Guide for Overlocking the GTX 970 Strix
Guide for Overlocking the GTX 970 Strix
I suggest this manual to anyone seeking information on GPU overclocking. It's secure. In the worst case, you'd need to reboot your system unless the GPU is defective. The process isn't as intricate as with a CPU.
If you wish to push your GPU beyond its limits, follow these steps:
0. Set up MSI Afterburner
0. Obtain and execute UNIGINE Valley on Ultra+
Windowed. Other benchmarking tools are also acceptable.
1. Raise your power cap (needs a robust PSU)
2. Boost your core frequency by 50+ at intervals, monitoring for anomalies such as artifacts or driver crashes. Adjust accordingly compared to your prior settings.
Example Core frequency: ... > +150 > artifact > ... > +140 > no artifact > +115 (Maintain below max 25 or higher)...
I've carried out a thorough overclock on a Strix 970 and the stress tests like FireStrike and Heven Benchmark didn't show any artifacting at my highest stable setting. However, when I played GTAV I noticed issues and would need to lower the clock speeds. Other games seemed to handle things differently. This might explain what was being suggested. My Strix 970 would typically run around 1500MHz, though I don't recall the memory overclock details. The maximum overclock would match a stock GTX 980. Read some guides Safe GPU Overclocking Guide 2016 R1.3
I suggest this guide to anyone seeking information on GPU overclocking. It's also secure. In the worst case, you'd need to restart your PC unless the GPU is defective. It's not as complex as with a CPU.
If you wish to increase performance, follow these steps:
0. Install MSI Afterburner
0. Download and run UNIGINE Valley on Ultra+
Windowed. Other benchmarking methods are also acceptable.
1. Set your power limit to the maximum. (Needs a strong PSU)
2. Boost your core clock by 50+ at intervals, monitoring for artifacts (unusual lines or colors) or driver crashes. Adjust accordingly compared to your prior settings.
Example Core clock: ... > +150 > artifact > ... > +140 > no artifact > +115 (Maintain 25 or lower than max)
3. Repeat the process for Memory. (Keep it at 50 or below the max)
4. Save your profile
I possess a half OC and a fully optimized OC profile.
5. Avoid applying overclocking at startup; you can reassess after some testing periods.
Maintain temperatures under 80°C. If they rise, add a fan nearby or adjust paste settings.