GPU 99% Utilization & overclocking

[sodermat]

Hi everyone,

I was testing the overclocking software for my Gigabyte G1 980 card using GPU-z to to monitor the sensors.

I noticed in the log from GPU-z that when the GPU was at low utilization say 10% for example, it gave a performance cap reason of 16 (limited by GPU utilization), I'm guessing the card wasn't really loaded during that time though and I wouldn't haven't noticed any reduction in game performance.

But when the GPU utilization was high say 97-99% and memory controller load was at a corresponding 50% in the sensor log from GPU-z, the performance cap reason in the log is 4(max operating voltage).

I didn't increase the voltage with the over clocking software for fear of damaging the card. Would doing so increase the performance of the card when overclocking it?

Can the card actually perform any better with a higher voltage setting when the GPU is at 99% utilization?

The GPU temp reached a max of 64C when it was loaded according to the sensor log from GPU-z.

 

[i7Baby]

Can the card actually perform any better with a higher voltage setting when the GPU is at 99% utilization? - yes. Same as if a CPU is bottleneck a PCs performance, you can overclock the CPU to get more performance from your PC. But there's a limit. A thermal limit. And CPUs and GPUs have built-in mechanisms to stop them getting too hot.

G1 980 overclock - http://www.guru3d.com/articles_pages/gigabyte_geforce_gtx_980_g1_gaming_review,26.html

Using Afterburner.

 

[sodermat]

Ahh I see of course, the utilization isn't a measure of it's speed but how much of it is actually being used at the time.

Thanks for your prompt response.