Overclocking GeForce 330M

[zempten]

Hi everyone

I'm trying to overclock my GeForce 330M using NVIDIA System Tools 6.6. I've looked around on other websites and they mention things like shader and core and memory clock speeds, but when I'm looking to overclock i only see graphics, memory, and processor. Does core mean processor? shader means graphics? Also is there some sort of ratio i should be increasing my clock speed?

Lastly I read i need to monitor my video card temperature using some program while playing a game. Can I also just monitor it through some benchmark test? or is monitoring it during the game a better test? i only ask this b/c the game plays full screen and it'll be difficult to monitor the temperature of the video card. Oh one last thing, what's the acceptable temperature of the video card? I think i read around 70 C is safe.

I'm sorry if it sounds like i'm answering my own questions. I'm just a bit paranoid since it's my first time overclocking and i want to get my facts straight. Thanks alot for any knowledge you guys can share. Thanks again

 

[usethisname]

Hello zempten

I just over clocked the 330M on my i7 Macbook Pro, and my temp gets around 70-72 C when gaming with the clock speeds below. These are the settings you need to change to OC your 330M, but I haven't used NVIDIA System Tools so I am not sure what the other parameters options in that utility are.

Core: 650 [Default: 500] (aka GPU, graphics processor)
Mem: 900 [Default: 790]
Shader: 1430 [Default: 1100]

Increasing the shader will bring the most gains, but it's usually limited in what you can squeeze out of it. If you experiment with different clock speeds you want to keep the shader and core in a 1:2.2 ratio, and change and test in small 10 MHz increments if you do. I did a lot of research on other peoples' success with different 330M clock speeds, and the general consensus is that the above settings are safe and provide a good performance boost. I agree - the improvement to Starcraft 2 was huge for me, and I have had no issues to speak of.

I use NVIDIA Inspector to OC my 330M card, and it tells you all kinds of information like the current clock speed and temp (all those GPU apps for over clocking do). I recommend after you first OC that you play a game for about 5-15 minutes, watching for artifacts or any graphical issues, then quit and promptly check the temps in your GPU app of choice. If you are running in the lower 70s your doing fine. Try playing for longer, try different games, tweak your in game graphic settings, and see how performance and temp hold up after each test. If you don't know what normal temperatures are for your computer then watch them in the GPU apps for a while first before you OC. When your settings are stable for your card, and given your cooling setup is working, the high temp range of your card should be fairly consistent within the same 5-10 degrees (in my experience anyway). If you plan to push your card to its OC limits then you will want to look into some more advanced monitoring tools and techniques - there is a lot out there to choose from.

Have you found a driver yet? I am successfully using 259.47, from AUG 2010. Not sure if your Windows OS is 32 or 64 bit, but the 64 driver and modded INF file I used can be found here (don't worry that it says hpcompaq): http://forums.laptopvideo2go.com/topic/27280-v25947-windows-7vista-64bit-hpcompaq-oem-inf/

About drivers, if you don't know, before you can OC you need a repackaged NVIDIA driver and a modded INF file, not the official NVIDIA driver from their website. You will be able to find all you need at laptopvideo2go's website, and I recommend reading up in the FAQ of the forum if this is new territory for you.

Few misc pointers:
(1) Back up your computer before you start, just in case.
(2) You don't have to run with your card OC all the time - for example I use NVIDIA Inspector's shortcut feature to go back and forth from default and OC settings with a double click of a desktop shortcut.
(3) Use benchmark apps like 3DMark06 so you can compare and understand which clock speeds are doing what to your performance.
(4) Be cautious when taking advice on clock speeds that "work" from others - every card is different, and some cards over clock much higher than even another of the same make/model! Just because it worked for someone with the same computer as you is no guarantee it will work the same for you.
(5) Keep in mind that the driver you use to OC plays a big part in performance too, and to save a lot of trouble read up on forums about what drivers other 330M owners have had success or problems with before trying them out yourself.

Hope this helps, and good luck!
Ryan

 

[zempten]

Best answer selected by zempten.

 

[zempten]

Thanks alot for such a detailed response. I just have a few more questions.

If there is a ratio for shadder and core, what about memory? Do i just make small 10 increments in that as well?

So before overclocking i'll always have to find a new modified driver that isn't from NVIDIA?

thanks for your help