Is it worth buying an overclocked GPU?

Solution
They are the same card just one is overclocked... you can overclock it yourself using any number of overclocking apps such as MSI afterburner. If you don't want to bother with that you can spend the 10 more for the OC card.

6R1M01R3

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I recommend it personally, since it saves you time and risks that involve overclocking one by yourself. It's just 10 pounds of difference. The "non OC" already comes with a higher core clock than the reference model.
 
They are the same card just one is overclocked... you can overclock it yourself using any number of overclocking apps such as MSI afterburner. If you don't want to bother with that you can spend the 10 more for the OC card.
 
Solution

al94

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Aug 6, 2014
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Thanks for the answers. How much difference would the oc version make in gameplay? On average how much fps increase would I get over the non oc version playing games at 1080p on ultra? Would the oc version be able to be overclocked even further?
 


at hte stock speeds for both I'd expect to see maybe a 3-5% increase in FPS.. so say the stock gives 50 FPS the OC would give you 51-53 fps... They are the same card so they should have the same OC potential.. Very good chance you can OC the OC version more than it is already and a decent chance that the non OC card will clock up to the same speeds... But it is all luck of the draw - might end up that the OC card is at its max and the Non OC card can go up to 1200Mhz boost... really no way to know for sure till you test the card you get.

as an example me and my friend both bough GTX 680's a couple years ago, I got the EVGA reference card and he get an EVGA OC card... his came with a factory OC of i think it was 1070 ish Mhz boost and my card was 1023 ( the boosts were random the stated Mhz on the box was the minimum - mine should have been 1006Mhz based on the box and his something like 1050Mhz).. Anyway I was able to OC my card and run stable at 1280Mhz his card would crash if he tried to up his MHz by even 20... So like i said its all just luck.
 

6R1M01R3

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Factory OC'd GPUs can be overclocked even further by a small margin. Consider that overvolting increases the heat chip produces and shortens the lifespan. Bad oveclocked GPUs will display artifacts in 3D applications.