Does overclocking decrease life?

[dayto11]

Hello,
i was just wondering if over clocking the gpu would decrease its life. i originally though that if you raised the voltage it would decrease its life but now i am not sure thanks
Dayto

 

[BeeBahBoo]

The most important thing concerning life span is temperature.
As long as your GPU isn't getting incredibly hot (90C+) you're all right.
GPUs are made - from my understanding - to handle temps up to 120C before "fail-safes" kick in. I definitely wouldn't recommend even pushing the envelope with that temp, you'll fry other things in your graphics card before the GPU.

Mine runs around 45C idle and 63C while playing a game (like Crysis 2, Batman: AA, Witcher 2).

When overclocking I didn't feel comfortable having my temps go over 83C (random temp but that's just what I was comfortable with).

What GPU are you running?

 

[dayto11]

The most important thing concerning life span is temperature.
As long as your GPU isn't getting incredibly hot (90C+) you're all right.
GPUs are made - from my understanding - to handle temps up to 120C before "fail-safes" kick in. I definitely wouldn't recommend even pushing the envelope with that temp, you'll fry other things in your graphics card before the GPU.

Mine runs around 45C idle and 63C while playing a game (like Crysis 2, Batman: AA, Witcher 2).

When overclocking I didn't feel comfortable having my temps go over 83C (random temp but that's just what I was comfortable with).

What GPU are you running?

A gtx 460 atm The only reason i am even thinking about it is that i might be getting a 3d setup and from what i under stand is that it cuts your fps in half so yea...

 

[BeeBahBoo]

There's nothing wrong with overclocking.
If it was problematic, so many people wouldn't do it.
It doesn't harm the card unless you are careless, don't pay attention to temps, set voltage far too high, stuff like that.
There's really no reason you shouldn't consider overclocking, especially with a GTX 460. What I know about the card, it can overclock amazingly well.
I'd say with that card you'd want to keep temps below 85C under full GPU load.

Here are some tools you should get:
MSI Afterburner
FurMark

If you need to know how to use these, google, search Tom's (sure there's stuff here), or send me a PM, I'd be glad to help you out.

 

[dayto11]

There's nothing wrong with overclocking.
If it was problematic, so many people wouldn't do it.
It doesn't harm the card unless you are careless, don't pay attention to temps, set voltage far too high, stuff like that.
There's really no reason you shouldn't consider overclocking, especially with a GTX 460. What I know about the card, it can overclock amazingly well.
I'd say with that card you'd want to keep temps below 85C under full GPU load.

Here are some tools you should get:
MSI Afterburner
FurMark

If you need to know how to use these, google, search Tom's (sure there's stuff here), or send me a PM, I'd be glad to help you out.

Thanks for the fast anwser what should i use to moniter temps? also go any ideas on the clocks i could set?
i was thinking of bring it to this
does that look ok?
crap and what it be ok if i used nvidia system tools?

 

[BeeBahBoo]

Afterburner monitors temps. As does FurMark.
What model GTX 460 do you have? Also, 768MB or 1GB?
I wouldn't use Nvidia tools to OC personally.

I'd also recommend setting up a fan ramp in Afterburner as well.

 

[dayto11]

Afterburner monitors temps. As does FurMark.
What model GTX 460 do you have? Also, 768MB or 1GB?
I wouldn't use Nvidia tools to OC personally.

I'd also recommend setting up a fan ramp in Afterburner as well.

1st.the 1gb model
2nd. not sure which model
3d. why would you not use that
4th. Dont know how to set up a ramp thing.

 

[BeeBahBoo]

GPU-Z will tell you every bit of info about your card.

Afterburner is a much better utility (for one, you can set up a fan ramp).
With Afterburner, to set up a fan ramp, go to settings>fan.
You'll see a graph with green lines.
That's your ramp there.
Mine is [0C-30%][40C-40%][60C-60%][80C-90%][90C-100%]
should be a pretty solid fan ramp for anyone.
Also with Afterburner, with the fan speed bar, turn auto on and turn user defined on (the box will turn green when user defined is on (it's the grey box on the right of the fan bar))
Don't forget to apply settings.

Run GPU-Z and get back to me with the model (look at subvendor)

 

[dayto11]

GPU-Z will tell you every bit of info about your card.

Afterburner is a much better utility (for one, you can set up a fan ramp).
With Afterburner, to set up a fan ramp, go to settings>fan.
You'll see a graph with green lines.
That's your ramp there.
Mine is [0C-30%][40C-40%][60C-60%][80C-90%][90C-100%]
should be a pretty solid fan ramp for anyone.
Also with Afterburner, with the fan speed bar, turn auto on and turn user defined on (the box will turn green when user defined is on (it's the grey box on the right of the fan bar))
Don't forget to apply settings.

Run GPU-Z and get back to me with the model (look at subvendor)

the model is UNDEFINED (0000) lol

 

[BeeBahBoo]

Strange...
Well, in order to know how much you can overclock your GPU you're going to have to tinker with it anyways.
This is where FurMark comes in handy.
You'll want to run a furmark test at 512x384 preferably.
Run it at the same time as Afterburner.
Go up in nice increments (5-10 with core clock/20-25 with shaders & memory).
I'd go ahead and push your voltage up to 1.2 if you're allowed to in Afterburner.
Watch the fps in furmark. Watch temps in Afterburner and FurMark.
Tinker with the core clock first. Get it up a bit, assuming fps is still increasing.
Then start pushing shaders and memory up.
FPS will eventually drop when increasing memory, so you'll know your limit fairly easily there.
Core clock limit... you'll probably lock your pc up finding this (multiple times).
I probably did 15 or so hard restarts on mine while overclocking.
Once you've got something you think is a good config, run a game, if it's stable, and temps and all look good, I'd say you've done a succesful overclock.

 

[dayto11]

Strange...
Well, in order to know how much you can overclock your GPU you're going to have to tinker with it anyways.
This is where FurMark comes in handy.
You'll want to run a furmark test at 512x384 preferably.
Run it at the same time as Afterburner.
Go up in nice increments (5-10 with core clock/20-25 with shaders & memory).
I'd go ahead and push your voltage up to 1.2 if you're allowed to in Afterburner.
Watch the fps in furmark. Watch temps in Afterburner and FurMark.
Tinker with the core clock first. Get it up a bit, assuming fps is still increasing.
Then start pushing shaders and memory up.
FPS will eventually drop when increasing memory, so you'll know your limit fairly easily there.
Core clock limit... you'll probably lock your pc up finding this (multiple times).
I probably did 15 or so hard restarts on mine while overclocking.
Once you've got something you think is a good config, run a game, if it's stable, and temps and all look good, I'd say you've done a succesful overclock.

OK thank you very much for the help and the time and if you want you can team viewer me and look for your self thanks though

 

[BeeBahBoo]

No problem at all!
Happy overclocking!

 

[dayto11]

No problem at all!
Happy overclocking!

Do you have any idea why my fan will not follow the ramp? in after burner

 

[dayto11]

Best answer selected by dayto11.

 

[BeeBahBoo]

Do you have any idea why my fan will not follow the ramp? in after burner

I had this problem as well.
First, make sure your graphics card's main program has any kind of OC control disabled
(anything in Nvidia that allows you to overclock, off).
Then make sure you have auto on and user defined on.
It won't always follow the ramp 100% but it stays relatively close.