Underclocking & setting fan speeds for X1800XT with atitool

[martianrobot]

Yes, underclocking. Strange word that, doesn't sound quite right does it?

I'm thinking that with atitool I can set my X1800XT up so that when Windows boots up it runs at 300/350 (exactly half its rated oomph) and set the fans to run at a quiet 20% at anything up to, say, 65 degrees C, and then when it detects a 3D app (i.e. Oblivion) it kicks in with the default 600/700 profile, making the fans run incrementally at 25%+ if it heats up.

It idles around the 60 degrees mark when in 2D at the mo, though thats not from a cold boot but from running at normal for most of the day before I thought of doing this an hour ago.

Can anybody take issue with that and say that it's a nono? I couldn't really think of what problems there could be with underclocking to keep it cool and quiet and save electricity, and I've tried it out and it works great... atitool is da bees!... but before deciding to use it all the time I thought I'd better check with you's wise guys as I just don't wanna cause any long term damage.

cheers

 

[TheVoice]

Can't see why it'd be a problem really. Not the same card, but I used to udnerclock the 2D on my 6800, just to reduce the idle temps a bit.

If it works, stick with it.

 

[martianrobot]

Cheers

Booting from cold it seems to be running idle at 55 degress at 300/350 with fan at 18%. Thats only just a bit less than when normally running at 600/700 with fan at 27% or whatever it does... quite surprised it's not running cooler than that seeing as both core and memory are at 50%.

Still, thats an acceptable level of temp, and a very acceptable level of peace and quiet when not gaming!

 

[Jakus]

Try:-
50c....27%
54c....32%
56c....36%
60c.....50%
65c.....59%
70c.....68%
75c.....82%
80c.....100%

for the Fan settings
250/300 for a desktop setting

These are for my X1900xtx I can not remember my 1800xt settings but It did run cooler than the 1900xtx, I run about 52c desktop and around 62c max

Before fan control the card would run at up to 80c, That may be OK by ATI but its unnecessarily Hot in My opinion

Watch ATI tool It can cause strange problems with the later ATI drivers. It seems to work better without the CCC You can actually get hold of 6.7 with the original control panel if You Google..

 

[martianrobot]

Try:-
50c....27%
54c....32%
56c....36%
60c.....50%
65c.....59%
70c.....68%
75c.....82%
80c.....100%

for the Fan settings
250/300 for a desktop setting

These are for my X1900xtx I can not remember my 1800xt settings but It did run cooler than the 1900xtx, I run about 52c desktop and around 62c max

Before fan control the card would run at up to 80c, That may be OK by ATI but its unnecessarily Hot in My opinion

Watch ATI tool It can cause strange problems with the later ATI drivers. It seems to work better without the CCC You can actually get hold of 6.7 with the original control panel if You Google..

Will try different % settings to get my sweet spot of noise over heat

I quite like the fact its at 300/350 as this is an exact 50% underclock. I'm tidy like that. Male autism or something.

I un-installed Cataract Crash Centre a few days back but left the drivers intact and use ATItool for everything - does what I need it to do, without a stupid buggy skinnable GUI full of pretty animations of cars and flags and virtual girls with big swords. I prefer big girls with virtual swords myself

Sorry, it's past my bedtime.