fast]

I think that card will run stable 75-80 but I wouldn't go any higher. Be happy you made it that far. Those cards OC well and that is a fairly substantial OC. You can try small adjustments and benchmark but I have seen many times once the line of being unstable is crossed many never come back. Once you reach a point you start loosing ground on payoff vs. stability and high temps.

 

[sepayne21]

I'd say go for overclocking the GPU, but stay away from overclocking your memory. I've seen memory on video cards die, and as roush2fast said, they don't come back once you push your memory too hard, but as long as you keep your GPU temps stay below 75 (80 max) you should be fine.

 

[syliam]

Excellent, will do!

Is there any good ways I can give my GPU a good stress test to test the temperatures fully?

 

[sepayne21]

oh, 1 more thing, the 8600gt is a really crappy card. you can get a 9600gso which would be 2 to 3 times faster than the 8600gt for really cheap

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814121319

if they get any more of these in stock, get one! $35 after MIR. it's not the fastese card out there, but if you really want to see improvement for really cheap, this is it.

 

[syliam]

Sorry I should have said in my first post that the 8600GT is only going to be around for a month or two, until I buy a 4770/4870.

 

[sepayne21]

Excellent, will do!

Is there any good ways I can give my GPU a good stress test to test the temperatures fully?

download ati tool (I think this works with nvidia gpu's also) and run it. it'll find your max stable core clock. it also monitors your temps while running your tests so you can stop it whenever you stop feeling comfortable with temps.

download rivatuner also. it allows you to mess with your fan speed. be VERY careful not to accidentally turn gpu fan off. When gaming with an overclocked cpu, turn fan speeds up to maximize your airflow.

good luck

 

[megamanx00]

Well, at least if you fry it no big loss right 😀

 

[syliam]

download ati tool (I think this works with nvidia gpu's also) and run it. it'll find your max stable core clock. it also monitors your temps while running your tests so you can stop it whenever you stop feeling comfortable with temps.

download rivatuner also. it allows you to mess with your fan speed. be VERY careful not to accidentally turn gpu fan off. When gaming with an overclocked cpu, turn fan speeds up to maximize your airflow.

good luck

Wait sorry, I don't understand fans and all that really. Should I be changing the fan speed JUST when I'm gaming?

I have RivaTuner btw, I'll get the ATI Tool!

 

[D3LTA09]

^its up to you, you could just put the fan speed up when stressing it (ie gaming) and thus have quiter operation at desktop/idle provided that your temps are ok at idle. But to me its too much of a hassle to go and change fan profiles every time I want to game (which is frequently!).


on a side note, OC or not Id just be stoaked that my 8600gt could run fallout 3 or any recent game, the one I bought a couple years ago as a temp card to replace my fried 7800GT was god awful, claimed dx10 gaming, yea at 5-10fps... all though the silent pipe cooling was the goods, You will be stoaked once your 4870 arrives!

 

[syliam]

Guessing I can't change the fan speed on Windows 7, since I forced the driver version in RivaTuner so it could detect my video card, it wouldn't detect it unless I forced it. Guessing it's a 64-bit problem?

There isn't even a tab for Fan!