Should I increase my minimum frequency to 100 below the maximum or keep it at 500 MHz?
Should I increase my minimum frequency to 100 below the maximum or keep it at 500 MHz?
I've just received my RX 6800 XT. My maximum frequency in Adrenalin is 2494MHz, while my minimum is the default 500MHz. The undervolt setting stands at 1050mVa. Everything functions well and smoothly, running Shadow of Tomb Raider in 4K at high settings with a steady 60 fps, no frame drops or issues. I don't plan to use ultra settings or exceed 60fps. Should I adjust my minimum frequency down to 100MHz below my maximum? Or would changing it more affect power usage, heat, and fan noise? Which choice is better for the GPU's longevity? Is it more demanding on the GPU to experience occasional frequency drops, or is maintaining a steady frequency at the expense of higher power and temperature more stressful? I think higher power and temperatures are worse than fluctuating frequencies. Am I correct?
Remember:
"If it ain't broke, then don't fix it."
Leave well enough alone until there is some specific requirement to make some change(s).
And then, as warranted, make only one change at a time.
Continue to monitor your build so you are familar with temperatures, wattage used, etc..
Lastly, as always, remember to regularly backup all important data at least 2 x to locations off of the current host. Verify that the backups are both recoverable and readable.
Minimum speed is essentially 'idle' speeds, which is low power consumption. Raising that speed to just below maximum means the card will always be in high power consumption, and higher power = higher temps.
There's no need to be constantly pushing a gpu to max or close, 2d apps like windows, Office, mail or anything else other than games or other 3d apps do not use but a fraction of a gpus potential. That's why many cards have adopted the 'fanless' option for temps below @ 65°C, no need for fan use, not enough power use to drive temps beyond what the cooler can do passively.
Minimum frequency influences only 2D graphics; increasing it slightly could assist with more complex visuals.
You could gain from observing GamersNexus' overclocking videos using the RX 6800XT. However, if you're not keen on following their examples, note that they typically set a minimum frequency of 250-150MHz, which usually leads to the highest overclocks in their configurations. It seems they were using drivers available at that time, and AMD improved them significantly, so things might differ now. Also, don't be overly impressed by their results and don't think you should replicate them. They aimed to push performance to its limits, which is rarely feasible for continuous use. Their focus was on short-duration 3DMark tests with a cool-down period, and they ran fans at full capacity on an open-air setup.
Tnx man! Yeah, I also tried using udervolt and a slight overclock. I don't want my GPU to run at 90-100% all the time to avoid some random frame drops that might happen once or twice an hour. Also, I never play on ultra settings—just high, and I don't really need to overclock this powerful GPU for that.
Undervolting offers considerable flexibility, as it remains safe for the GPU. These adjustments appear to be adjustable indefinitely: I've tested Port Royal benchmarks at 1.056 volts and achieved excellent performance without further changes. However, maintaining such low voltage can introduce unexpected issues, possibly due to my motherboard or CPU characteristics. Running continuously at voltages below approximately 1.087V often causes noticeable delays—video stuttering, audio glitches, and audio artifacts after startup. A warm restart usually resolves these problems. It seems the quirks might be specific to my hardware, but I’m currently using a setting of 1.093V, which prevents these issues while still improving performance and reducing temperature during stress tests. Additionally, increasing the power limit yields mixed outcomes: it can boost short-term scores like 3DMark BM, but over time it raises thermal stress, leading to more frequent cooling-related performance drops during extended gaming sessions. Therefore, balancing power limits closely with proper ventilation and fan settings is essential for optimal results.
I'm at 1.020V undervolt but the system works fine. My Sapphire Nitro+ is handling it. I made some adjustments too and limited FPS to 60 because I don't require higher performance. It might be that these changes also contribute to its ability to run at lower voltages.
I thought AMD restricted these settings to 1.050V at the minimum. I wonder if Sapphire made changes that let more flexibility. Maybe testing it on my own could reveal something, as it might be a driver issue that was fixed.
Have you adjusted the power limit settings?
Games usually performed well at low voltages, but combining overclocking with a 3DMark BM could cause crashes. It's the cold hardware that leads to latency problems.
I also try to keep games around 60 FPS. I mainly play triple A titles, though e-sports games are preferred because higher FPS is better, which I don't enjoy.