Is it safe to play with VGA memory timings?

[trinitron64]

I have an x800xl (r420 core) and I believe at 580/610 I have reached about as high as id like to run it continuously.... i could probably get away with 610/630 for the sake of a bungholiomark... but anyways

I am now interested in tightening my video card's timings a little bit... I know that there are little consequences from tweaking ones system memory... but what exactly am i facing in the video card memory timing battle?

the death of my video card?
damaged memory?
minimal performance for the high level of danger?

Comments, suggestions, anything please

 

[trinitron64]

i already read a post of someone on here tweaking theirs, the settings aren't exactly hidden either

I am just asking, will tight timmings plus high clocks turn my drag racer into... well into a big drag :lol:

:?:

 

[AdamBomb42]

I have not heard of changing timings of a video card, only system memory. If you can change them the worst that could happen is some instability.

 

[FeareX]

Damnit 😛 i opened a topic like this one a while ago.

But yes you can play with them, i personally never had problems with changing them. (used the x850xt timings on my gto) but it only got me 150 3dmark05 marks so not something you really notice in a game.

 

[kasten]

I've know you can edit ram timings on Nvidia graphics cards with NiBiTor (a bios editor) but i have never changed the timings with it before myself fear of messing it up. On the ati side there is RaBiT but I have not used this before because i do not have an ati card.

As far as i know you have to edit your video cards bios with an editor and flash it to your card to change the timings of your ram on it.

 

[PaCanc]

The last time I played with ATITool, I think I saw the memory timings in one of the tabs. I think they were editable, but I can't remember exactly.

Anyway, if you go too far, there will be some instability.

 

[ZozZoz]

Yes, AtiTool allows you to edit timings.

But tighter timings don't get along with higher mem. frequencies, at least that's how it works with overclocking standard RAM. Want lower timings - lower your frequency.

goold luck with your endeavours, let us know how it works out.

 

[TSIMonster]

Here you go:

http://www.xtremesystems.org/forums/showthread.php?t=55485

These memory timing settings perform like a 50 Mhz overclock basically. Keep an eye on your temps and you'll be fine.

With my ram on my x850 at 600 Mhz (max stable) I got 6800 in 3DMark05

At 590Mhz with these timings, I got 7018!! 200 point increase!! With a volt mod, or some better cooling, I am sure I could do even better. I have seen x850s hitting 10k in 3DMark05...

 

[FeareX]

THANK YOU SO MUCH 😀

I was searching for that page this afternoon, but couldnt find it 😳

I needed those timings again

 

[AdamBomb42]

That's good to know. I have only used coolbits and rivatuner to overclock my videocards and have never edited the bios on one. I have been a little afraid of screwing them up.