What is the goal in overclocking a video card?

[dajo]

Yeah, I know, kind of a bonehead but I just oc'd my Radeon 9000 Pro 64MB from the default 275/275 to 300/300 and it seems fine. Of course, the Jedi Knight II demo I'm playing seems faster and smoother, but that's probably just the power of suggestion(?).

Is the point of overclocking to gain "smoothness" in games by increasing FPS?

Thank you for your patience...

If you're still there perhaps one more bonehead question?

How do I turn on/off AA? I have the Rage 3D Tweaker installed - do I use that, and if so, can someone tell me where that setting is? I didn't see Anti-Aliasing but maybe I didn't look hard enough.

Thanks!

 

[Bojax]

What is the goal in overclocking a video card?

To get higher 3Dmark scores

 

[EdipisReks]

What is the goal in overclocking a video card?

to make it go [bub rub] WOO WOO [/bub rub].

 

[TourGuide]

What is the goal in overclocking a video card?

That extra 3 fps.

 

[THUGSROOK]

you are correct ~ smoothness.

maximum fps and average fps dont mean squat.
what really matters when youre playing a real game is minimum fps.

 

[FearoftheNight]

Yes overclock give more power which usually means more fps. To tweak ur anti-aliasing / aniso.
1. RIght click desktop.
2. Display/ Advanced
3. Then find tabs for DirectX and OpenGL.
4. Options are there.

 

[MangoX]

I usually don't like to overclock my video card for gaming (only for 3dmark scores).
When I do I usually get choppy unstable frame rates. I'm not sure why, but I think it's because the core/memory can't handle the overlock, so thus they are actually bottlenecking your system. Correct me if I'm wrong, but let's say I'm playing ut2k3, turning a corner goes 'chop chop chop lagggg'......

 

[BoomAM]

The three points to OCing are:-
1) To get a better 3D Mark Score, and hence, for some people, bragging rights.
2) To get that bit of extra speed, which can lead to a higher resolution/detail setting.
3) For some people, bragging that they got the highest OC on a particular card.

 

[Auric]

Originally posted by: BoomAM
The three points to OCing are:-
2) To get that bit of extra speed, which can lead to a higher resolution/detail setting.

Should be #1

 

[BoomAM]

Forgot.
In no particular order.

 

[merlocka]

GPU's, just like CPU's, are binned for clock speed. The parts are statistically grouped based on probe data from the fab, and this data is used to assign them a clock speed (the speed at which the chips are specified).

Often time, these specifications are made assuming *all the worst* operating conditions... lowest voltage, highest temperature. Generally, even in those conditions, there is still margin.

Overclocking enthusiasts generally ensure that they have sufficent power and cooling, and are therefor able to achive substantial performance improvements by increasing the clock speed of both the GPU and the memory of the card.

Overclocking allows the user to take advantage of the "safety margin" built in by the chip manufacturer. This can lead to performance increases in the 10-20% (or even higher). This performance increase translates to improved FPS in games.

 

[Junkman]

In the Rage3d Tweaker double click on open gl and look at # of Samples this is where you can ajust the anti-aliasing....also look at the FSAA mode to check whether settings are for performance or quality. The same applies to Direct3D.

 

[dajo]

Thanks for all the info. I found these settings, but also realized that my default ATI tabs had disappeared so I ran the install ATI control panel and restored them. There are performance settings there which seem to pertain to these qualities.

I also set my monitor (KDS XF-70) from the default of 60MHz to 85MHz. It goes up to 100MHz.

Can someone tell me what effect changing the mointor refresh rate would have on game performance or visual enhancement?

It has a "hide settings unsupported" box which is checked so I guess I could bump it to 100MHz without hurting the monitor, do you think? Would there be any point in doing so?

I can't find the product info at the KDS site (although I did find the drivers). Don't you hate that - when a company drops support for a product just because new lines are being rolled out? I can find the drivers but a general search for XF-70 comes up blank!

 

[snik]

Originally posted by: dajo
Thanks for all the info. I found these settings, but also realized that my default ATI tabs had disappeared so I ran the install ATI control panel and restored them. There are performance settings there which seem to pertain to these qualities.

I also set my monitor (KDS XF-70) from the default of 60MHz to 85MHz. It goes up to 100MHz.

Can someone tell me what effect changing the mointor refresh rate would have on game performance or visual enhancement?

It has a "hide settings unsupported" box which is checked so I guess I could bump it to 100MHz without hurting the monitor, do you think? Would there be any point in doing so?

I can't find the product info at the KDS site (although I did find the drivers). Don't you hate that - when a company drops support for a product just because new lines are being rolled out? I can find the drivers but a general search for XF-70 comes up blank!

What resolution are you running? If you're running hi-res in games 85 is just fine.

 

[majewski9]

3D mark scores or to get your slightly down clocked cheaper card up to more expensive card performance.

 

[kylebisme]

or even if you have a fast card, just because it makes it a little faster. i have a 9700pro that is totally stock but i run it at 344/344 just because it runs fine there and like it was said above; a little boost clockspeeds allows you to run at a slightly higher image quality than stock with the same minimum framerate. its basically for the same reason you overclock anything though, because there is really not reason not to.