The reason you can't overclock your GTX 1070 lies in its hardware limitations and stability concerns.
The reason you can't overclock your GTX 1070 lies in its hardware limitations and stability concerns.
Hey, with your AMD FX 9370 and GTX 1070 running MSI Afterburner, you're boosting core clock to 210 and memory to 600. The power limit is set at 112 and the temperature at 90. It's not reaching 100% because of these settings.
1. What GTX 1070 is this?
If it's an FE or reference card, don't try overclocking... these units are already throttling from the start.
2. Why isn't it at full capacity?
It depends on what you're using it for. For example, with an electronic scale in your bathroom, if you turn it on, you might wonder why the reading shows 0.00 pounds. You need to press it first. Similarly, when starting up your computer, it's running with minimal load. Your CPU is probably working at around 800 MHz until you run something that demands more power, then it increases to 97 - 100%. The same applies to the GPU—run a heavy application or stress test and the load will rise accordingly.
There are various speed restrictions in place such as power consumption, temperature, voltage, and more. Generally, the card automatically adjusts itself to the maximum settings you choose. If the settings exceed safe levels, it will only reach the speed permitted by the first limit it encounters. On my 1070, I can configure all parameters to their highest values, but it consistently stays below 2050 MHz. When monitoring the graphs during gameplay, look for "Voltage Limit," "Power Limit," and other "limit" indicators—adjust them to 1 if they are restricted or 0 if they aren't.
1. What GTX 1070 is this? If it's an FE or reference model, don't try overclocking... these units are already underperforming right out of the box.
2. Why isn't it operating at full capacity? Depends on what you're using it for. I have a digital scale in my bathroom... if I power it up, you might wonder why the reading shows 0.00 pounds. You need to press it first. The same applies when you boot up your computer—it starts with minimal demand. Your CPU is probably running smoothly at 800 MHz until you run something that demands more power, then it will increase to 97-100%.
The GPU will also rise; a high benchmark will push it to around 110% or more of its capacity (depending on MSI AB settings).
3. Once the card reaches that point, its firmware kicks in. If it detects excessive heat, power, or voltage, it will reduce performance.
FE or reference cards will automatically throttle even without overclocking. You can observe this effect here: http://videocardz.com/60838/msi-geforce-...rs-edition
In the video above at 00:01, you see the card (orange line) running at about 1885 MHz. After applying a load, it drops below 1800 around 01:40 and falls as low as 1680 because these cards can't sustain loads below their throttling threshold. Meanwhile, the MSI card (blue line) keeps a steady 1910 MHz throughout.