Can you damage a video card by OCing it?

[Cheezeit]

So if I don't increase any voltages, can I damage it?

Does it work like cpu's where you don't actually damage the cpu, it just becomes unstable?

Thanks in advance

 

[Canterwood]

Potentially, yes you can damage it.

 

[Navid]

Theoretically, you can damage anything by just overclocking it.
Increasing the clock frequency of a CMOS circuit (almost all PC components are CMOS these days) increases the power dissipation, which increases temperature.
The extra power consumption or the resulting extra temperature may damage the part.

 

[imported_whatever]

The odds of managing to damage anything by OCing without increasing the vCore are VERY low.

 

[Painman]

The biggest risk is to the RAM. It generates a good deal of heat and usually has little or no active cooling, esp. chips on the back of the card. I burnt a RAM chip on a TNT2 card back in their day, and I've been a lot more careful about video OCing ever since then. My X850 only runs OCed when I'm gaming. The rest of the time, it's at stock speed.

 

[BlingBlingArsch]

wow 4 more fps. great oc.

 

[Valkerie]

you know, some video cards have bad enough cooling solutions already... if you expect to OC a video card, and there is poor air circulation in your case, don't expect everything to run smoothly...

I'd suggest if you're gonna OC your vid card, check to make sure your vid card can support it - but some enthusiasts have to learn the hard way