Strix GTX 960 only slightly exceeds its limits.
Strix GTX 960 only slightly exceeds its limits.
I've been experimenting with overclocking my GPU, but the ASUS GPU tweak only allows me to add around 50 extra cores and memory clock before artifacts appear in furmark or crashes during Heaven benchmark. The voltage is capped at +35mV and power capacity is also limited in this tweak. I'm curious about what's going on. I thought my GPU should be capable of overclocking significantly more, with temperatures staying below 65°C in Heaven and under 69°C in furmark.
it depends on luck and a good strategy. under heaven, you should be prepared for anything. you need to try multiple programs, games, and benchmarks to find the best overall performance throughout the day. i use three profiles: one runs continuously 24/7 with the best overclock, another is fully maxed out for top performance but struggles with other tasks, and the third is a balanced setup. things are about finding the optimal overclock that doesn’t cause crashes or issues while running everything. sometimes a card performs much better than what it was designed for.
It might just be a matter of chance or the factory overclocking pushing the card to its limits, can't handle much more?
Before any artifacting happens in the furmark, I prefer to avoid that one bench. I tried it and realized it could easily damage things—I just didn’t trust it and didn’t expect to use it again for anything. [opinion]
Regarding temperatures, do you think they should stay cool? And what about voltages? Maybe setting the BIOS limits quickly would help.
I’ve heard my GPU should be well overclocked, lol. You see this on every card except the one you get in hype sheets and bragging pages of forums where people claim their card always hits the limit.
GPU adjustment increased the maximum voltage to up to +35mV, staying within safe limits for my card, though it hasn't shown much improvement. I've thought about whether the factory settings are sufficient or if the boost is adequate for most gains, but based on forum discussions and OC reviews for this card, nothing raised concerns about reaching around +100 MHz core and at least +300 memory clocks. It seems unlikely that a PSU upgrade would be necessary, especially since I'm running a 550-watt system.
ASUS GPU adjustment, perhaps consider alternatives? Maybe try afterburner or Evga Precision X. I experienced better outcomes using Evga's tool compared to Afterburner on my card, though that might be something you can test to find the best fit for your setup. It’s unclear if a 960 was an enthusiast model designed for OC, as factory overclocking limits could be present from the start. You might extract a bit more performance, but it’s uncertain. All you can do is rely on the official specifications provided. Good luck!
I've been experimenting with afterburner for a while now, so perhaps I'll revisit that. I haven't used the EVGA tool yet. I thought a GPU tweak would be the most effective choice since Strix is an ASUS model and that's what I consistently saw in tests. Still, I'm open to trying other programs to discover what works best for me. Maybe I'll just settle for the +50 OC or even revert to the factory settings, as I'm unsure if the benefits of +50 are worth it. It's possible the factory setting already provides sufficient performance, but I might be able to extract a bit more from core and memory. If I can't determine this safely, I'd prefer to stick with what I have and make the most of it. Thanks for your thoughts!
the outcome largely depends on luck during the draw, and it’s a strong belief that under any circumstances you should test multiple programs, games, or benchmarks to discover the optimal performance across all devices. I maintain three profiles: one for continuous use, optimized for overclocking and capable of running everything smoothly; another is fully loaded for maximum performance in Heaven or FireStrike, though it may struggle with other tasks; and a third is tailored to balance stability without crashes. Sometimes a card performs significantly better than what the manufacturer claimed it could achieve. It’s important to adjust settings so the card remains stable under all conditions. Occasionally, a chip exceeds its expected specifications—like a card rated for 1250 but actually reaching 1375 in real use. You should be confident your card will meet the minimum requirements, but the actual performance may vary. It’s wise to verify this by checking the power limits set on the BIOS and observing how the GPU handles stress. Seeing the power usage graphs can help confirm if the card is pushing its limits. For more insights, you can explore relevant threads and consider reviewing official ASUS guides. Remember, every graphics card behaves differently, and the overclocks we see here might not be replicable everywhere.