Question Should I overclock?

[bioax]

So I got a MSI Ventus OC gtx and I've been really enjoying it. However, it didn't give me the performance I was expecting. When I used the msi afterburner overlay, I noticed that it would only reach 45 degrees while gaming, and I was wondering if I should overclock my gpu.

 

[tennis2]

What's your full system specs.
CPU
GPU
PSU
RAM (and number of sticks)
Motherboard
Monitor

 

[bioax]

ryzen 5 2600
gtx 1660
evga br 500w
2x8 ddr4-3000 16-18-18-38
gigabyte b450m ds3h
some random hp monitor 23 in 60 hz

 

[IntelTurtleFan]

2 things. First make sure XMP is enabled in the BIOs. Second make sure your drivers are all updated and go ahead and install MSI afterburner. You can crank the power to 110% and nothing bad will happen it will just allow the GPU to use more power when needed.

E: just seen the PSU its not a great PSU but shouldn't be the limiting factor here.

 

[tennis2]

Please elaborate on "it didn't give me the performance I was expecting". Provide quantitative evidence if/where possible.

Are we correct in assuming you've got the latest graphics card driver installed?

What GPU did you have before this?

 

[Karadjgne]

It's a 1660. It's only a little bit better than a 1060,970,980, which for 1080p/60Hz is fine.

I'm assuming you upgraded the gpu thinking you'd get higher fps? That's probably not going to happen with those cards much as you are probably at cpu fps limits, not gpu limits.

 

[bioax]

2 things. First make sure XMP is enabled in the BIOs. Second make sure your drivers are all updated and go ahead and install MSI afterburner. You can crank the power to 110% and nothing bad will happen it will just allow the GPU to use more power when needed.

E: just seen the PSU its not a great PSU but shouldn't be the limiting factor here.

Please elaborate on "it didn't give me the performance I was expecting". Provide quantitative evidence if/where possible.

Are we correct in assuming you've got the latest graphics card driver installed?

What GPU did you have before this?

Well what I kind of meant it was that I didnt think my GPU was giving its best performamce, because of the rather low temps while gaming. And i do have the latest driver.

 

[bioax]

It's a 1660. It's only a little bit better than a 1060,970,980, which for 1080p/60Hz is fine.

I'm assuming you upgraded the gpu thinking you'd get higher fps? That's probably not going to happen with those cards much as you are probably at cpu fps limits, not gpu limits.

I have a ryzen 5 2600

 

[Karadjgne]

And I have a i7-3770k at 4.6GHz with gtx970. In skyrim I get 180fps, but if I add mods (I've got 170 loaded) that shoots down to 60. That's all cpu. I can get 300fps in CSGO. Detail settings don't matter, I get that at low or ultra on either game. I'm hitting cpu limits, the gpu is capable of more.

So test settings. Play the game as is. Note the fps. Change to ultra, then low settings. Note the fps. If the fps is changing greatly, that means the fps is limited by the gpu, it's changing according to details/post processing. If fps doesn't really change much at all, then the gpu isn't struggling, the cpu is.

For example, my skyrim. With 170 mods, it's cpu bound. The most I can get is 60fps. I could stick a RTX2080ti in there and still be locked at 60fps. It wouldn't change anything. If the cpu was capable of 200fps, and gpu settings only allowed 60, then yes, a move to a stronger gpu will have benefits, but if cpu is maxed, gpu doesn't help.

Having a 2600 is no guarantee of anything. You can still get middling fps output, and moving to a stronger gpu not show any real change. It's going to depend on your pc setup, ram speeds and location, bios, gpu, game code, resolution, GeForce Experience settings, Xbox dvr/game bar, resolution, DSR and a bunch of others.

 

[tennis2]

GPU temp is not a good indicator of frame rates.