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Downlock GPU

F

FilipePT

Member
Hello

I have a Asus R9 270x TOP that came from the factory 1120Mhz.
I'd rather have more longevity on the card and off the performance, so I wanted to make a underclock it and at 1050 MHZ.
So will lower temperatures and have a longer life, right?
Can I do this without any problems in GPU Tweak or MSI AfterBurn? also have to lower the voltage?
thank you
 
FilipePT said:
Hello

I have a Asus R9 270x TOP that came from the factory 1120Mhz.
I'd rather have more longevity on the card and off the performance, so I wanted to make a underclock it and at 1050 MHZ.
So will lower temperatures and have a longer life, right?
Can I do this without any problems in GPU Tweak or MSI AfterBurn? also have to lower the voltage?
thank you
Click to expand...

Even at those clocks the silicon will far outlast the GPU's actual usefulness for games.
 
FilipePT said:
Hello

I have a Asus R9 270x TOP that came from the factory 1120Mhz.
I'd rather have more longevity on the card and off the performance, so I wanted to make a underclock it and at 1050 MHZ.
So will lower temperatures and have a longer life, right?
Can I do this without any problems in GPU Tweak or MSI AfterBurn? also have to lower the voltage?
thank you
Click to expand...

Lowering clockspeed will not increase the life of your card whatsoever. There is some argument that lowering voltage and temperature will increase longevity however there is no hard evidence that proves this theory and a great deal of anectdotal evidence supporting the fact that it if it does reduce life, it is immaterial (eg reduces lifetime from 30 years to 25 years and that is pure speculation). Just leave it at stock if you are worried. That's what ASUS has validated the product at
 
Headfoot said:
Lowering clockspeed will not increase the life of your card whatsoever. There is some argument that lowering voltage and temperature will increase longevity however there is no hard evidence that proves this theory and a great deal of anectdotal evidence supporting the fact that it if it does reduce life, it is immaterial (eg reduces lifetime from 30 years to 25 years and that is pure speculation). Just leave it at stock if you are worried. That's what ASUS has validated the product at
Click to expand...

then I can reduce the voltage it will have longer lifespan? the card this 1200 mhz gpu voltage, until as you advise me down? There will be no stability problems?
 
It will merely allow the fan to spin more slowly. If you underclock/undervolt enough, you might even be able to turn off the fan.

So you could potentially increase the life span of the fan, or at least prevent as much dust build up so you won't need to dust it out as often.

But if you aren't gaming, you'll probably never wear out your fan, so it won't increase lifespan whether you run the fan at 100% speed or 5% speed.
 
no, I only use the card for gaming, I do not mining, but I want the card to last as long as possible

I have to remind you that the version Asus R9 270x TOP, it comes with lots of factory overclocked, so I want to get down a bit the power it
 
Headfoot said:
Lowering clockspeed will not increase the life of your card whatsoever. There is some argument that lowering voltage and temperature will increase longevity however there is no hard evidence that proves this theory and a great deal of anectdotal evidence supporting the fact that it if it does reduce life, it is immaterial (eg reduces lifetime from 30 years to 25 years and that is pure speculation). Just leave it at stock if you are worried. That's what ASUS has validated the product at
Click to expand...

It depends quite a bit on how hot the card runs, although the trivial level of underclocking mentioned from 1120MHz down to 1050MHz is not worth the bother.

Modern video cards are not likely to last 25 years, but if the clock speed were reduced enough that a fan controller spins the fan slower in response to heat reduction, then that (typically) shortest lifespan component would last longer.

However, a lot of cards already lower speed and/or voltage when not at load or not in 3D use... it's why system power consumption goes up so much doing video benchmarks.

The best thing you can do to increase video card lifespan is use a high quality PSU, point an additional fan at the card, and clean dust out regularly if present.
 
mindless1 said:
It depends quite a bit on how hot the card runs, although the trivial level of underclocking mentioned from 1120MHz down to 1050MHz is not worth the bother.

Modern video cards are not likely to last 25 years, but if the clock speed were reduced enough that a fan controller spins the fan slower in response to heat reduction, then that (typically) shortest lifespan component would last longer.

However, a lot of cards already lower speed and/or voltage when not at load or not in 3D use... it's why system power consumption goes up so much doing video benchmarks.

The best thing you can do to increase video card lifespan is use a high quality PSU, point an additional fan at the card, and clean dust out regularly if present.
Click to expand...

when you speak in a fan, is on the side in case or even on top of gpu?


then you do not advise me to lower the voltage of the card?
 
also worries me the memories VRAM and VRM because they do not have any active heatsink, only the airflow the DirectCU II cools they.

ASUS_Radeon_R9_270X_DC2Top_14.jpg


pcb looks of it, the vrm and vrams completely naked, that's what worries me more
 
FilipePT said:
when you speak in a fan, is on the side in case or even on top of gpu?


then you do not advise me to lower the voltage of the card?
Click to expand...

An intake fan in the side panel of the case blowing across the top and bottom of the card would work best, but if that is not reasonable or undesirable then an internal fan is also an improvement, unless it's one of those modern cases that already has a half dozen fans in it.

I wouldn't bother lowering the voltage. Unless there is a defect or fan failure then the lifespan should be long enough that by the time it fails the technology has very little value.
 
my case is a nox nx200

now has two 120mm fans one to admit air and another to take the air out of the case only have one more to that is the side that will send air to the gpu, the side fan is enough?
 
FilipePT said:
my case is a nox nx200

now has two 120mm fans one to admit air and another to take the air out of the case only have one more to that is the side that will send air to the gpu, the side fan is enough?
Click to expand...
you should lower those fan speeds too as the bearings may burn out...😛
 
toyota said:
you are being silly
Click to expand...

I don't normally agree with Toyota but this time I do, all you need to worry about is the temperatures. Voltage can kill but if it is stock then it really doesn't matter and could more than likely be pushed further!
 
FilipePT said:
no, I only use the card for gaming, I do not mining, but I want the card to last as long as possible

I have to remind you that the version Asus R9 270x TOP, it comes with lots of factory overclocked, so I want to get down a bit the power it
Click to expand...

... Seriously?

The card will last much longer than you'll ever need it for if you're just gaming. The exposed VRMs and RAM aren't an issue. If they were, then i9t would be a desing flaw. It's still running at stock voltage, and the RAM is at stock, so the GPU clock will have no effect on them whatsoever. If you're that paranoid, go make a watercooling loop. Seriously, just relax. Nothing you do will make the card last longer, and you probably won't keep the card for even half as long as it lasts. I mean, how long do you realistically expect to keep the card? Are you seeing uncomfortably high temps right now? With the way you're acting right now, you must think the average overclocker has their card burn out every 3-6 months...
 
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lulz my 270x runs at 60C.. have soooo many cards that ran at 80C and still are fine 5 yeras later.. if you need your 270x to last 5 years maybe you should get new profession! i went ahead got the lifetime warranty visiontek for 200 thinking about another for crossfire or a 290/290x.. but the 290/290x runs wayy hotter which in the summer with no ac might be over 90C.. hmm decisions decisions.. also think you are being silly.. if you had hotter card would be great idea however. Ever think of maybe water cooling it if so worried? submerge in oiL?
 
LOL You even should have reason, but I'm a little paranoid because I like to keep things well and take full advantage of my purchase, after this card still cost $270/210€, unfortunately I'm not rich, and I hope not to have buying another gpu in the next five years ...
I also do not know what the average life of these newer graphics cards, ya know?
 
FilipePT said:
LOL You even should have reason, but I'm a little paranoid because I like to keep things well and take full advantage of my purchase, after this card still cost $270/210€, unfortunately I'm not rich, and I hope not to have buying another gpu in the next five years ...
I also do not know what the average life of these newer graphics cards, ya know?
Click to expand...

Ah. It'll definitely last more than 5 years unless something like the fans break. Even then, lowering the clock would not reduce the heat output enough reduce the RPM much under load. What temps are you getting now? I'm willing to bet under 60C during gaming, which would definitely mean that unclocking would have no effect whatsoever on the life of the card.
 
My temps alert by Asus GPU Tweak are 27-31 in Idle.
In the game, today I've been playing only 20 min. tomb raider and he was up to 67C.
If played so little time and he was 67, which will be when you play online BF 4 for 2 hours straight, ya ...
 
FilipePT said:
My temps alert by Asus GPU Tweak are 27-31 in Idle.
In the game, today I've been playing only 20 min. tomb raider and he was up to 67C.
If played so little time and he was 67, which will be when you play online BF 4 for 2 hours straight, ya ...
Click to expand...

That's higher than I expected for load, but it still makes no difference. Idle temps are irrelevant since underclocking won't affect those at all. (The GPU underclocks and undervolts itself at idle.)

Look, you're fine. Underclocking wouldn't even lower the temp much because the voltage would still be the same. Your card will last five years unless it has a defect.

If you really don't want to believe us, you're free to download MSI Afterburner and needlessly lower performance. However, you won't see a significant difference in temps and the you'll see zero difference in longevity.
 
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