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Golden Sample??
- Thread starter HatMan
- Start date
Golden Sample has become somewhat over-rate imo - maybe some slight speed binning but not like it used to be back in the day when the golden sample cards were significantly moddified from the reference design and really really could overclock.
I had the original elsa gladiac GF2MX* (before the crap RAM, MX200/400 stuff) - that was another company that made great non-reference GPUs...
* the first run had an underclocked core and underclocked DDR - unlike the later runs that had SDRAM - the gladiac model would OC as well as any GTS and better than quite a lot so a real bargin. Unfortunatly the later runs were all SDRAM.
* the first run had an underclocked core and underclocked DDR - unlike the later runs that had SDRAM - the gladiac model would OC as well as any GTS and better than quite a lot so a real bargin. Unfortunatly the later runs were all SDRAM.
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My golden sample 8800GT is modified from the reference design, dual slot and gorgeous on the eye
Overclocks better than my mates stock 8800GT - stable at 745/1000/1825 which afaik can't be achieved on a stock single slot version.
Overclocks better than my mates stock 8800GT - stable at 745/1000/1825 which afaik can't be achieved on a stock single slot version.
My golden sample 8800GT is modified from the reference design, dual slot and gorgeous on the eye
Nah, just speed binned. My Gigabyte 8800GT could do 750/1000/ I can't remember the last speed.
Ye, at what temp and how stable. I've ran a 3D mark 06 with 780 core speed
My golden sample 8800GT is modified from the reference design, dual slot and gorgeous on the eye
My old BFG did 760 | 1100 | 1900 with the stock cooler - i think the overclocked cards and golden samples are just marketing ploys for people who don't know any better.
Back in the day there was a real meaning to the golden sample badge - they were all high quality cards with decent overclocking and uprated cooling/features on the reference design and would guarantee to overclock like a bomb... nowadays they seem to be binned for slightly better quality than the generic cards but nothing special and if your lucky you might get uprated cooling.
No, the cards are tested at higher frequencies, those that are more stable are separated and become "OC versions". Therefore they can generally overclock better than stock cards and with some manufacturers, they are given a modified design to further enhance this.
Having said that, I would agree that some OC editions of cards are a p***take - paying a little extra for a pre overclocked card is fine, but some editions (GTX 280s) are crazy prices for the small increased in clock speed compared to the stock prices!
ATI tool stable for at least an hour. I can't remember temps though.
My point is that every 8800GT could overclock to different degrees. Yes, the likes of BFG, EVGA,XFX, Gainward etc who then speed binned chips for higher stock clocked versions meant that you were guaranteed that speed at least.
It was still pot luck whether you could clock higher. I saw people who got worse overclocks from EVGA SCC than a bog standard generic card.
Golden sample used to mean something more in the old days like heavily modded bios, superior cooling and even higher voltages.
Nowadays its just a slightly overclocked card with a different, albeit, superior cooling on.
In the case of the 4 series, I find that heat is not the issue with acheiving higher overclocks.
My card with stock cooler would run fine at 840Mhz. Adding water cooling has not increased my max overclock, its still 840Mhz even though the core never goes above 43C after an hour of furmark. (the speed in my sig is the max that 3dmark06 and vantage will run at but not stable in games like GRID and 24/7 use)
What's lacking with these 4 series cards is more voltage to go hand in hand with superior cooling. However, should the Gainward have a modded bios with extra voltages then that indeed would be a worthy buy and you would be far more likely to acheive a higher overclock.
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In saying that mate, i'm pretty happy with the clock i have been able to archive with a dirt cheep Gainward 4870 which shows that there are still good clocks to be archived
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- 6 Apr 2007
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one thing is the GS cards look sweeeet