MSI R9 290 / 290x gaming edition - powertune throttling the core clock discussion...

toprock · 18 Jan 2014 at 14:54

nitram100 said:
Yeh my card is doing the same. Temp never goes above 73c but core clock is dropping down to 800mhz now and again and causing visual screen freezes for a millisecond. Why is it throttling if the temp is ok?

This is why its throttling

http://www.extremetech.com/gaming/1...blem-but-nvidias-smear-attack-is-heavy-handed

So i'd definitely recommend locking the core at 1077mhz or 978mhz depending what version of the card youve got

toprock · 18 Jan 2014 at 14:57

LtMatt said:
Are you on 13.12 WHQL mate? Does it do the same thing at stock, or only when overclocked?

No it looks like something is conflicting somewhere.

One things for sure, you're using an old version of msi afterburner. So uninstall that, restart pc then download and install the latest beta. Copy my settings then report back.

http://www.guru3d.com/files_get/msi_afterburner_beta_download,20.html

The download is saying eta 2 hours! LOL So just to clarify the latest version of AB, should simply let me set power to 50%, clock to 1077mhz and hit APPLY, then the card should be locked at 1077mhz in games?

nitram100 · 18 Jan 2014 at 14:59

I've been trying to, but I cannot get a version of afterburner installed that will show the AMD compatibility properties. I just get error "Some of MSI afterburner components expired" when I try to update. Tried uninstalling, registry clean etc just can't get a new version installed.

SPARTdAN · 18 Jan 2014 at 15:04

If I set UnofficialOverclockingMode = 1 I get screen flickering.

My core core clock is stable at 1007mhz in stress testing but is all over the place from 700mhz-950mhz in games.

Is this lowering my FPS? Temperature is around 60 degrees or so.

LtMatt · 18 Jan 2014 at 15:08

toprock said:
The download is saying eta 2 hours! LOL So just to clarify the latest version of AB, should simply let me set power to 50%, clock to 1077mhz and hit APPLY, then the card should be locked at 1077mhz in games?

The clocks should already be set at whatever your default clock is. You should be able to use a set clock, with a power limit of 50% and not throttle. At least, i can do that and i have reference cards that definitely don't cool as well as yours. The card should be able to clock down safely at idle to 300/150 and then ramp up when needed. Are you on 13.12 WHQL?

nitram100 said:
I've been trying to, but I cannot get a version of afterburner installed that will show the AMD compatibility properties. I just get error "Some of MSI afterburner components expired" when I try to update. Tried uninstalling, registry clean etc just can't get a new version installed.

That means you're using an old version if its saying that. Shut it down so its not in the taskbar then uninstall via add remove programs. Restart pc and download beta 18 from the link i posted above.

SPARTdAN said:
If I set UnofficialOverclockingMode = 1 I get screen flickering.

My core core clock is stable at 1007mhz in stress testing but is all over the place from 700mhz-950mhz in games.

Is this lowering my FPS? Temperature is around 60 degrees or so.

This is the reason why you don't use unofficial overclocking. If you do use unofficial overclocking you need to select without powerplay support. That will cure the flickering. The flicking is because you're using an overclocking API that amd does not support any more. They stopped supporting it back in 12.2 drivers or something like that. Running without powerplay support stops the cards from clocking down and that stops the flickering. The flickering occurs when the card changes clocks rapidly.

toprock · 18 Jan 2014 at 15:08

SPARTdAN said:
If I set UnofficialOverclockingMode = 1 I get screen flickering.

My core core clock is stable at 1007mhz in stress testing but is all over the place from 700mhz-950mhz in games.

Is this lowering my FPS? Temperature is around 60 degrees or so.

well the core running at 700mhz worst case is like a running a 290 underclocked

See page one my fps really suffered with all the throttling, as soon as I forced 1077mhz with unofficial overclocking mode no microstutter, solid core mhz, and far better fps.

Letting the core drop to 700mhz in games is akin to a 35% performance hit! all because powertune wants to keep the temps and noise in check!

toprock · 18 Jan 2014 at 15:10

LtMatt said:
The clocks should already be set at whatever your default clock is. You should be able to use a set clock, with a power limit of 50% and not throttle. At least, i can do that and i have reference cards that definitely don't cool as well as yours. The card should be able to clock down safely at idle to 300/150 and then ramp up when needed. Are you on 13.12 WHQL?

That means you're using an old version if its saying that. Shut it down so its not in the taskbar then uninstall via add remove programs. Restart pc and download beta 18 from the link i posted above.

Yes i'm on 13.12 none beta.

So your core is a constant in 3d mode, never fluctuates by even 5mhz? I'll continue with the download if so, its still 30 minutes off

LtMatt · 18 Jan 2014 at 15:13

Alternative download link for the beta if the other one is slow.

http://download1.msi.com/files/downloads/uti_exe/vga/MSIAfterburnerSetup300Beta18.zip

Have you guys tried flicking the bios switch to position 2? Worth a try maybe. Maybe the card is running in quiet mode. Even though the 290 Pro should not have a quiet mode, i guess anything is worth a shot.

EDIT

I found the leaked 13.30 beta drivers caused throttling for me, exactly like you guys mentioned but they're Kaveri drivers and not for discrete gpu's. Uninstalling and going back to 13.12's worked fine with zero throttling, even at 90c+.

SPARTdAN · 18 Jan 2014 at 15:13

So should I set UnofficialOverclockingMode = 2 ?

I did that and I got one screen flicker as I applied overclock at 1007mhz. Is that right?

LtMatt · 18 Jan 2014 at 15:16

SPARTdAN said:
So should I set UnofficialOverclockingMode = 2 ?

I did that and I got one screen flicker as I applied overclock at 1007mhz. Is that right?

That's normal but should not flicker after that. Only when changing clocks.

SPARTdAN · 18 Jan 2014 at 15:22

LtMatt said:
That's normal but should not flicker after that. Only when changing clocks.

I just installed the Afterburner 3 beta provided, will test and report back.

LtMatt · 18 Jan 2014 at 15:27

SPARTdAN said:
I just installed the Afterburner 3 beta provided, will test and report back.

Afterburner beta 3? :confused:

Is anyone running gpu-z or any other things that could interfere btw?

toprock · 18 Jan 2014 at 15:37

i'm two minutes off that AB beta link from guru3d being complete.

Not sure if the bios switch works on 290 gaming edition? it was disabled in reference 290.

northun_munky · 18 Jan 2014 at 15:51

LtMatt said:
Are you on 13.12 WHQL mate? Does it do the same thing at stock, or only when overclocked?

Don;t remember it fluctuating at stock but can't be sure. I'll have a look when I finish work tonight. It's not a massive hassle I suppose and I don't think it's affected performance at all but it just seems weird that this is the first card i've ever owned to fluctuate at all.

LtMatt · 18 Jan 2014 at 15:57

northun_munky said:
Don;t remember it fluctuating at stock but can't be sure. I'll have a look when I finish work tonight. It's not a massive hassle I suppose and I don't think it's affected performance at all but it just seems weird that this is the first card i've ever owned to fluctuate at all.

If is still occurs you can try using gpu-z to do the core clock monitoring and try running it without afterburner running. Just to make sure afterburner is not causing the clock fluctuations.

northun_munky · 18 Jan 2014 at 16:08

LtMatt said:
If is still occurs you can try using gpu-z to do the core clock monitoring and try running it without afterburner running. Just to make sure afterburner is not causing the clock fluctuations.

Could be. Have to say I much preferred GPU tweak to AB and never had any issues. Quite like the OSD though

I'll try all you mention tonight although I got a black screen within 10 mins of installing the card box after loading GPU-z and since you mentioned steering clear of it in the 'MSI 290/290X Gaming Edition Thread' things have been fine on the black screen front

I'll try it though.

LtMatt · 18 Jan 2014 at 16:11

I just did a run through of Unigine Valley. Clocks don't budge as you can see. The only difference is, im running crossfire. I'm also using a lazy/quiet fan profile. Only if i let temps get to 94C will it start to throttle. At 50% fan speed on the reference blower throttling (if it occurs) will drop the core anywhere to 947mhz-975mhz typically. It does go lower sometimes, but don't think ive ever seen it go below 925mhz. Temps got up to 85c on both gpu's on this run.

13.12 WHQL
CCC untouched, default settings. Overdrive remains locked. GPU-Z off,

northun_munky · 18 Jan 2014 at 16:18

Yeah man, I can see from your screenies. May be Xfire is the reason? Maybe I need to buy another 290......

I'm going to crib your settings word for word when I get home and see what happens.

LtMatt · 18 Jan 2014 at 16:22

northun_munky said:
Yeah man, I can see from your screenies. May be Xfire is the reason? Maybe I need to buy another 290......

I'm going to crib your settings word for word when I get home and see what happens.

I will have to test single card. Its annoying as i hate taking my system apart. I suppose i could just disable Xfire, but id still have the other card connected and card one would only be running at x8. Not sure if that would have an effect, but you never know.

OvEr_KiLL · 18 Jan 2014 at 16:23

uksoldierboy said:
Try this,

In afterburner, go to settings, unofficial overclocking mode, select -Without powerplay support.

Next make sure power limit is maxxed in AB, dial in your overclock of 1077 on the core, hit apply and save the profile if you wish, next go into CCC and enable graphics overdrive, make sure the powerlimit is maxxed out in here too if not max it. (should be 50%).

Now try a game and see if the clocks drop, i use the above settings for my 24/7 oc of 1150/1400 and my clocks don't move a mhz.

is this normal that my idle temp is a lot higher than it was before? its now 48c and before was 35c

also will this nonsense be fixed with driver updates, amd and AB soon ?