Overclocking a Video Card

dylfinn · 02-18-2009, 07:52 PM

I just bought a Radeon HD 4870. I am stoked. Does anyone have a good link to a site that explains how to overclock a video card? I am sure it is done through the bios but I would like to know more.
Thanks.

kongur · 02-18-2009, 08:28 PM

I think I once saw an option for my graphic card to overclock in the Catalyst Control Center. Never found it again though xD
Maybe you need to download the latest driver and control center to have that option.

**koala** · 02-18-2009, 09:58 PM

Overclocking The ATI Radeon HD 4870 - 16 page article with illustrations.

Be very careful, overclock in small increments, and monitor the temperatures and voltages at each stage.

Good luck. Let us know how it goes.

Mcninjaguy · 02-18-2009, 10:21 PM

use Rivatuner first and I wouldn't overclock over 20%
http://downloads.guru3d.com/download.php?det=163

then figure out how to flash the bios of the video card.
thats how my video card is overclocked

dylfinn · 02-20-2009, 04:35 AM

I expected it to be more difficult than that!!!!..lol. I have always been a fan of nVidia. I think I might like this ATI. OCing this card is as easy as OCing the CPU on my ABIT motherboard. They too make it simple and fun. Too bad Abit is now defunct. That is a story for another forum.

I am a big time flight simmer and as of right now I am getting 20 FPS on relatively high settings. I plan to run some tests this weekend and see how many more FPS I can squeeze out of this puppy. I'll post my findings in case anyone is interested.

**koala** · 02-20-2009, 04:53 AM

We've got a member called Sven who joined TSF recently. He runs a flight sim website and forum and has posted here a few times about improving performance in FSX. If you have any questions, just post in the gaming forum and I'm sure he'll be able to help.

dylfinn · 02-20-2009, 09:09 PM

Thanks Koala. I would like to look Sven up.

I was OCing my new card and was thrilled with the results. I was gaining 5-10 fps. For flight sim x that is pretty good. I noticed that my card was running around 78c from the reading that I was getting from ATI Catalyst Control Center, so I shut my machine down to determine how I can reduce the temp.

Mcninjaguy · 02-20-2009, 09:15 PM

up the fan speed for the card

keep it at 70%

dylfinn · 02-20-2009, 09:29 PM

Thanks. I will do that right now. What is a target vid card temp?

dylfinn · 02-20-2009, 09:39 PM

I ramped the fan up to 65% and it sounds likes someone is using a leaf blower in my computer! HAHA! but my temp dropped down around 40C!!! Ahhh...the life of a PC gamer....never without a complaint! Thanks for the tip Mcninjaguy.

Mcninjaguy · 02-20-2009, 09:55 PM

40C for when its idle?
whats the load temp

you prefferably want it below 80C on full load
and if you can around 70C or lower

dylfinn · 02-20-2009, 11:35 PM

I am amazed. I reduced the fan from 70% to 40% and it is quiet enough during play and the max temp that I have found during a full load (Flight Sim X) was 52c. Awesome!

After OCing my card I am up to 25-30 fps...not remarkable but not too shabby for a flight sim. My next venture is OCing my CPU!

Mcninjaguy · 02-21-2009, 12:36 AM

same here I just got a new CPU heatsink
graphics card I know but CPU eh never done it before
thats my new CPU heatsink with a 120mm fan
http://www.techsupportforum.com/attachments/video-card-support/43789d1235103031-bfg-9800gt-oc-temperature-picture-30.jpg

do you have the latest graphic card driver?
http://game.amd.com/us-en/drivers_ca...common-vista32

you will get more FPS with the latest graphic card driver

dylfinn · 02-21-2009, 08:25 PM

That is a monster heat sink. Last weekend I installed a Rocketfish Universal CPU cooler
http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage....=1214611632685
It required the removal of the motherboard, which was not an issue since I had already removed my MB to resolve another problem. If someone did not intend to remove their MB, this heatsink would be a pain! I wish I would have bought a larger Thermaltake cooler.

I have installed the latest video card driver. I intend to check again to make sure. Are you a flightsimmer Mcninjaguy?

Mcninjaguy · 02-21-2009, 08:50 PM

no I'm not a flightsimmer but I might pick it up

FSX I mean

dylfinn · 02-22-2009, 03:17 PM

I have reloaded my FSX with the add-on Acceleration pack, bumped up my memory to 4 gig and besides a little flickering problem on the runways it is AWESOME!
If you decide to get into FSX Mcninjaguy, be prepared for a frustrating, yet rewarding journey. I have never met anyone that is ever satisfied with their FPS, yet we all refuse to give up the fight!
Thanks for all the help.

Mcninjaguy · 02-22-2009, 09:28 PM

ohh than you've met your match my FPS are fine for now and for the next year or 2 I guess

you know what I think I may just be getting HAWX when it comes out I really don't want t play FSX with a nice Joystick and throttle combo.

not sure though

02-18-2009, 07:52 PM	#1 (permalink)
dylfinn Registered User Join Date: Feb 2009 Posts: 18 OS: Windows Vista Ultimate	Overclocking a Video Card I just bought a Radeon HD 4870. I am stoked. Does anyone have a good link to a site that explains how to overclock a video card? I am sure it is done through the bios but I would like to know more. Thanks.

02-18-2009, 08:28 PM	#2 (permalink)
kongur Registered User Join Date: Feb 2009 Posts: 2 OS: Windows Vista Home Premium	Re: Overclocking a Video Card I think I once saw an option for my graphic card to overclock in the Catalyst Control Center. Never found it again though xD Maybe you need to download the latest driver and control center to have that option.

02-18-2009, 09:58 PM	#3 (permalink)
koala Moderator Hardware Team Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: UK Posts: 12,411 OS: XP/7/Ubuntu My System	Re: Overclocking a Video Card Overclocking The ATI Radeon HD 4870 - 16 page article with illustrations. Be very careful, overclock in small increments, and monitor the temperatures and voltages at each stage. Good luck. Let us know how it goes. __________________ New members: Subscribe to your thread (Thread Tools) to receive an instant email notification when you get a reply. TSF Folding@Home Team 85015 - details here

02-18-2009, 10:21 PM	#4 (permalink)
Mcninjaguy Temporarily Banned Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Ottawa, Ontario, Canada Posts: 10,422 OS: Windows 7 Ultimate 64bit My System Blog Entries: 1	Re: Overclocking a Video Card use Rivatuner first and I wouldn't overclock over 20% http://downloads.guru3d.com/download.php?det=163 then figure out how to flash the bios of the video card. thats how my video card is overclocked

02-20-2009, 04:35 AM	#5 (permalink)
dylfinn Registered User Join Date: Feb 2009 Posts: 18 OS: Windows Vista Ultimate	Re: Overclocking a Video Card I expected it to be more difficult than that!!!!..lol. I have always been a fan of nVidia. I think I might like this ATI. OCing this card is as easy as OCing the CPU on my ABIT motherboard. They too make it simple and fun. Too bad Abit is now defunct. That is a story for another forum. I am a big time flight simmer and as of right now I am getting 20 FPS on relatively high settings. I plan to run some tests this weekend and see how many more FPS I can squeeze out of this puppy. I'll post my findings in case anyone is interested.

02-20-2009, 04:53 AM	#6 (permalink)
koala Moderator Hardware Team Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: UK Posts: 12,411 OS: XP/7/Ubuntu My System	Re: Overclocking a Video Card We've got a member called Sven who joined TSF recently. He runs a flight sim website and forum and has posted here a few times about improving performance in FSX. If you have any questions, just post in the gaming forum and I'm sure he'll be able to help. __________________ New members: Subscribe to your thread (Thread Tools) to receive an instant email notification when you get a reply. TSF Folding@Home Team 85015 - details here

02-20-2009, 09:09 PM	#7 (permalink)
dylfinn Registered User Join Date: Feb 2009 Posts: 18 OS: Windows Vista Ultimate	Re: Overclocking a Video Card Thanks Koala. I would like to look Sven up. I was OCing my new card and was thrilled with the results. I was gaining 5-10 fps. For flight sim x that is pretty good. I noticed that my card was running around 78c from the reading that I was getting from ATI Catalyst Control Center, so I shut my machine down to determine how I can reduce the temp.

02-20-2009, 09:15 PM	#8 (permalink)
Mcninjaguy Temporarily Banned Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Ottawa, Ontario, Canada Posts: 10,422 OS: Windows 7 Ultimate 64bit My System Blog Entries: 1	Re: Overclocking a Video Card up the fan speed for the card keep it at 70%

02-20-2009, 09:29 PM	#9 (permalink)
dylfinn Registered User Join Date: Feb 2009 Posts: 18 OS: Windows Vista Ultimate	Re: Overclocking a Video Card Thanks. I will do that right now. What is a target vid card temp?

02-20-2009, 09:39 PM	#10 (permalink)
dylfinn Registered User Join Date: Feb 2009 Posts: 18 OS: Windows Vista Ultimate	Re: Overclocking a Video Card I ramped the fan up to 65% and it sounds likes someone is using a leaf blower in my computer! HAHA! but my temp dropped down around 40C!!! Ahhh...the life of a PC gamer....never without a complaint! Thanks for the tip Mcninjaguy.

02-20-2009, 09:55 PM	#11 (permalink)
Mcninjaguy Temporarily Banned Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Ottawa, Ontario, Canada Posts: 10,422 OS: Windows 7 Ultimate 64bit My System Blog Entries: 1	Re: Overclocking a Video Card 40C for when its idle? whats the load temp you prefferably want it below 80C on full load and if you can around 70C or lower

02-20-2009, 11:35 PM	#12 (permalink)
dylfinn Registered User Join Date: Feb 2009 Posts: 18 OS: Windows Vista Ultimate	Re: Overclocking a Video Card I am amazed. I reduced the fan from 70% to 40% and it is quiet enough during play and the max temp that I have found during a full load (Flight Sim X) was 52c. Awesome! After OCing my card I am up to 25-30 fps...not remarkable but not too shabby for a flight sim. My next venture is OCing my CPU!

02-21-2009, 12:36 AM	#13 (permalink)
Mcninjaguy Temporarily Banned Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Ottawa, Ontario, Canada Posts: 10,422 OS: Windows 7 Ultimate 64bit My System Blog Entries: 1	Re: Overclocking a Video Card same here I just got a new CPU heatsink graphics card I know but CPU eh never done it before thats my new CPU heatsink with a 120mm fan http://www.techsupportforum.com/attachments/video-card-support/43789d1235103031-bfg-9800gt-oc-temperature-picture-30.jpg do you have the latest graphic card driver? http://game.amd.com/us-en/drivers_ca...common-vista32 you will get more FPS with the latest graphic card driver

02-21-2009, 08:25 PM	#14 (permalink)
dylfinn Registered User Join Date: Feb 2009 Posts: 18 OS: Windows Vista Ultimate	Re: Overclocking a Video Card That is a monster heat sink. Last weekend I installed a Rocketfish Universal CPU cooler http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage....=1214611632685 It required the removal of the motherboard, which was not an issue since I had already removed my MB to resolve another problem. If someone did not intend to remove their MB, this heatsink would be a pain! I wish I would have bought a larger Thermaltake cooler. I have installed the latest video card driver. I intend to check again to make sure. Are you a flightsimmer Mcninjaguy?

02-21-2009, 08:50 PM	#15 (permalink)
Mcninjaguy Temporarily Banned Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Ottawa, Ontario, Canada Posts: 10,422 OS: Windows 7 Ultimate 64bit My System Blog Entries: 1	Re: Overclocking a Video Card no I'm not a flightsimmer but I might pick it up FSX I mean

02-22-2009, 03:17 PM	#16 (permalink)
dylfinn Registered User Join Date: Feb 2009 Posts: 18 OS: Windows Vista Ultimate	Re: Overclocking a Video Card I have reloaded my FSX with the add-on Acceleration pack, bumped up my memory to 4 gig and besides a little flickering problem on the runways it is AWESOME! If you decide to get into FSX Mcninjaguy, be prepared for a frustrating, yet rewarding journey. I have never met anyone that is ever satisfied with their FPS, yet we all refuse to give up the fight! Thanks for all the help.

02-22-2009, 09:28 PM	#17 (permalink)
Mcninjaguy Temporarily Banned Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Ottawa, Ontario, Canada Posts: 10,422 OS: Windows 7 Ultimate 64bit My System Blog Entries: 1	Re: Overclocking a Video Card ohh than you've met your match my FPS are fine for now and for the next year or 2 I guess you know what I think I may just be getting HAWX when it comes out I really don't want t play FSX with a nice Joystick and throttle combo. not sure though