[SOLVED] is it safe to increase GPU voltage ?

JasonNs_

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Sep 22, 2020
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Is it safe practice to increase voltage on my GTX 1660 for better overclocking ? and what are the risks ? note ill im looking to increase voltage via MSI afterburner.
 
Solution
By and large, and based on videos from Jayz Two Cents, Steve at Nexus, Pauls Hardware, etc. if you are using MSI Afterburner, it basically isn't going to allow anything that would just outright damage your card. It will work or crash, and generally won't allow it to slide or be increased beyond a certain point.

With that said, given the GPU shortage now for even mid line cards like that 1660....I wouldn't take the chance.
Increasing voltage is never "safe"
Yet, we always hope to get something for nothing.

Graphics card vendors bin their chips and use the better ones in factory overclocked versions
that they can sell for more. You may be able to OC more, but then again, perhaps not.
They try to differentiate by adding cosmetics and fancy coolers which also sell for more.
I do think you get fair value from a modest factory overclocked card.
If you need more performance, then buy a higher tier card in the first place.
 
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Udyr

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Mar 3, 2021
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Even the strongest GPUs today, if overclocked, get only some few percent in FPS ( f.i. a 3080 instead of 100 fps might reach about 105 fps).
Basically this. Overclocking these days is more like an "I did because I won the silicon lottery and my CPU/RAM/GPU is running stable". The gains are small; barely noticeable. If anyone does it and works... great.
 
Is it safe practice to increase voltage on my GTX 1660 for better overclocking ? and what are the risks ? note ill im looking to increase voltage via MSI afterburner.
It's not generally safe because it increases the heat output of the GPU and you potentially risk permanently damaging the part if you go over its limits. Besides that, there's little point in trying to push a midrange video card like yours any further. They already self-overclock pretty well and the most you can probably get out of it is maybe another 5%.
 

punkncat

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By and large, and based on videos from Jayz Two Cents, Steve at Nexus, Pauls Hardware, etc. if you are using MSI Afterburner, it basically isn't going to allow anything that would just outright damage your card. It will work or crash, and generally won't allow it to slide or be increased beyond a certain point.

With that said, given the GPU shortage now for even mid line cards like that 1660....I wouldn't take the chance.
 
Solution

JasonNs_

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Sep 22, 2020
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Thanks everyone for your great answers, I really appreciate it :D, I already did a good OC and gained extra 20 FPS without adding any voltage, I just asked since I wanted to see if its worth the risks.