[MattAgostini]

Hi,

I am new to all this.

So far i am using the CCC software (Look easy enough for a beginner like me to handle).

I am following this guide: http://www.pcgamer.com/how-to-overclock-your-graphics-card/#page-2

So i like to know what should be the maximum i go ? I don't want to break anything.

Default is: GPU Clock 800 MHz Memory Clock 900 MHz

How much more power do i need to select at the end in the CCC software to be safe ?

Thank you in advance !

 

[CurvedLine]

CCC is easy and safe. Because you don't get to change voltage.
In CCC, you overclock within limited, safe margins. When the overclock fails, the system reboots, you're back in 2D, and you can lower the setting.

Just set Power Limit to 20% and move those sliders from
GPU Clock 800 MHz Memory Clock 900 MHz to as you wish / or take the time and move 10 Mhz up a time

Then start a game or benchmark and see what happens.

If it crashes the system, it is most likely that the voltage setting in the bios is too low for the higher clocks, so the card gave up trying.
Or that the card became too hot in your PC-case: if the airflow is insufficient, even a slight increase in temperature could be too much.
Anyway, worstcase, it will force the system to reboot, and you're back in 2D (Windows Desktop), so you can lower the settings.
Let's assume that as a noob you'd move the sliders to the max without knowing what they do and you'd start a game. Could you damage the card? No, videocards these days are designed with protection built-in, to stop and restart the system before damage can occur. It's up to you to lower the settings though, when that happens.

Gamers who overclock tend to have their PC in a big tower with plenty airflow.

But why would you overclock this card?
What is your goal? For better performance in games, a better videocard / true gaming card is the best option. And then if needed, overclock 'that beast' to squeeze even more out of it. HD 7850 is where the gaming cards class begins.
HD 7730 is a too small performer to begin with. Trying to squeeze more out of it will not gain much.

 

[MattAgostini]

Well i am not playing games like Call of Duty Advanced Warfare or Assassins Creed Unity on my computer. I use Xbox 1 for that.

Usually i play Civilization 5 or Europa Universalis 4. Those kind of games on my PC.

But i just got Dragon Age Inquisition on Pc and i just wanted to get some extra FPS.

I set everything at High expect for AA at low and disable MSAA. Graphic are still very nice even if it's not at Ultra setting.

But my FPS was around 20-24 FPS in Hinterland. So i up the setting in CCC by 10 MHz each time and try the game until it start crashing.
(Was going in combat and moving my mouse like crazy).

So now i have save setting in CCC. Game is not crashing after 4 hours. And i am now 27-31 FPS.
For me this is just fine cause i never played a game at 60 FPS... i don't really know what it is. So i am good !

Cannot spend money on computer now... salary are very low in the country i am living now so there more important expense (rent, utility, food) to cover so i have to stick with 7730 until i change the whole system in a years or two.

Thank for the explanation. Now i am not scare of breaking my GPU !

Maybe next i learn how to slightly overclock my CPU hehehe

Have a nice week-ends !

Matt

 

[CurvedLine]

Hi Matt

That is a great result. Getting 27-31 FPS (which feels smooth) without crashing is a GREAT lot better than 20-24 FPS (which feels choppy). Better than i expected.

Congrats and enjoy the game!

 

[MattAgostini]

Yep ! 4 days later still no crash !

When i am done with the game i will return the card to the default setting of course.

Don't want to shorter the live of my card for no reason.

 

[Dudewitbow]

The card switches to 2d mode when it's not under heavy use(around 300 core clock). You shouldnt need to manually downclock

 

[CurvedLine]

Matt, overclocking... no, the correct term in this case is up-clocking what you did, does not necessarily shorten the card's life-span. You just have freed its out-of-the-box potential. 4 Days no crash during gaming means you can safely keep that setting.

The risky sort of overclocking -which you haven't done and very wisely so because it is a rediculous hobby of madmen, involves voltage modifications and forcing / torturing their cards to extremes.

What you are doing in CCC is a safe way of using the card's potential. AMD Radeon videocards are usually very conservatively clocked to not run hot and noisy (AMD's reference fan is noisy at high speed) so the cards can get good reviews as being fast and silent and stable. You could say most of them leave factory underclocked.

Just keep an eye on the temperature. The GPU below 80 °C is perfect. Generally, 85 °C during a gaming session of let's say 4 hours is considered the maximum you should allow your card, but even if you'd exceed that still no harm would be done: the gpu's are built to withstand over 100 °C, but will force the PC to reboot before that temperature anyway.
What suffers most at high temperatures above 85 °C is the cooling paste, drying up sooner, shrinking and losing effectivity, meaning getting the card to run cool (=below 85°C) wil become harder and harder over time.

AMD Overdrive in CCC gives the average gamer opportunity to use the headroom the card may have (depending on build quality, quality of gpu, memory and other components), and many are better than advertised, while also offering to manually set the fanspeed. If you don't mind the noise, or are playing with headset over your ears anyway, with a higher fan-speed (let's say 70 ~80 %) you keep the card relatively cooler. Setting the fanspeed to whatever that's keeping the card at 82 °C or lower at full load heavy gaming, would be best policy.

.

 

[MattAgostini]

Dudewitbow : I didn't know that Good to know ! I looked the CCC tool and you are right.

 

[MattAgostini]

Quote:

Originally Posted by CurvedLine

Matt, overclocking... no, the correct term in this case is up-clocking what you did, does not necessarily shorten the card's life-span. You just have freed its out-of-the-box potential. 4 Days no crash during gaming means you can safely keep that setting.

The risky sort of overclocking -which you haven't done and very wisely so because it is a rediculous hobby of madmen, involves voltage modifications and forcing / torturing their cards to extremes.

What you are doing in CCC is a safe way of using the card's potential. AMD Radeon videocards are usually very conservatively clocked to not run hot and noisy (AMD's reference fan is noisy at high speed) so the cards can get good reviews as being fast and silent and stable. You could say most of them leave factory underclocked.

Just keep an eye on the temperature. The GPU below 80 °C is perfect. Generally, 85 °C during a gaming session of let's say 4 hours is considered the maximum you should allow your card, but even if you'd exceed that still no harm would be done: the gpu's are built to withstand over 100 °C, but will force the PC to reboot before that temperature anyway.
What suffers most at high temperatures above 85 °C is the cooling paste, drying up sooner, shrinking and losing effectivity, meaning getting the card to run cool (=below 85°C) wil become harder and harder over time.

AMD Overdrive in CCC gives the average gamer opportunity to use the headroom the card may have (depending on build quality, quality of gpu, memory and other components), and many are better than advertised, while also offering to manually set the fanspeed. If you don't mind the noise, or are playing with headset over your ears anyway, with a higher fan-speed (let's say 70 ~80 %) you keep the card relatively cooler. Setting the fanspeed to whatever that's keeping the card at 82 °C or lower at full load heavy gaming, would be best policy.

.

Using TechPowerUp GPU-Z or in the CCC, when i play a game like Battlefield 4 or DA:I, it's around 60-62 °C.

 

[CurvedLine]

That's excellent.