Adjusting performance beyond specifications for a Sapphire r9 390 nitro
Adjusting performance beyond specifications for a Sapphire r9 390 nitro
So I'm completely new to this overclocking situation and I need assistance to achieve the best performance from my graphics card. I feel confident I'm coming to the right place for guidance. First, I believe we should begin with my PC specifications (they might be important, I don't know). Processor: i7 4790 GPU: Sapphire R9 390 Nitro (with backplate) MOBO: ASUS B85M-GAMER 8Gb RAM and a Seasonic S12II 620W. Once I received the Sapphire, I increased the GPU clock to 1100Mhz and left the other parameters unchanged. The current configuration is: GPU Clock: 1100Mhz GPU voltage: +19 mV Memory Clock: 1500Mhz This works for me, but it's not optimal. I'm not sure simply boosting the GPU clock will provide the best performance possible. My aim is to extract maximum performance from my GPU while keeping temperatures as low as possible, especially after overclocking. I've looked into some tutorials and found this Tom's guide for the Sapphire: In the overclocking section of that article, they mention the ideal settings they achieved were: "Ultimately, with a GPU clock of 1090MHz and a memory clock of 1625MHz (6500 MT/s),". I have no issue trying those values, but I really value the opinions of experienced users. I'm eager to learn how to safely overclock my GPU, test it, and discover the best configurations.
The results show that even when stable in the valley, some games will crash when voltage exceeds 1100 regardless of stability. Overclocking memory doesn't help; bench tests didn't reveal any improvement. This card offers around 400gb/s bandwidth—keep the memory around 1550 and focus on core clocks. Power consumption rises sharply above 35mV, but only a small increase is observed. If you maintain stability at 1130MHz, you're doing well for these GPUs.
I would download Unigine Heaven 4.0 and use it to check for stability issues, artifacts, and thermal performance. Besides that, just follow the instructions carefully—remember your card might be slightly better or worse than what was tested in Tom's Guide. You'll need to gradually increase testing at each step. I would run Heaven four times consecutively at each speed. If temperatures rise above 80, adjust the fan curve so fans spin faster at higher temps. Lowering temperatures will also improve OC headroom. The goal is to keep fans spinning as quickly as possible without causing excessive noise. Also, wait until you identify a stable GPU core speed before leaving the memory untouched.
I would download Unigine Heaven 4.0 and use it to check for stability, artifacts, and thermals. Besides that, just follow the instructions—remember your card might be a bit better or worse than what was tested in Tom's Guide. You'll need to adjust gradually and test carefully at each step. I would run Heaven four times consecutively at each speed. If temperatures rise above 80, change the fan curve so fans spin faster at temps over 70. Lowering temperatures also improves OC headroom. The goal is to spin fans as fast as possible without causing excessive noise. Also, keep the memory settings unchanged until you find a stable GPU core speed.
So far I've tried each setting individually and completed tests with Unigine Valley in ultra mode, passing all scenes. Now I'll apply the settings while playing.
Current settings:
GPU clock: 1115Mhz
Voltage: +19mV
Memory clock: 1600Mhz
These are the top two tests I've performed so far:
The optimal configuration (settings):
Gpu clock 1136 Mhz
Voltage: +18/+19
Memory Clock: 1600Mhz
Unigine Valley Test:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B1xc1ft...sp=sharing
The second option:
Gpu Clock: 1115Mhz
Memory Clock: 1500Mhz
Voltage: +19
Unigine Valley test:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B1xc1ft...sp=sharing
I'm wondering if the first setting is a good choice compared to the second. Would I be shortening my GPU's lifespan by pushing it that hard like in the first test?
The results show that even when stable in the valley, some games will crash when voltage exceeds 1100 regardless of stability. Overclocking memory doesn't help; bench tests didn't reveal any improvement. This card offers around 400gb/s bandwidth—keep the memory around 1550 and focus on core clocks. Power consumption rises sharply above 35mV, but only a small increase is observed. If you run smoothly at 1130MHz, you're doing well for these GPUs.
I received similar clocks and higher models, but I've noticed Crimson updates and changes in game conditions affecting clock and temperature behavior. Stable at 1130mhz, 30mV, fans at 65-70% capacity. Temperatures dropped from 62°C to 74°C. After installing a Crimson update, I experienced high temperatures and screen crashes, so I lowered the clock below 1100mhz and fixed or reinstalled the games. Currently, I'm averaging around 1090 and 1110mhz with 25mV (keeping it safe).
Yeah, I'm running at 1100core with 1600 mem, using 13mv core plus aux. You generally need a boost on aux if you're trying to hit higher vram speeds. Drivers can influence clock stability.
It's true the gap between stock 1000 and 1100 is about 10%, which is pretty good. The jump from 1100 to 1130 is only slight.
1100 seems like a solid sweet spot.
Burgessanthony:
That's correct, I'm running at 1100core with 1600mem and 13mv core plus aux. Usually you need a boost on aux if you're trying to hit higher vram speeds. Drivers can influence clock stability too.
It's fair to say the jump from 1000 to 1100 is about 10%, which is pretty solid. The 1100 range feels like a solid sweet spot.
I agree, 1100/1600 is a great place to keep going.