Overclocking: 500 Watt PSU sufficient?
Overclocking: 500 Watt PSU sufficient?
I need to begin fresh with overclocking my graphics card. My current setup includes an RX 480 4GB from Sapphire, installed on an LGA 1150 motherboard with a Core i5-4460 processor. I'm using a 500 Watt EVGA 80 Plus Power Certified power supply. If I decide to push my GPU further, would this power source be adequate? If yes, how much performance gain could I expect from increasing the clock speed?
Hello, based on your CPU and GPU, your system should likely consume around 250 watts while gaming and up to 300 watts in the worst case. That leaves you with at least 100 watts for performance. This means you can safely overclock your RX 480 to very high frequencies and it should work fine, as EVGA typically produces reliable power supplies. If you push the power and voltage limits on the RX 480, you might reach core speeds of 1350-1400 and memory speeds around +200-400 MHz. These are just suggestions—you’ll need to test yourself, as each card is different.
If you manage to get a good result, aiming for 1450 MHz and +500 MHz on the memory would be close to the upper limit.
It should be, but I would likely improve it to something a bit stronger first.
Hello, based on your CPU and GPU, your system should likely consume around 250 watts while gaming and up to 300 watts in the worst case. That leaves you with at least 100 watts for performance. This means you can safely overclock your RX 480 to very high frequencies and it should work fine, as EVGA typically produces reliable power supplies. If you push the power and voltage limits on the RX 480, you might reach core speeds of 1350-1400 and memory speeds around +200-400 MHz. These are just suggestions—you’ll need to test yourself, as each card is different.
If you manage to get a good result, aiming for 1450 MHz and +500 MHz on the memory would be close to the upper limit.
I'm also worried about the NITRO's cooling performance: many people mention that its fans aren't as effective as those from brands like MSI or XFX. Is this really accurate, particularly with the NITRO's fans? I observed that during heavy load with factory overclock at 1306MHz, the GPU stays below 75 to 77 degrees Celsius. I see the Polaris GPU is built for better power efficiency, resulting in less heat and lower TDP. Should overclocking this GPU be risky considering its cooling system? Or does anyone else have evidence that contradicts this?
The fans are adequate for overclocking; the cooler is already quite effective. I recommend using an extra case fan to direct airflow onto the CPU and applying a custom fan curve during overclocking. I’m confident my PC has sufficient fans to handle the heat—aftermarket CPU cooler, multiple case fans, and that’s about it. If I exceed the PSU’s power capacity, will the system power down or face more serious issues?
Selected the optimal choice, here. I'll discuss overclocking challenges later and reference the results in another thread.