Safe overclock for these specs (r7 250)

[Alexandre Souza]

Hello, everyone. Im running out of options so im here asking for something i didnt intend to do: Overclocking.

For the ones who are patient enough this is another thread of mine with details about the problems i've been experiencing:
http://www.tomshardware.com/answers/id-2607868/fps-random-drops-gaming.html

I read here in some other r7 250 user's threads that Overclocking might be beficial and im looking for that in order to MAYBE fix these random FPS drops, so i'd like to know the safest values to overclock my GPU on this system:

CPU: Amd FX 6300
RAM: 1 Stick DDR 3 Ram (Kingston) 8gb 1600
MOBO: Asus m5a78l-m lx/br
HD: 1 Hard Drives (Sata 3)
VGA: Saphiretech Radeon R7 250 (1gb DDR5)
CPU Cooler: Hyper Tx3 EVO (Coolermaster)
2 Fans: 80 mm and 120mm
PSU: CX 500 Plus Bronze (Corsair)


With stock settings and TURBO CORE enabled or disabled im experiencing random fps drops from 86 to 8 on some games.
there are videos on the internet showing a problem just like mine, but they say its a memory leak. I already ran tests with my memory and tried other one, seems not to be the problem (i could like those videos but im not sure if toms hardware policy would allow me to). Those FPS drops tend to end if I alt tab and come back to the game. Sometimes it fixes, sometimes dont...

So im looking for any benefit that overclocking could grant me.

Thanks, guys.

 

[Onus]

What are your CPU temps when this happens, and what are your motherboard VRM temperatures (a program like HWMonitor can be used to measure maximums)? Something may be overheating and throttling.

 

[Alexandre Souza]

Well, my CPU temps never get above 60 celsius.
I was worried about the temps aswell so I mailed AMD. They instructed me to use AMD OVerdrive and care only about the thermal margin. So i can say that my thermal margin was never bellow 20 celsius (mostly like 25 celsius under heavy load).

HD0: 47C
CPU: 55C (used to achieve over 72 when Turbo Core Option was enabled in the bios, i read somewhere disabling that would cool the cpu and it did the job. Also I changed the Fan Speed profile to TURBO in bios).
MB: 46C
GPU: 59C
Core: 44C

Also my 3Dmark score is far too low... SCORE P1942. And 3D Mark assumes I hv a AMD Radeon HD 7750 when I actually hv an r7 250 VGA.

I dunno how to check VRM.

 

[Alexandre Souza]

I have seen some guides on the internet showing how to disable CPU throtling. Would it be a good thing to try out once (according to AMD and AMD Overdrive) my temps are fine?

 

[computertech82]

Overclocking will only give 2-6 fps.

 

[Alexandre Souza]

gotcha, man, but im not looking for a "better proformance", im looking for a fix for the random fps drops. Would overclock help with that?

 

[Onus]

Are you using AMD's latest drivers? If not, get them. I've noticed sometimes in a game (most recently GW2) my AMD cards would drop down to their 2D clocks in some circumstances, really jittering and lagging. It was fixed by a later driver version.

 

[Alexandre Souza]

well, i have been using the driver which was given to my by AMD auto Detect tool.
But I noticed it was a different one from their website, so I manually downloaded the driver for my VGA.
Still same issue.
About throtling...
Im not sure if it throtles, it seems to tho. But if it does, there is no reason.
I hv tried many diferent things, like.

Changing the Power Suply Settings in the selected profile in windows.
Enabled/Disabled Cool 'n' Quiet
Enabled/Disabled/Auto Turbo Core (When its enabled my temp goes pretty high, but still a positive thermal margin (i'd say not less than 15 celsius)
Using DX 9 and DX 11 options in the game i play the most (Archeage).

I dunno how to check if i hv the most updated driver. Amd Gaming Evolved App says I hv it tho.
What could make my CPU throtle if its not getting the higher temp it could handle?
This thing is driving me crazy.

 

[Alexandre Souza]

is this throttlestop software safe?

 

[Alexandre Souza]

nvm, after reading a bit more about throttlestop i wont download it.
any idea?

 

[Alexandre Souza]

i was reading about this mobo tho.
saw some people saying that this MOBO for being an old model interpret the CPU configurations in a wrong way. Jumping into technical language (which i dont understand) the guy said that it would read read the 4.0gh at 0.9v, which, according to this guy, is rediculous.
He advices people to make some changes in the voltages settings on the bios.
Im not doing that, however, is there a way to check if my voltage is fine?

And to protect my system i'll just let it safer. Turbo Core disabled / Cool n Quiet Enabled / Fan Speed TURBO.

Anything else u guys think I should try?

 

[Onus]

MSI Afterburner can monitor your graphics card's clock rates. See if that is what is dropping back.