Overclocking my 970
Overclocking my 970
Hello TH forums. I'm a very new and inexperienced overclocker, and I was really hoping to boost my GPU's performance. I've had my 970 since 2014 and have attempted overclocking it several times before still facing the same problem repeatedly. The result is essentially a stable overclock. I tested it in both Kombustor for about 30 minutes and then in Unigen Engine Heaven for another 30 minutes, and it performed extremely well—no crashes or artifacts. As pleased as I was with this overclock, I decided to try some games. When I started playing Killing Floor 2, after roughly ten minutes, my second monitor turned blue, and about fifteen seconds into the game it crashed completely. This has been the main reason I haven't tried overclocking before. This isn't the first time either; even in 2015, when I attempted this, my Battlefield 4 crashed.
It just seems like too much hassle for what it's worth. Any suggestions or tips from the community about overcoming this issue? I'd really appreciate it. I'm trying to squeeze more performance out of this card but keep getting frustrated by the crashes while playing. Thanks! 😀
Always purchase AIB cards... MSI Gaming, Asus Strix, Gigabyte Windforce, Zotac Amp, EVGA FTW (not SC, that usually refers to a PCB with an improved cooler). These reference cards tend to throttle even without overclocking, especially on the x70 and x80 lines.
3. Check platforms like Duru3D for starting settings...
http://www.guru3d.com/articles_pages/msi...ew,26.html
4. Using MSI Afterburner or similar tools means you should be ready to save several profiles. I maintain:
1 - Stock (reference) settings...
Remember to purchase AIB cards whenever possible. Popular options include MSI Gaming, Asus Strix, Gigabyte Windforce, Zotac Amp, and EVGA FTW (avoid SC models, as those usually refer to a PCB with an upgraded cooler). These reference cards tend to throttle their performance even without overclocking, especially on the x70 and x80 lines.
Check websites such as Duru3D for recommended starting configurations. You can find guidance at the provided link.
When using tools like MSI Afterburner or similar software, be ready to save several profiles. I maintain:
1. Stock (reference) settings – a baseline for comparison
2. Out-of-the-box settings – many cards come pre-overclocked; some may struggle with factory settings
3. Optimal benchmarks (Unigine, Furmark) – these usually perform well across most titles
4. Specialized adjustments – for unusual games I’ve had to tweak memory speeds in specific scenarios
5. Battlefield recommendations – generally need reduced settings on every build, as they often fail at the highest overall levels
JackNaylorPE shared his experience and recommendations: always purchase AIB cards from reputable brands such as MSI Gaming, Asus Strix, Gigabyte Windforce, Zotac Amp, and EVGA FTW (avoid SC models, which are usually a reference PCB with an improved cooler). These reference cards tend to throttle under heat, even without overclocking, especially on the x70 and x80 lines.
He suggests checking websites like Duru3D for starting settings. He also recommends using MSI Afterburner or similar tools, noting that you’ll need to save multiple profiles. He outlines his own approach:
- Keep stock (reference) settings as a baseline.
- Use out-of-the-box settings since cards often come pre-overclocked; some may not stabilize at factory settings.
- Apply benchmark-based optimal configurations (Unigine / Furmark) for general performance.
- For niche titles, adjust settings manually—he found specific tweaks needed in Metro 2033 for smoother gameplay.
He mentions that for certain games, especially Battlefield, you often have to lower settings across the board, as every build encountered issues with maximum settings. He also notes that his Evga SC 970 might be the cause of instability. His stable overclock involved a GPU clock of +125 MHz, power limiter at 110%, and memory clock at +300 MHz. Despite this, it still crashed during gameplay but passed benchmarks.
Here’s your text rewritten with the same length and structure:
JackNaylorPE :
1. Always purchase AIB cards... MSI Gaming, Asus Strix, Gigabyte Windforce, Zotac Amp, EVGA FTW (not SC, that usually refers to a PCB with an upgraded cooler). The reference cards tend to throttle their performance, even without overclocking, especially on the x70 and x80 lines.
3. Check out sites like Duru3D for starting settings...
http://www.guru3d.com/articles_pages/msi...ew,26.html
4. When using MSI Afterburner or similar tools, be ready to save multiple profiles. I maintain:
1 - Stock (reference) settings... for a baseline to compare
2 - Out-of-the-box settings (cards often come with factory overclock)... you may notice some cards (like EVGA SC) struggle to stay stable at factory settings
3 - Optimal configurations based on benchmarks (Unigine / Furmark)... should work across most titles
4 - Ideal settings for unusual games... I found three adjustments in Metro 2033 where I had to lower memory speed slightly. The first was during loading while credits played, the second when exiting tunnels with a view of junkyard, and the third while following the gully near the bull scene. In those cases, setting 3 worked best
5 - Best settings for Battlefield... I’ve had to dial back settings for Battlefield on every build... not just this game, but every time I faced issues with the highest settings across other titles.
Thanks a lot for the tips. Unfortunately, my EVGA SC 970 might be the reason. What appeared to be a stable overclock for me was:
GPU clock +125 MHz
Power limiter 110%
Mem clock +300 MHz
And that was the only one that still crashed during games yet passed benchmarks.
No even a tiny bit of overvoltage? That’s the missing piece in your OC that could improve stability. You’re asking for more effort but not providing further support. I followed this guide:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fyk5DCladcY
step by step...
But now it’s gone!!!
I’ll try to get it back up soon. First, I need to talk to Asus about the legal side. I don’t want my account to be closed due to a DMCA issue—this isn’t my video. It actually let my EVGA 970 FTW overclock successfully with Furmark, Heaven, some games, and other tools. I was using Asus tweak for logging, but MSI Afterburner is better for overclocking. I’ll be back in a few days. Hopefully I’ll have a fresh link.
Read this...
Check out the review on the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 970 page from Bit-Tech. It discusses issues with older boards where heat pipes were touching the GPU, compares VRM designs, and offers tips for optimizing overclocking potential. The advice given focuses on adjusting core and memory settings to find a stable configuration.
Here is the rewritten version at the same length and structure:
The feedback was clear:
JackNaylorPE shared several tips:
1. Always purchase AIB cards such as those from MSI Gaming, Asus Strix, Gigabyte Windforce, Zotac Amp, EVGA FTW (avoid SC unless it’s a specific PCB with an improved cooler). These reference cards tend to throttle under heat, even without overclocking, especially on the x70 and x80 lines.
3. Check websites like Duru3D for starting settings.
4. When using MSI Afterburner or similar tools, be ready to save multiple profiles. I maintain:
- 1 – Stock (reference) settings for a baseline check
- 2 – Out-of-the-box settings (cards often come with factory overclock) – some cards like EVGA SC may struggle to stay stable at factory settings
- 3 – Optimal benchmarks (Unigine, Furmark) – these usually work across most titles
- 4 – Best configurations for unusual games – I adjusted memory speed in three places in Metro 2033: during loading on credits, exiting tunnels with a view of junkyard, and following the gully near the bulldozer. The game ran fine at setting 3 otherwise
5 – For Battlefield, I had to lower settings each time. Not just for that game, but because every build on every platform had issues with the highest settings that worked elsewhere.
Dang, thanks for all the advice. Unfortunately, my EVGA SC 970 might be the issue. What appeared to be a stable overclock was:
GPU clock +125 MHz
Power limiter 110%
Memory clock +300 MHz
This was the only one that still crashed during games but passed benchmarks.
No significant voltage spikes? That’s the missing factor for stability. You’re asking for more effort, but no extra support here. I followed this guide:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fyk5DCladcY
Now it’s gone!!!
I’ll try again in a few days and will reach out to Asus about the matter. It wouldn’t be wise to close my account due to a DMCA issue, especially since this was my EVGA 970 FTW that ran overclock successfully with Furmark, Heaven, some games, and other tools. I used Asus tweak for logging, but MSI Afterburner is better for overclocking. I’ll be back then. Hope you’re doing well. Good luck with everything so far!