Is it true that no matter how much you overclock the GPU, the ram matters more?

[undeclared]

I heard somewhere (maybe I read it somewhere) that overclocking the GPU has much less benefit than overclocking the ram itself.

Is this rumor true?

 

[josh6079]

Depends on played settings, types of games, type of card, etc. There is no set-in-stone universal rule such as that.

 

[undeclared]

if I could get a really solid OC on the gpu, minor on the ram... I'd feel it?

also do you know anything about cooling a video card's ram?

 

[josh6079]

It doesn't need too much. Some copper ram sinks will do just fine.

 

[undeclared]

I'm asking about this because.. let's say hypothetically the GPU (in fact let's say both) are at -30 celsius.. won't the ram limit me?

I just like to ask questions like this when a fantasy product comes out like this:

Phase Cooler for CPU + 2 GPUs

 

[betasub]

In some circumstances graphics performance will be fillrate limited (GPU), in others bandwidth limited (GRAM). The limiting factor will provide the greater benefit when overclocking.

Try specifying a graphics card, app/game, & res/detail. The answer to your question depends on these factors (among others).

 

[CP5670]

From what I've seen, it's the other way around in most cases. Core overclocks tend to have a greater effect than similar increases on the memory.

 

[SpeedZealot369]

Originally posted by: CP5670
From what I've seen, it's the other way around in most cases. Core overclocks tend to have a greater effect than similar increases on the memory.

I think so too. Since memory is only associated with bandwith, I think core covers more ground, so unless your bandwith limited oc'ing the core would be better (which is most cases)

Wonder how this applies to my x1900xt...

-SZ

 

[dug777]

there was a thread around a while back where a guy superglued an AXP hsf (iirc) on somethign like a radeon 9000, and managed to get the core up to something insane like 400 or 500mhz, but in benchmarks of course he was dramatically limited by the incredibly slow as RAM

 

[Lonyo]

For reference, look at benchmarks of the X1900XT vs X19000XTX vs X1950XT

 

[BFG10K]

In modern games core overclocks do better as the games tend to be more shader bound.

For old games memory bandwidth matters more.

 

[Powered by AMD]

obviously it depends on the card.
For example, anm ATI 9550 is an example of a GPU overclocker [cos the GPU is downclocked from 400Mhz to 250Mhz (stock)] and the memory usually is cheap and not good overclocker.
And, on the other hand, lets say, an ATI X800 Pro is a memory overclocker (cos it has good GPU Power and comes with good memory)

 

[TanisHalfElven]

for AF AA memory bandwidth is king. also for better resolutions. for better shader operterion, more effects , more shawdows you need a faster core.

that is the reason i can play oblivion at 1280x1028 just as well as 800x600. (since my memory bandwidth almost equals that of the very high end graphic cards)