ATI Control Center vs Nvidia Control Panel

[WelshBloke]

I found out that Nvidia cards apparently have issues with downclocking in 2D. The drivers seem to randomly fix and break this feature. So, what I did was manually downclock. I took each of the three clocks and gradually lowered them until tests failed. This is a GDDR5 model, FYI.

I started out with:
Core - 550mhz
Memory - 1700mhz
Shader - 1340mhz

I ended up with:
Core - 150mhz
Memory - 1150mhz
Shader - 350mhz

I started out with using 106 watts at idle. After these changes, I was using 103 watts at idle, only a decrease of 3 watts. I think the reason why the change was so small is because I haven't yet (if possible) changed the voltages. I have to look into it but the 240 might be locked down. I think that's where the big power decrease is lurking.

Also, FYI, I used the Control Panel to find out the Optimum settings. The result was:

Core - 649mhz
Memory - 1938mhz
Shader - 1516mhz

When in idle state with these frequencies, the power went up to about 108w or a gain of 2 watts.

How are you measuring power usage?

I'm pretty interested in seeing the results when you start changing the voltages.

 

[alexruiz]

ATI catalyst hands down. Much more options.

On the downside, the download size is ridiculous.

 

[Chiropteran]

???

You can't honestly expect that to be the norm, can you? If everyone, or even a very substantial amount of people using nVidia hardware were crashing all the time, nVidia would have gone out of business years ago. They may have been fairly common for you, but you can't say they are fairly common in general. In your case, I would have asked for an RMA, or try to do some troubleshooting instead of labeling it all defunct.

It's just funny seeing this thread right next to the other one:
http://forums.anandtech.com/showthread.php?t=2055899

Apparently it *is* the norm, at least among people who upgraded to the latest drivers

 

[Continuity28]

It's just funny seeing this thread right next to the other one:
http://forums.anandtech.com/showthread.php?t=2055899

Apparently it *is* the norm, at least among people who upgraded to the latest drivers

Completely separate issues though. This latest driver has affected an unknown number of people by limiting fan speeds, eventually causing crashing or malfunctioning by overheating. What the other person is claiming is that nVidia's drivers are so horrible that they crash all the time for most people, under any circumstances... If most people were crashing for years now, they wouldn't be in business. Of course there will be isolated incidents like with this latest driver... but to say the drivers will universally crash all the time is just ridiculous.

 

[1h4x4s3x]

If most people were crashing for years now, they wouldn't be in business. Of course there will be isolated incidents like with this latest driver... but to say the drivers will universally crash all the time is just ridiculous.

Exactly but you find such people everywhere these days. Take #2 for example, same bullshit in green.

 

[Leyawiin]

Nvidia Control Panel + EVGA Precision = win.

 

[toyota]

Nvidia Control Panel + EVGA Precision = win.

same here. simple and effective.

 

[Kuzi]

This is easy.

CCC is a resource hog and loads stuff in background. nVidia is simple and easy no CCC just a simple npanel .

Also CCC drivers are known to cause issues for lots of people with differnt ATI cards.

Or remove the CCC and use ATI Tray Tools . I used to use that long time ago on my old x800 and the drivers made me suffer for 4 years,, it would mess up things when you update blah blah. Never I will touch ATI because of their driver issues and the thickness of the suite.. thx

Have you even read the OP's post?

Essential tools for owning an NVIDIA card:

nHancer (for changing graphics settings/managing profiles) - http://www.nhancer.com
A RivaTuner based program for overclocking:
RivaTuner (the original) - http://www.guru3d.com/index.php?page=rivatuner
EVGA Precision - http://www.evga.com/PRecision/
MSI Afterburner - http://event.msi.com/vga/afterburner/

snip

Really helpful post nitromullet.

 

[Keysplayr]

I don't know which is worse, Tweakboy's off topic comments, or the members that proceeded to attack him for it. Tweakboy has been warned. Now to the rest, the very next syllable owned by a poster that even resembles a personal attack TOWARD ANYBODY, gets time off.

Anandtech Moderator - Keysplayr

 

[RollsMk2]

Well at lest I Have fun memories from CCC

 

[Bhairava]

I realy like ATI, i've always had ATI cards. Recently, i switched to Nvidia. I have to admit that Nvidia Control Panel is just superior. Ok, no clocks control, no temperature, no fan. But you can do that (and much more) with Rivatuner, Evga Precision, Msi Afterbruner. Unwinder, author of those great pieces of software, is supported (directly or indirectly) by Nvidia and boards vendors. He gets sample for every new card. So we can say that Rivatuner, at least partially, is a real benefit thanks to Nvidia.
CCC is not bad, recently they've added fan control and Xfire profile separated from drivers (THANKS GOD FINALLY!!). But CCC has not 3D customizable profile for games!!! Setting up MSAA, Adaptive AA, AF, V-sync every single time you launch a game it's a pain in the ass. Ok you can use Ati Tray Tools. But ATT is not supported by ATI at ALL!! Nor by vendors. The author Ray Adams just can't handle the charge of new boards each new generation. He has not any documentation to do his work, so everythig on its own. Me and other users (especially Italians, but also from USA and Japan) sent to him new boards (one 3870 and a couple 4850) when ATT was gonna die. Look here: http://sna696.altervista.org/projects/atitraytools/att/index.php.

So, for me, Nvidia Control Panel is much much better.