SLI Low GPU Usage, Low temps- Should I Increase Overclock?

If you wanted to overclock you should have bought the unlocked K series CPU
The 3770 will not overclock much to spot any noticable difference in games.

Normaly its BCLK x Multiplier = Clock speed. You should not have to touch volts or anything like that. Using BCLK like 102 or 105 an overclock can still be made, but it will affect the whole system, including SATA and can create write/read corruption/errors!

Clearely crysis3 BF3 multiplayer or some simmilar games do require lot of processing power.
If you game on low resolution 720p the bottoleneck will be more than in higher resolution/multi display like 1080p - 1600p Try playing games @ max / very High settings so you GPU will get utilized more.

Also Im assuming here your SLI is working properly with latest drivers installed and PSU got enough Juice to support.

Thanks



I belive you got some missconcpts, Your GPUs already showing 80% usage in those games I dont see how GPU overclock will help at all.

I would prefer running them @ stock clock and @ very high graphics settings so my GPUs get utilized more and also at the same time close any background apps with taskmanagers so my games gets max. CPU support to knockout any bottoleneck issue.

Thanks


Update:

Here I got the answer broke into small parts for better understanding:

"I run a GTX 670 SLI 4GB currently clocked to 1200mhz on both cards with an intel i7 3770 on closed loop cooling."

This sounds like a possible CPU bottleneck setup with too strong Graphics power but CPU at stock

"On Battlefield 3, even maxed out, I get 55-65% GPU usage on both cards "

GPU usage should have been over 80% sounds more like a possible CPU bottoleneck, GPUs are held back by something.

"This makes sense, because even though BF3 is a CPU intensive game, it is not CPU optimized, and additional graphical power would cease to matter."

Here you might got something wrong. Google, people do/can get 100FPS plus with SLI unless they are bottlenecked by something. So the game is capable of utilizing CPU unless the CPU isn't capable enough.

"Since the latest 314.22 drivers, I get massive frame drops into the 60s on high destruction maps"

Here it sounds more like a possible driver issue to me. Perhaps new driver will have better SLI support for the particular games? Use only WHQL though they aren't full proof

"On Crysis 3, I get 95-99% GPU usage and 61 fps on all ultra, no motion blur or lens flare and 2x smaa."

This is how it should be as Crysis 3 is extremely demanding game

"I want more frames, so I turn all my settings to medium. I drop to 60% GPU usage and 60 degrees celsius on my GPU. "

This is how it should be as now cards getting less pressure
"The CPU remains active to 60-70%."

This I dont get, CPUs now should have been atleast 90% used?

"I get 90-110 fps average depending on the map."

Thats good frame rate.

"The question is, should I bump up my overclock to attempt to get more frames? Or would it not matter?

Why doesn't the GPU use more processing power to get more frames at lower settings?

Would it not matter if the CPU can't keep up?"

Your 3770 is at stock with a max clock 3.9GHz I would say in certain cpu intensive games IT WILL BOTTOLENECK THE SLI SETUP considering your aiming @ 80+ FPS
The CPU @ that clock simply cant give over 70FPS @ certain levels. Theres people with 3930k strugling with crysis3.
Also things to note some levels got bugs / bad game codes that prevents the gameitself utilizing full potential of your hardware. Game developers normaly aim @ 60FPS larger audience/gamers so perhaps that is something aswell?

Either Way I belive your CPU @ 3.9GHz is holding your 670 SLI setup in CPU intensive games. So pushing hard those 670s will not give you much compared to the heat noise and power consumption.

Notice how a CPU can impact a game on the following benchmark test:

Thanks

Honestly. there is NO reason to want more then 60 FPS unless you are on a 120HZ monitor. Turn on Vsync, and call it a day. wanting 100% usage on a GPU is pointless.

Unless you are all about bragging rights... which really wont get you anywhere other then a hotter computer case. (and yes, bf3 works ALOT better with a faster cpu. Ive got two 560 TIs 2GB running in my case, and a 2600K @ 4.4 and i can play BF3 on any map at 140 FPS. but its pointless, my GPU fans start sounding like they are trying to take my computer and fly away (~4800 RPM) its excessive and pointless to play without VSYNC when you have more then 60