GTX 670 Gigabyte WIND FORCEx3: got worst clocker ever?

wunkley · 3 Sep 2012 at 17:15

As title - I just made the leap from my trusty GTX 480 to the gigabyte gtx 670 windforce x 3. To cut a long story short, I didn't get it from ocuk, but I have a terrible clocker and I'm trying to determine whether to send it back or not under the 7 day distance selling dodah to the vendor.

I've spent the whole weekend testing it, and it won't boost above 1170ish on the GPU clock (monitoring in afterburner) no matter what I do. Followed several guides, and running the Heaven 3 bench it always crashes with a 'driver error' message at clock speeds up to/approaching 1180.

My 'kepler boost' is a paltry 40ish. If I run a core clock setting on the GPU of '+75' in afterburner it will boost up to around 1175 in stress tests, games, heaven etc, but heaven will crash after about 10 mins or so. So about 1150 is the max it will boost to safely. (edit - this is with the power limit set to max of 112% and the voltage slider all the way up. The voltage slider has no effect though. Always runs at 1.8 when under heavy load no matter what.)

(Edit - it also came with the latest F12 bios)

I've read that most 670's, even the reference ones with a stock 915/980 often boost up to over 1200 straight out of the box without having to tweak any settings, so I'm a bit cheesed off I forked out the extra for the gigagbyte - what's the point in having a 680 pcb and an 8 pin and 6 pin power connector, and then have such poor overclocks?

So, should I accept I've been unlucky but keep it. I know it's still fast and overclocks a bit, but I'll always have a nagging voice.

Or, should I return it and keep using my 480 for a bit longer, or return it and get a cheaper reference model, which will probably clock higher. Or it might not. Arrrghh. Thoughts?....

Cutshaw · 3 Sep 2012 at 17:24

If you aren't happy, DSR it asap and worry about what to do later. I wouldn't get a reference anything unless you are planning on watercooling or aftermarket air.

Gregster · 3 Sep 2012 at 17:25

The 670 on those clocks is powerfull enough for all of todays games at 1080P. I can understand your frustration and sympathise. I wouldn't return it though unless it was playing up in some games.

wunkley · 3 Sep 2012 at 17:30

One saying return, one keep it. Just how I feel in my mind

Just a quick check - it wouldn't be a power supply issue would it? My antec TP trio (650w) is pretty old now, but it has zero issues powering a gtx 480 with an overclock, so given the 670 requires a lot less power, it won't be that will it causing the 'weak' boost issues?

setter · 3 Sep 2012 at 17:36

Cant see it being the psu tbh, particularly as it powered a gtx 480 with an oc on it. Unfortunately it's just luck of the draw as to how any card will overclock.

Cutshaw · 3 Sep 2012 at 17:39

gregster said:
The 670 on those clocks is powerfull enough for all of todays games at 1080P.

If you are talking about max settings, a 670 certainly isn't enough for all today's games, most yeah. If you mean it will run all today's games just not at max, then you could say the same about a 7750.

gregster said:
I can understand your frustration and sympathise. I wouldn't return it though unless it was playing up in some games.

I'm not exactly sure why you are advising him to keep a card he isn't happy with.

wunkley said:
One saying return, one keep it. Just how I feel in my mind

You will lose a tenner in posting it back, but that's well worth getting something you actually want to keep.

wunkley · 3 Sep 2012 at 17:41

setter said:
Cant see it being the psu tbh, particularly as it powered a gtx 480 with an oc on it. Unfortunately it's just luck of the draw as to how any card will overclock.

Cheers bud, my thoughts also on the psu, and I don't want to mess about upgrading that.

I know it's luck of the draw, but I might as well have gone for a £290 reference model and saved a few quid. I looked at reviews/ user reviews of the 670 windforce and people were getting near to 1300 or over on the core, so I sort of feel 'cheated'.

setter · 3 Sep 2012 at 17:42

Mine will do 1320, 7586 but ive seen others on here that struggle to go much over 1200 on the core. At stock it boosts to 1180 iirc.

wunkley · 3 Sep 2012 at 17:50

setter said:
Mine will do 1320, 7586 but ive seen others on here that struggle to go much over 1200 on the core. At stock it boosts to 1180 iirc.

Bah, That's what I wanted

I mean, it runs amazingly cool. My case has pretty good airfllow and I haven't seen this card go over 57 degrees, which is amazing, and it's quiet as a mouse, so that's all good.

Rusty0611 · 3 Sep 2012 at 17:52

While the DSR is not there to deal with the silicon lottery it is there to allow you to inspect and try out the goods before deciding if you're happy and wish to keep. If you're not happy - send it back.

Any doubts you have now will only get worse over time especially if you keep it and then you CAN'T send it back.

I don't like the use of DSR to send back bad clockers when it isn't a manufacturing fault it's just "one of those things".

However as I've said above you are well within your rights to do so.

BTW a boost to 1170 is still a decent overclock. I know it's under what you're seeing elsewhere but it's 200+ MHz over reference

MichaelM · 3 Sep 2012 at 18:12

Ignoring any rated speeds or slider settings and using only OSD for realtime clock speed read out, mine by default boosts to 1176MHz on the core and I have it running at a mild 1242MHz core (+65, rounded up by 1).
At +80 it becomes hit and miss on if the benchmark will complete before crashing.

I thought all WF x3 670's did 1176... I'm still on the old bios "80.04.19.00.0F (P2004-0005)" and it never gets to 70C with the default fan profile. Hope that's of some help.

Make sure you are reading OSD clocks because assuming a base and then adding the slider setting is very misleading.

Gregster · 3 Sep 2012 at 18:16

Cutshaw said:
If you are talking about max settings, a 670 certainly isn't enough for all today's games, most yeah. If you mean it will run all today's games just not at max, then you could say the same about a 7750.

I am talking about max settings. I use a 680 @ 1080P and have not found a game it can't cope with. The 670 is fractionally behind and sometimes even ahead of the 680. If you know of something it can't, please list it.

I'm not exactly sure why you are advising him to keep a card he isn't happy with.

Notice the term "I"? That means "I" wouldn't return it..My thoughts and not the thoughts of the OP.

You will lose a tenner in posting it back, but that's well worth getting something you actually want to keep.

Fair point.

wunkley · 3 Sep 2012 at 18:25

Thanks for the input so far folks. I think I'm going to return it tomorrow, as it will continue to niggle. Life's too short and all that.

I'm now thinking of going for the EVGA 670 FTW edition. Hopefully have better luck getting some high clocks with that one...

Gregster · 3 Sep 2012 at 18:34

wunkley said:
Thanks for the input so far folks. I think I'm going to return it tomorrow, as it will continue to niggle. Life's too short and all that.

I'm now thinking of going for the EVGA 670 FTW edition. Hopefully have better luck getting some high clocks with that one...

EVGA are a good name and hopefully you will get a better clocker

I don't blame you for returning it either.

Twirlywoos · 3 Sep 2012 at 18:36

It's called silicone lottery for a reason.

Cutshaw · 3 Sep 2012 at 19:04

gregster said:
If you know of something it can't, please list it.

ARMA2. Absolutely max settings, including draw distance and 670 is struggling to keep it above 30fps outside. I can run it right off the i5 igpu(it's scales like little else), but 7970 and 670, both overclocked, wouldn't touch the sides when you push all the sliders.

The Witcher 2. Performance is all over the place, as low as the early 40s, Ubersampling off. It does go well above 60fps in places but if you are looking for a constant 60, you would need two 670s. Ubersampling on? Well that's silly and I never expected it to run it.

gregster said:
Notice the term "I"? That means "I" wouldn't return it..My thoughts and not the thoughts of the OP.

I did say "you", .That means I was wondering why "you" would be "advising"(sharing an opinion in an advisory manner?) him to not return it. I'm not sure how I would mistake you stating your opinion or views with you speaking for the OP. We'll skip that!

It looks like it's going to back, so its all a bit moot now.

wunkley said:
I'm now thinking of going for the EVGA 670 FTW edition. Hopefully have better luck getting some high clocks with that one...

EVGA certainly have the best warranty, but the coolers aren't the best. They get all the hot air out the case, but they can get pretty loud. Fortunately you can watercool or add in custom air without buggering yourself, that said, from what I gather on the EVGA forums, you have to be careful which cooler you are looking to buy, some need modding. There has been a fair amount of complaining about the EVGA coolers this gen and people posting guides on getting things like Arctic coolers on them. I think the FTW models might be a bit more straightforward, though. Best to check yourself on that.

sin · 3 Sep 2012 at 19:07

Would downgrading the bios make a difference to overclocking?

pgi947 · 3 Sep 2012 at 19:28

Default stock boost is as much of a lottery as what clocks you will get from the card.

Having said that I would be pretty annoyed if a 670 WF wouldn't hit 1180, heck the 670 WF I had boosted to 1189 out of the box, 1260 with a custom bios and would clock to 1365+ along with heavy (7500+) clocks on the memory.

Its a gamble nothing is guaranteed, nothing to say the card you buy as a replacement won't be a poor clocker too.

Gregster · 3 Sep 2012 at 19:34

Cutshaw said:
ARMA2. Absolutely max settings, including draw distance and 670 is struggling to keep it above 30fps outside. I can run it right off the i5 igpu(it's scales like little else), but 7970 and 670, both overclocked, wouldn't touch the sides when you push all the sliders.

The Witcher 2. Performance is all over the place, as low as the early 40s, Ubersampling off. It does go well above 60fps in places but if you are looking for a constant 60, you would need two 670s. Ubersampling on? Well that's silly and I never expected it to run it.

I did say "you", .That means I was wondering why "you" would be "advising"(sharing an opinion in an advisory manner?) him to not return it. I'm not sure how I would mistake you stating your opinion or views with you speaking for the OP. We'll skip that!

It looks like it's going to back, so its all a bit moot now.

EVGA certainly have the best warranty, but the coolers aren't the best. They get all the hot air out the case, but they can get pretty loud. Fortunately you can watercool or add in custom air without buggering yourself, that said, from what I gather on the EVGA forums, you have to be careful which cooler you are looking to buy, some need modding. There has been a fair amount of complaining about the EVGA coolers this gen and people posting guides on getting things like Arctic coolers on them. I think the FTW models might be a bit more straightforward, though. Best to check yourself on that.

I am not sure if you have had a bad day or I have upset you in another thread? Arma2 whilst I agree is massively intensive, I did read this review http://www.bit-tech.net/hardware/2012/05/10/nvidia-geforce-gtx-670-2gb-review/10 but as you have had first hand experience, that review is probably wrong. Also this benchmark is also probably wrong http://www.bit-tech.net/hardware/2012/05/10/nvidia-geforce-gtx-670-2gb-review/4 and showing 56fps minimum is not enough?

The Witcher 2 is fair comment. With Ubersampling on, it can drop to ~30fps so my apologies.

As you say, the OP is sending it back so all cool

wunkley · 3 Sep 2012 at 19:54

pgi947 said:
Default stock boost is as much of a lottery as what clocks you will get from the card.

Having said that I would be pretty annoyed if a 670 WF wouldn't hit 1180, heck the 670 WF I had boosted to 1189 out of the box, 1260 with a custom bios and would clock to 1365+ along with heavy (7500+) clocks on the memory.

Its a gamble nothing is guaranteed, nothing to say the card you buy as a replacement won't be a poor clocker too.

Exactly. Annoyed is how I feel, hence I'm DSRing it.

Looks like you have an ATI 7970 now? What made you go for that over the 670? I'd be veeeery tempted (great offers at £299 on ocuk at mo) to jump back to ATI if it was for gaming only (the 3GB mem is a masive plus as well), but I also do video editing work and the nvidia cuda boost is a massive plus I don't want to lose in premiere pro.