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Testing gpu stability and ramsinks

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  • 12-05-2010 3:02pm
    #1
    after_shock3000
    Registered Users Posts: 207 ✭✭


    I've decided to see if I can get a little bit more out of my Radeon 4850, just for the sake of it. I've had a stable overclock on the gpu for a while but when I tried overclocking the ram last time it caused artifacts and crashing in crysis even when increasing the speed from 990MHz to just over 1000MHz.
    My questions are:

    1) The card is a sapphire brand with no heatsinks on the ram chips. I have a pack of ramsinks that will fit onto the ram chips (under the edge of the gpu heatsink) if I cut them down in height a little. If I fit these, will it allow me to overclock the ram much further? Is it worth the effort?

    2) is there any reliable way to test the overclock stability other than sitting there waiting for artifacts to appear? I've tried ati tool and it gave the impression that previous overclocks were stable, but when I tried playing crysis I got artifacts.

    3) I'm using msi afterburner for the overclocks, but I have no control over the gpu or ram voltage. Is it possible to get at those?

    Thanks.


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    #2
    Solitaire
    Moderators, Technology & Internet Moderators Posts: 18,377 Mod ✭✭✭✭Solitaire


    1) Probably not. If they won't even hit their rated speed (the chips themselves are 1GHz parts) I'm guessing you've got a bad chip among them :(

    2) FurMark and Crysissy :D

    3) Nope, I'm guessing you have the Value HD4850 and I don't think that has the software-moddable Volterra voltage regulator controller. Instead it has an ultra-low p-state which is a godsend on the desktop (I know, I have the Value HD4830) :p


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    #3
    after_shock3000
    Registered Users Posts: 207 ✭✭after_shock3000


    Damn, I'll have to find something else to "improve" for the evening so :P

    If I remember correctly it started artifacting at 1004MHz last time. I guess that's not great for a chip rated for 1000.
    I'll give it 1 more try without adding heatsinks tonight just incase I'm wrong, but I don't think I am.

    Out of curiousity, have you got your 4830 overclocked? And if you do, how much did you get out of the ram?


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    #4
    Solitaire
    Moderators, Technology & Internet Moderators Posts: 18,377 Mod ✭✭✭✭Solitaire


    Can't remember what I had it at because I lost the settings I had in XP after a reinstall and in 7 after the RC expired. Not pushing it at the moment either due to heat issues in the case, only have it down at a slow 650/1900MHz at the moment. Was pretty sure I had it at something like 680/1960MHz previously but I never tried to get the memory past 2000MHz anyway :o

    Even at those speeds it rips through everything at 1280*1024, CPU-limited to 39fps in GTA4 though. For some reason the only exception is Oblivion, which it sucks at. FPS is 2-3 times higher in C&C4 and Mass Effect 2 ffs... :o


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