BFG 6800 GT AGP card overclocking

[sparklemotion]

Hey guys,
first off, I've read a bunch of posts about O/C'ing these 6800 GT's to ultra speeds. I went out and bought the BFG 6800 GT. Out of the box it's clocked at 370/1000. With the drivers I had a the time (non-whql 77.72) I was able to O/C it to 400/1100 just to bench it in BF2. I did not see any artifacts and the game ran fine.

Now with the WHQL drivers, I am not able to O/C it past 385/1079 (what coolbits says is the optimal clock speed) without artifacts. At first I thought what I had seen with the 77.72 (non whql) was an illusion. I tried unhooking items from my system to see if it was a power supply issue, and it still happened.

This is the first time I've really O/C'd a video card. I know that it's been mentioned that not all cards overclock well but I thought BFG were the best for it.

So two things:

1.) what am I doing wrong?

2.) would an NV5 or a Zalman let me push it ever further?
2a) If I needed to send it back for warranty, would I be able to reattach the old HS/FAN?

Thanks ahead of time,
-sparklemotion

System Specs:
OCZ Modstream 520W powersupply
AMD A64 3500+
Thermalright XP-90 w/ panaflo fan
1GB Mushkin Level 1 PC3500
MSI K8N Neo2 Platinum socket 939
BFG 6800 GT OC AGP
Creative Audigy2 ZS Plat
(1) WD 180 GB PATA
(1) WD 250 GB PATA
(2) WD 36GB Raptor's in RAID0
Pioneer DVR-107 DVD-RW (external enclosure)
NEC 2510a DVD-RW
Lite On 52x CD-RW

 

[BillyBobJoel71]

your power supply is fine, i am runnig a 430 watt for that card and i am fine. however, i odn't overclock my card simply because i want it to last, and i dont' need more performance than it gives. i don't know your problem though.

 

[Fallengod]

You just VOIDED the warranty by ocing the card...And trying to replace it now, IS FRAUD. And since its your first time, it sounds like you shouldnt be messing around ocing a video card anyways. In my personal opinion, I would never OC a video card. Its not worth the small performance increase to void a warranty, reduce the longevity of the card and add potential problems, not to mention heat.

Especially when you spent $400 for a video card. Why do you need 10 fps more to void a warranty on a $400 card. Ive never understood peoples logic when it comes to OCing video cards. You OC cpu's, thats where the performance gain is.

 

[sparklemotion]

The card is not currently overclocked. Nothing is wrong with the card and I leave it at default freq's now so I do not need to replace it. Did not think of it as fraud but I guess you're right. I remember I put an aftermarket heatsink on an Abit motherboard's south chipset (was having some onboard sound cracks and pops) and they took it back without a problem. In fact, I made sure that wasn't a problem ahead of time.

You really think that there would be a huge performance gain from OC'ing my CPU?

 

[Icepick]

Look at it this way. You can take your 3500+ and overclock it by 200MHz and turn it into a 3800+ with very little effort. The result is you get the performance of a $370 CPU for the price of a $270 one.
3500+ = 2.2GHz, 512 L2 cache
3800+ = 2.4GHz, 512 L2 cache

 

[XBoxLPU]

Originally posted by: sparklemotion
The card is not currently overclocked. Nothing is wrong with the card and I leave it at default freq's now so I do not need to replace it. Did not think of it as fraud but I guess you're right. I remember I put an aftermarket heatsink on an Abit motherboard's south chipset (was having some onboard sound cracks and pops) and they took it back without a problem. In fact, I made sure that wasn't a problem ahead of time.

You really think that there would be a huge performance gain from OC'ing my CPU?

http://www.bfgtech.com/tech_redux.html

BFG Technologies is proud to warrant the original purchaser of the graphics card included in this package ("Product") that the Product will be free from defects in material or workmanship for as long as the original purchaser owns the product, when given normal wear and proper usage. This warranty is valid if the product:

>> Was not damaged while being installed.

>> Was not damaged by software or hardware from a company or individual other than BFG Technologies or by motherboard incompatibility.

>> Was operated in accordance with BFG Technologies specifications, instructions and any technical support directions.

>> Was not modified or damaged by overclocking, tampering, user error, accident, disaster, abuse, misuse, power supply, power application, alteration, repair, modification, a fix or replacement by someone other than BFG Technologies.

>>

Third party products, such as motherboards and other system components using this Product are not be covered by this warranty.


BFG Technologies' liability under this warranty, or in connection with any other claim relating to the Products, is limited to the repair or at BFG Technologies option, the replacement of the portion of the Products which were defective in material or workmanship. This warranty does not apply to any software component.

You assume the risk of loss in transit and the returned Products shall be the sole property of BFG Technologies. BFG Technologies warrants the repaired or replaced Products will be free from defects in material or workmanship.

EXCEPT AS EXPRESSLY STATED ABOVE, BFG Technologies MAKES NO WARRANTY, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, WHETHER OF MERCHANTABILITY, NON-INFRINGEMENT OF INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY, FITNESS FOR ANY PARTICULAR PURPOSE OR USE, OR OTHERWISE ON THE PRODUCTS, OR ANY PARTS OR TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE OR OTHER LABOR FURNISHED.

BFG Technologies reserves the right to inspect and verify the defectiveness of any product returned. Please allow 48 hrs processing time once item has been received by BFG, and 3-5 days for shipping of the replacement product (shipped ground).

 

[Fistandantilis]

Originally posted by: modempower
You just VOIDED the warranty by ocing the card...And trying to replace it now, IS FRAUD. And since its your first time, it sounds like you shouldnt be messing around ocing a video card anyways. In my personal opinion, I would never OC a video card. Its not worth the small performance increase to void a warranty, reduce the longevity of the card and add potential problems, not to mention heat.

Especially when you spent $400 for a video card. Why do you need 10 fps more to void a warranty on a $400 card. Ive never understood peoples logic when it comes to OCing video cards. You OC cpu's, thats where the performance gain is.

Ya, I agree the performance increase is small and a 6800GT should run any game out there anyway.

 

[BillyBobJoel71]

i killed a 6800nu overclocking, that was the end of video card OC'ing for me.

 

[sparklemotion]

You guys have def convinced me otherwise.

 

[CP5670]

Ya, I agree the performance increase is small and a 6800GT should run any game out there anyway.

This is not really true. While the average framerates, which is what you see in benchmarks, don't change a whole lot, the minimum framerates do gets a considerable boost in some games and those are what really matter. I have the exact same card and it sometimes struggles at 1280x960 without AA on many newer games if it's running at stock speed; overclocking (414/1104mhz in my case) is what makes things smooth without having to drop the resolution.

As for the risk, if you do things carefully and in small steps it's pretty hard to cause any permanent damage. Video cards are in fact much easier to overclock than CPUs and the changes are easily reversible since it's done through software (I'm not talking about bios or volt mods or anything like that, just coolbits/rivatuner overclocks). Most modern FPS games are much more reliant on the video card than the CPU and the performance increase from a CPU overclock is not really going be any better than a video card overclock.

Regarding the original issue, I ran into the same problem with one of the old 67.xx drivers, but haven't seen it with any others. You could just try going back to the old driver as I doubt there is much of a difference between the WHQL and beta versions of the drivers.

 

[hellblazer]

CPU overclocks are cool if you have a venice 1.8 or 2ghz processor and can get a 25% percent boost to your low end frame rates, however, if you have an 2.2ghz athlon xp then overclocking only provides a 3% boost for every additional 100mhz after that i.e 2.6ghz 18% increase in clock speed, 12% frame rate boost). Ten additional frames is pretty significant if you were stuck at 40fps. That water cooled athlon xp is only going to get you 5 frames over a stock xp3200.

 

[hellblazer]

Modempower says>>>>>>> Especially when you spent $400 for a video card. Why do you need 10 fps more to void a warranty on a $400 card. Ive never understood peoples logic when it comes to OCing video cards. You OC cpu's, thats where the performance gain is

The logic is that my Athlon XP system got a 3dmark05 mark of 3300 with a stock 6800nu. Modded to 16/6 @ 440/880 I run 5300! Thats faster than an Athlon 64 3800 and stock 6800GT and without the hassle of reinstalling the os. I admit that the results are better than my wildest dreams and I haven't done any hard mods to the card other than a bios flash. Those 2000 points are worth their weight in gold and justify the risk in my usually conservative opinion. How often do you even buy a new video card and a receive 60% percent frame rate increase? I don't even think a brand new 7800GTX would give me that large of an increase over my current configuration.

 

[cmv]

Originally posted by: hellblazer
Modempower says>>>>>>> Especially when you spent $400 for a video card. Why do you need 10 fps more to void a warranty on a $400 card. Ive never understood peoples logic when it comes to OCing video cards. You OC cpu's, thats where the performance gain is

The logic is that my Athlon XP system got a 3dmark05 mark of 3300 with a stock 6800nu. Modded to 16/6 @ 440/880 I run 5300! Thats faster than an Athlon 64 3800 and stock 6800GT and without the hassle of reinstalling the os. I admit that the results are better than my wildest dreams and I haven't done any hard mods to the card other than a bios flash. Those 2000 points are worth their weight in gold and justify the risk in my usually conservative opinion. How often do you even buy a new video card and a receive 60% percent frame rate increase? I don't even think a brand new 7800GTX would give me that large of an increase over my current configuration.

Did your 6800NU cost $400? I think you're missing his point.