Guys, I'm going to be dropping a few hundred on a new i5/Z77 rig. I've been recommended to buy a 7850 as long as I overclock it to get it to close to stock 7950 speeds. I'm aware of the thread about how to overclock it, but is there a huge risk in overclocking a graphics card? I've never done it. But it's a lot more risky than overclocking a cpu isn't it? What's the chances of success, is it going to be easy for me to get a high and stable overclock and not damage my card or should I steer clear? I can't afford the 79XX cards though.
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7850 overclocking question
- Thread starter Merlin5
- Start date
There is no huge risk Merlin, just be sensible and don't go throwing extra volts into the gpu at first.
My understanding about what I have seen on the 7850's is that the gpu core will max the CCC panel(in regards to stock CCC limits) easily and then some.
I tend to be very light on memory oc's though as that's usually the first to pop with overambitious oc'ing.
Just take your time, and as I said, don't just jump in and push both the sliders to the max in CCC, and keep your eyes on the temps.
My main piece of advice is don't use Furmark or Kombustor(which is the same thing) to test oc's as it will just cook your card and could probably reduce lifespan as well, use something like Heaven Benchmark or any games built in Benchmark utilities.
My understanding about what I have seen on the 7850's is that the gpu core will max the CCC panel(in regards to stock CCC limits) easily and then some.
I tend to be very light on memory oc's though as that's usually the first to pop with overambitious oc'ing.
Just take your time, and as I said, don't just jump in and push both the sliders to the max in CCC, and keep your eyes on the temps.
My main piece of advice is don't use Furmark or Kombustor(which is the same thing) to test oc's as it will just cook your card and could probably reduce lifespan as well, use something like Heaven Benchmark or any games built in Benchmark utilities.
Well there appears to be no hard and fast recommendation as to which cards clock the best, it really is a lottery, the only thing I would suggest is to read this read if you haven't already
http://forums.overclockers.co.uk/showthread.php?t=18389760
Theres a wealth of info in there. Wrt overclocking, no you won't do any damage to your card whatsoever PROVIDING you're careful how you go about it. the main problems heat and voltage and they are related, (more voltage applied to the core, the more heat it generates. It'll also generate more heat if the clock speed is increased even though the voltage is left alone) so theres two aspects to bear in mind. The real killer would be overvolting as theres no protection provided I don't think and you'd probably cook on or more of the voltage regulators which would effectively kill the card stone dead.
So, assuming your temps are kept low enough, say at around 70c MAX load and the voltage is raised in the course of clocking the card to no higher than 1.2v I reckon you'd be ok. Obviously you wanna keep the voltage as low as possible to attain the highest clock as possible, with the temps not going above 70c, this situation being a compromise.
The best option is to start low and work your way up to around 1150 on the core and try and keep to stock voltages. If you can do that, then chances are you've got a good one and if you can get 1200 core @ around 1.175v, then you're laughing and you never know, it might go even higher to say 1230 at low volts 'frinstance, but for gawd sake take your time and work upwards slowly and test in heaven benchie AND in game as the latter will probably push the card a bit harder.
Edit: Beaten to it.
http://forums.overclockers.co.uk/showthread.php?t=18389760
Theres a wealth of info in there. Wrt overclocking, no you won't do any damage to your card whatsoever PROVIDING you're careful how you go about it. the main problems heat and voltage and they are related, (more voltage applied to the core, the more heat it generates. It'll also generate more heat if the clock speed is increased even though the voltage is left alone) so theres two aspects to bear in mind. The real killer would be overvolting as theres no protection provided I don't think and you'd probably cook on or more of the voltage regulators which would effectively kill the card stone dead.
So, assuming your temps are kept low enough, say at around 70c MAX load and the voltage is raised in the course of clocking the card to no higher than 1.2v I reckon you'd be ok. Obviously you wanna keep the voltage as low as possible to attain the highest clock as possible, with the temps not going above 70c, this situation being a compromise.
The best option is to start low and work your way up to around 1150 on the core and try and keep to stock voltages. If you can do that, then chances are you've got a good one and if you can get 1200 core @ around 1.175v, then you're laughing and you never know, it might go even higher to say 1230 at low volts 'frinstance, but for gawd sake take your time and work upwards slowly and test in heaven benchie AND in game as the latter will probably push the card a bit harder.
Edit: Beaten to it.
Thanks for the advice. I know you said it's hard to know which cards are good clockers, but do you have any experience or knowledge of the VTX3D Radeon HD 7850 and whether it's a good brand and likely good overclocker?
Yep!
Get the HIS, all round better imo with improved cooling that will help keep temps down with oc'ing.
The reference vtx one is exactly the same as any other reference 7850, except for the sticker, bios, warranty and what's in the box, they are all assembled and sent out to partners by Sapphire.
Going from experience with my 6950>70's, the core went considerably higher if I left my mem clocks lower, whether the 78's mem oc's give better gains, I don't have a clue but it's the core that makes the real difference.
Another thing to look out for as well is the vrms, they can fair shoot up in temp with oc'ing so get yourself gpu-z from techpowerup to keep an eye out(it can log all your temps to file too).
http://www.techpowerup.com/downloads/2137/TechPowerUp_GPU-Z_v0.6.2.html
Doesn't matter mate, you gave Merlin great info!
Last edited:
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I CBA to find it again... but I've literally just read a thread on these forums which describe the VTX3D 7850 as decent overclockers. Up to 50% I believe. Search for VTX3D Radeon in the search tool and have a look.
I'm just about to buy one myself and was worried about both OC potential and reliability of manufacturer but these forums have more or less answered both those questions and so I'm going for a VTX3D rather than a more expensive sapphire or MSI. Hope it works out!
If your simply putting your 6950 to stock 6970 clocks then chances are it would last just as long as it would at stock 6950 speeds.
Please be aware that I have a VTX 7850 and its a mediocre clocker at best! The most I can wring out of it is 1180 core and i have to give it 1.225 volts to do it and occasionally it'll bomb out of heaven at those settings. I've also heard some of the MSI versions won't clock very well either, but someone has managed to get a Club3d one up to 1200 easily on virtually stock volts, so there really is a minefield trying to predict which ones will clock and which ones won't. Saying that, some one else in that thread i quoted got a VTX versh well high, up around 1230 core.
Please be aware that I have a VTX 7850 and its a mediocre clocker at best! The most I can wring out of it is 1180 core and i have to give it 1.225 volts to do it and occasionally it'll bomb out of heaven at those settings. I've also heard some of the MSI versions won't clock very well either, but someone has managed to get a Club3d one up to 1200 easily on virtually stock volts, so there really is a minefield trying to predict which ones will clock and which ones won't. Saying that, some one else in that thread i quoted got a VTX versh well high, up around 1230 core.
Blimey, difficult choosing then. I hope the lower prices of 7850's don't reflect limited OC ability and that I'd have to get the most expensive ones to stand a chance of a good overclock. But then again, from what you said, it's a real lottery.
I'd be tempted to repeat what tommybhoy suggested and go with a card with a custom cooler, like the HIS, Sapphire or MSI. Whichever one falls within your budget.
Mainly because it should do a better job of keeping the gpu cool when overclocking. And also produce less noise.
Mainly because it should do a better job of keeping the gpu cool when overclocking. And also produce less noise.
Definately get a custom cooled one. I've got the Msi Twin Frozr and it's silent up to 40% fan speed and with CCC maxed on stock volts it's idling at 25 deg and barely tops 50 deg when gaming or benching. I was planning on going further but it's handling everything I throw at it.
As i've said in multiple threads now, what we've seen through all the 7850 threads is that max OC's on these cards are a gamble. It really doesn't matter what brand you buy.
WHAT DOES MATTER IS THE COOLER ON THE CARD.
The VTX/Club3D's are cheap, but this is because they use the stock cooler, which frankly while adequate, isn't the best. IF you get a good core then the stock cooler is fine as you won't have to put a lot of volts through it to get a good 1200+ OC. HOWEVER, if the core is mediocre you are going to need to put some extra volts through to get it stable at high OC's, and at that point the stock cooler starts to struggle. It'll get loud, and the card will get hot. So you might have to settle for a lower OC.
As such I would strongly suggest that you go for a card with a custom cooler where possible if you are going for a high OC. As this will give you more room to over volt, and thus chance of higher OC's.
Currently the HIS card is the one to go for, it's a great price and has a custom cooler.
With regards to OC's, what we've seen:
Pretty much any card is guaranteed to do 1050MHz on the core at stock volts (max CCC limits).
Pretty much any card will do around 1150 with a voltage bump (of varying levels).
If you happen to get a good core then 1200-1300 is achievable, though these are the exception, rather than the rule.
Basically if you get a 7850 you can expect to get around 1150 on the core. Which is a rather reasonable 33% overclock.
WHAT DOES MATTER IS THE COOLER ON THE CARD.
The VTX/Club3D's are cheap, but this is because they use the stock cooler, which frankly while adequate, isn't the best. IF you get a good core then the stock cooler is fine as you won't have to put a lot of volts through it to get a good 1200+ OC. HOWEVER, if the core is mediocre you are going to need to put some extra volts through to get it stable at high OC's, and at that point the stock cooler starts to struggle. It'll get loud, and the card will get hot. So you might have to settle for a lower OC.
As such I would strongly suggest that you go for a card with a custom cooler where possible if you are going for a high OC. As this will give you more room to over volt, and thus chance of higher OC's.
Currently the HIS card is the one to go for, it's a great price and has a custom cooler.
With regards to OC's, what we've seen:
Pretty much any card is guaranteed to do 1050MHz on the core at stock volts (max CCC limits).
Pretty much any card will do around 1150 with a voltage bump (of varying levels).
If you happen to get a good core then 1200-1300 is achievable, though these are the exception, rather than the rule.
Basically if you get a 7850 you can expect to get around 1150 on the core. Which is a rather reasonable 33% overclock.
The Sapphire dual fan card is in stock - 5 left :
http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=GX-295-SP&tool=3
Bit more than the HIS card though.
http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=GX-295-SP&tool=3
Bit more than the HIS card though.
OP, I was in the same boat as you a couple days ago and have read the many many posts regarding the 7850 OC several times before buying and from what I can gather and from my experience is the most important bit of information someone has already mentioned is that it truly is a lottery. If you get a chip that needs the higher volts to get a good clock, the more expensive versions are obv better, but on the flipside, the vtx which I got to save money rather than liking to gamble, overclocks HUGELY on very low volts (will be posting screenies in the other thread later). All comes down to being able to spare the extra cash or willing to take more of a gamble 