Why are so many people wanting to OC brand new cards???

[Scott66]

Here I am waiting for the 6600 to be available for AGP so I can get a good midrange card to work with my 2500 barton and 1 gig of OCZ memory. When I get my card the last thing I want to do is try over clocking it. My money is too tight to risk wrecking a card for a few more FPS. From what I see those who do overclock get at best 10%. What good or bad experience has people had with their OC attempts and what drives the new card owner to want to stress their card

Thanks in advance for your input

 

[Concillian]

Other people clearly have different values than you do and/or money isn't as tight and tey enjoy trying to get more out of their hardware.

The other thing is someone looking to overclock their card will often only buy specific cards that are known to overclock well... Like a 9800 instead of a 9800 Pro or a 6800 GT instead of a 6800 Ultra, so they are looking at more han 10%.

I am a case in point.

I bought a used 9700 non-pro from eBay for $103. I added a VGA silencer for $15. That card came clocked at 275MHz core and 270 MHz memory. When I was done I was at 370MHz core and 340 MHz memory... 35% core overclock and 26% memory. Overall framerates were improved significantly over stock settings. At that speed my card is almost a 9800pro for less than $120.

So a person looking to overclock, might not be buying the same hardware as someone who isn't overclocking, and may be looking at significantly more than a 10% performance boost.

 

[Scott66]

Thanks Councillian
Just out of curiosity what king of card do your have?

 

[Concillian]

Ha, I added that in an edit while you were responding.

 

[imported_MadMac]

I know for myself It appears to be a compulsive disorder. I love to overclock hardware. From overclocking the early 486's to now my x800xt. There is really no reason for me to do it, but to just do it. I don't really have the money to replace it if it goes up in smoke, but I will be darn if I don't do it anyway.

Something inside of me doesn't like to think that there is any wasted speed, Mhz, bandwidth on my hardware. I tune, then tune some more. Maybe its more like a hobby, who knows.

 

[SneakyStuff]

I love overclocking to see how it improves my gaming experience. After just getting ROME, I think a new OC is in order, that game is 100% amazing, and I want to get the most out of it.

 

[Scott66]

interesting card you have SneakyStuff. Have you changed the fan on it?

 

[Gamingphreek]

Another one of these threads!?!?

Well OCing is almost a hobby... that is like asking why do you sink so much money into a computer... because that is our hobby, also probably/hopefully what we are good at in the world.

-Kevin

 

[sfmedic]

Why do people climb the Highest Mountain on earth MT. Everest. Because they can!

 

[Marsumane]

Originally posted by: Gamingphreek
Another one of these threads!?!?

Well OCing is almost a hobby... that is like asking why do you sink so much money into a computer... because that is our hobby, also probably/hopefully what we are good at in the world.

-Kevin

This is very true. I feel the same way. Once u learn how to oc, the hard way or the safe way, u tend not to ever have bad results from your overclocks, and increase iq due to having faster then stock hardware.

-Everything is that much faster, its a good hobby from our perception, and it can also save us money on upgrades later on down the road.

 

[Scott66]

Gamingphreek - Noticed you have the 5900 which is a card with a spotty history. How long after the card was released did you purchase the card and to what extent have you overclocked it given the high heat these cards develop due the high initial speeds. I have been looking at this card as the prices seemed to have dropped and the drivers have really firmed up

 

[imported_Computer MAn]

I first started out just trying it out for fun. But now with every new piece of hardware I get I immedietly want to overclock it. Like others have said its fun to take a lesser piece of hardware and overclock it to the better piece.

 

[Theodoor]

Well I am happy to get cards for free from work so......oc them all....well not me but a tec.
Some games you don't notice but others there's a world of a diference.

 

[effee]

because they can!

 

[zodder]

Because we are overclocking whores.

 

[imported_Harbinger]

Originally posted by: zodder
Because we are overclocking whores.

:beer::thumbsup:

 

[kki000]

6800 ultra = $$$$$
6800 gt = $$$$
6800gt+oc = 6800 ultra

i like $$$$ over $$$$$.
Also ultra is(was) not so readily available.
Yes not all cards oc well, but thats part of the allure. When and if it does oc well, you feel like you got something special.

Ive OC'd cpus and vid cards for as long as i can remember, never had any oc parts go bad on me. Just dont push it beyond the parts comfort zone, and for vid cards, dont replace the heatsink. imho, if you have to pay 30-50 bucks on a cooler, to get you to the performance of a card that would have cost you about 100 bucks to get in the first place, thats a losers game. If its not working with stock cooling, i think yer just asking for more trouble when you slap on after market coolers. This might be a good idea to eek some more life out of an older card you dont give a crap about, but on new ones, i see more ppl screwing it up with hw mods on vid cards than with just oc with stock cooling.

K

 

[Avalon]

I initially OC'd just because I was curious, but once I got the hang of it, it became fun. I can find a safe OC for any major component in my system, and sometimes those OC's can provide a nice, small boost in performance to their respective tasks. I know I'm not OC'ing too far, so I might as well.

 

[Gamingphreek]

Originally posted by: Scott66
Gamingphreek - Noticed you have the 5900 which is a card with a spotty history. How long after the card was released did you purchase the card and to what extent have you overclocked it given the high heat these cards develop due the high initial speeds. I have been looking at this card as the prices seemed to have dropped and the drivers have really firmed up

Well mine is garaunteed to run cool because it has an MSI proprietary cooling system on it.

I bought the card about July 2004. I have OCed it all the way to 450x850 (yes it is a 5900XT i had to use riva tuner to do it) i got it that far and had a couple artifacts. Normally i run it at 450x800. The fan is dead quiet (cant hear it), and it runs very cool. IIRC something about 21C below any other competing (ie5900XT) on the market. Also has VIVO Awesome card best 5900XT you can get (all reviewers say it).

-Kevin

 

[ScrewFace]

I overclock everything I can and I'm using a 5250 BTU air-conditioner to cool my very hot computer. It won't even post without it. Why do I do it? Because I can and it's free performance, know what I'm sayin'?

 

[skene]

I've overclocked since my first computer...a good old celeron 300A. I had that puppy running at 450Mhz the same day I got it. 50% increase isn't too bad for something that cost half the price of a PII 450 at the time. It's the same reason people push 500hp in a honda.... because they have the technology, so why not?

 

[Renob]

When I get my card the last thing I want to do is try over clocking it. My money is too tight to risk wrecking a card for a few more FPS.

There is only a VERY small risk if you know what your doing.

Im running my 6800gt @ 400x1150 and its VERY happy and cool at that speed.

I also run my mobile barton 2600 @ 3400 speed.

 

[imported_kouch]

people overclock their cards because overclocking/modding is built into the hardware industry. Easy example, when different processors with same core are made, they are all made identically. Then they pass trough some QC tests and some get lables 3500+ while others get lables 2800+. Now the trick comes in with the supply demand thing. As manufacturing process is refined, proportionally more and more processors are able to meet the 3500+ standards but the demand for 2800+ is always higher due to its lower price. So many of those 3500+ qualified processors get lables 2800+'s and get shipped. Now if you are an overclocker, you can use your knowledge to pay the 2800+ money and get the 3500+ product. Also there is the feelings of satisfaction, achievement, etc.

So in short reasons why people overclock:

1. We are all cheap bastards
2. Testosterone (need for faster, bigger, more powerful etc...my rig is better than your rig syndrome)

 

[MemoryInAGarden]

Originally posted by: Renob
When I get my card the last thing I want to do is try over clocking it. My money is too tight to risk wrecking a card for a few more FPS.

There is only a VERY small risk if you know what your doing.

Im running my 6800gt @ 400x1150 and its VERY happy and cool at that speed.

I also run my mobile barton 2600 @ 3400 speed.

A 6800GT? Cool? Isn't this an oxymoron

 

[imported_kouch]

Originally posted by: MemoryInAGarden

Originally posted by: Renob
When I get my card the last thing I want to do is try over clocking it. My money is too tight to risk wrecking a card for a few more FPS.

There is only a VERY small risk if you know what your doing.

Im running my 6800gt @ 400x1150 and its VERY happy and cool at that speed.

I also run my mobile barton 2600 @ 3400 speed.

A 6800GT? Cool? Isn't this an oxymoron

nope just the queer language called English.