EVGA GTX 950 SSC voltage

1) Recently swapped my EVGA GTX 560 ti for a EVGA GTX 950 SSC.
2) Overclocking it in EVGA Precision X, much like I did with my 560 ti.
3) The voltage adjustment slider on the right moves up and down relative to the amount voltage I want to increase or decrease it by, yet it has no actual effect on the voltage the card runs at.
4) Downloaded MSI Afterburner, unlocked voltage control, slider doesn't move.

Is the cards voltage locked at 1.0130v in its BIOS? If so, how do I work around it to raise the voltage?

Overclocking results for Geforce GTX 950

Interested in other peoples results when it comes to overclocking this card.

I have an EVGA GTX 950 SSC that comes pre-overclocked to
1190 MHz Base Clock
1393 MHz Boost Clock
6610 MHz (effective)

and I am only able to get it up to
1230 MHz Base Clock (+40 MHz)
1433 MHz Boost Clock (+40 MHz)
7612 MHz (effective) (+1000 MHz)

My concern is the low Base OC, the Memory OC is the standard.

Numerous people have gotten 1500+ MHz Base/1600 MHz Boost OC's, with about 1425 MHz Base being the average, and this is without touching any voltage settings.

I know different cards, different brands, and different systems perform in different way, but we are talking about 200-300 MHz here.

I have tried upping the voltage to allow for a higher OC, but that is another problem i have come across that I have brought up in another thread here:
http://www.overclockers.com/forums/showthread.php/772524-EVGA-GTX-950-SSC-voltage

So! What have you people got? How did you get em?

PS
I used to have an EVGA Gtx 560 ti that OC'd decently, nothing spectacular, but nothing as comparably low as this.

Is the 950 faster than a 560Ti???

Im guessing the GPU is voltage locked. Its a budget card in all. Unless the applications (MSI AB, Precision X, etc) can read the controller and the controller allows voltage adjustments, it isn't happening. You may be able to adjust voltage tables in the BIOS, but, not sure its really worth the risk of borking the card.

Lol, yes it's still much faster.

The thing is the 560 ti was also and budget card when it came out, and I never had a problem tweaking the voltage. I'm not too concerned about borking the card, considering it's almost impossible to do (maybe a little less so in the BIOS). I would just like to cancel out any other possibilities before I do so.

560ti was a midrange card costing $250 (behind 570 and 580). The 950 is a $150 budget card (behind 960, 970, 980, and 980ti/TitanX).

Anyway, your risk with borking the card is because of BIOS changes.

Well, according to

http://www.anandtech.com/show/5153/nvidias-geforce-gtx-560-ti-w448-cores-gtx570-on-a-budget

http://3dvision-blog.com/4399-the-new-geforce-gtx-560-ti-is-great-for-budget-stereo-3d-gaming/

http://vrworld.com/2011/02/07/nvidia-geforce-gtx-560ti-review/

and personal GPU shopping experience from 2012, the 560 ti was a budget card at the time, much like the 950 is now a days. The GTX 750 was also another budget card a friend on mine bought that allow for voltage control without flashing the BIOS.

There are also numerous posts available online, showing people OCing this cards voltage without flashing the BIOS, regardless of it being a budget card.

As long as the voltage stays below 1.2-1.3v, there is zero risk in damaging the card.

As I said earlier......

Unless the applications (MSI AB, Precision X, etc) can read the controller and the controller allows voltage adjustments, it isn't happening.

Click to expand...

...if you can't do it through there, then you need to mod the BIOS. When I said you can bork it, I wasn't talking about over voltage, I am talking borking the actual BIOS.

Not sure what you are going on about your friends and the 750... etc... some budget cards have voltage control. Most don't. Its just that simple.

Good luck in your endeavor!

EDIT: Perhaps 'budget' was the wrong word... is low tier better? Again, 560ti was 3rd in line... while the 950 is 5th. midrange vs lower tier/budget. There are few cards below it in this generation. Its a $150 card. That article you linked that says 'budget' was in reference to the higher class card (the 570) it was being compared to, not its SKU/tiering... come on now, LOL!

You forgot about the GTX 590, making the 560 ti 4th in line, which is comparable to the the GTX 950. Not to mention that the GTX 950 is known as one of the best budget GPU's available today. Budget was correct. Budget is not a leading factor in OCing accessibility, merely an occasional co-incidence.

I'm just having trouble believing that "Unless the applications (MSI AB, Precision X, etc) can read the controller and the controller allows voltage adjustments, it isn't happening." is the problem, when other people with the same card have used these applications to change the voltage with no problem.

Not to mention EVGA's website states that this card has:

NVIDIA GPU Boost 2.0

Dynamically maximizes clock speeds based on workload and allows enthusiast-class controls such as temperature target and fan controls, extra over-voltage headroom, and optimizations for water-cooling solutions. This allows gamers to push performance to new levels.

I don't count dual cards. But ok... Let me add the Titan X (not a dual card) and the Titan Z in that case for the '9' series making it 7th in line.

Budget is not a leading factor in OCing accessibility, merely an occasional co-incidence.

Click to expand...

Disagree, but... I'm just going to walk away from this pissing match... its useless I can see.

The only thing I can tell you is to perhaps swap to their BIOS and see if that does it? But again if its a different voltage controller on the same card, it still won't work. The application reads from the voltage controller. If the voltage controller doesn't jive with the application, it won't change it.

Good luck on your endeavors.

Keep in mind even my EVGA 970 SC's don't have voltage control. It all depends if the manufacturer wants you to have it or not.

That's interesting because the GTX 970 SC comes with NVIDIA GPU Boost 2.0 as well, so it too should have the same over-voltage headroom.

I didn't see where GPU boost had anything to do with over-voltage (just a quick glance at their site) but more to do with how boost clocks are altered by temperature. It's a moot point to me anyways as I already top out the 110% power usage limit while folding on them at times anyway.

Boost doesn't have anything to do with voltage and if it can be changed manually or not. Apples and oranges. One is bios Co trolled (boost) while the other has to do with the controller's ability to do so and the software to read it.

@jaymz9350

NVIDIA GPU Boost 2.0

Dynamically maximizes clock speeds based on workload and allows enthusiast-class controls such as temperature target and fan controls, extra over-voltage headroom, and optimizations for water-cooling solutions. This allows gamers to push performance to new levels.

There is also a short video here explaining what NVIDIA GPU Boost 2.0 actually allows. Included is "allows user to control fan speed, temperature targets, voltage control......"

http://www.geforce.com/hardware/technology/gpu-boost-2/videos

This seems like a card related problem to me, so I've register the product with EVGA and submitted a service ticket.

@EarthDog
Do you even OC bro?

As others have said that particular card may not support voltage changes. I have a gt740 that will take voltage changes my brother has one from a different brand that will not allow voltage changes.

@EarthDog
Do you even OC bro?

Click to expand...

Do you see the banner under his name that says benching team. It is not there just for show.

EarthDog overclocks, he is just trying to help you from overclocking with bios so you don't kill your card.

toblerone said:

@jaymz9350

NVIDIA GPU Boost 2.0

Dynamically maximizes clock speeds based on workload and allows enthusiast-class controls such as temperature target and fan controls, extra over-voltage headroom, and optimizations for water-cooling solutions. This allows gamers to push performance to new levels.

There is also a short video here explaining what NVIDIA GPU Boost 2.0 actually allows. Included is "allows user to control fan speed, temperature targets, voltage control......"

http://www.geforce.com/hardware/technology/gpu-boost-2/videos

This seems like a card related problem to me, so I've register the product with EVGA and submitted a service ticket.

@EarthDog
Do you even OC bro?

Click to expand...

Listen, there is no need to get short with me and call me out. I am just trying to help. But since you asked if I overclock, check out my Hwbot profile: http://hwbot.org/user/jas420221/

Now, that doesn't mean I know everything...far from it. But yeah, I overclock, I mod BIOSs to overclock, I use LN2 to overclock in fact. I could help you mod that BIOS to overclock (that solution was offered to you at OCN too.

EVERY Maxwell and Kepler based GPU has GPU Boost 2.0. That does NOT mean that every card will allow for manual voltage control via software though. Here is a good read on it: http://www.geforce.com/hardware/technology/gpu-boost-2/technology

Where have you seen people change your card with software? Have you tried other pieces of software like the HIS iTurbo, Sapphire Trixx? Perhaps their software can read off that controller? Worth a try.

You mention you saw people with this exact card raising their voltage with software, right? Have you checked with those people/that site what software they used? Can you provide some links which show software controlled voltage adjustment on your card? Typically if the same brand's software doesn't work, chances are, others may not (unless they happen to have that voltage controller compatibility and the controller allows for manual adjustments).


Report back with what EVGA has to say.

I have an MSI GTX 950 and can get the boost clock to 1440, but if I fold with it, some work units cause it to drop clocks down to base. This card has the voltage locked so I can't do anything about that. If I'm folding, I only run a mild OC, just to keep some overhead.

Can you post a link to where people are getting 1500 mhz base clock on ambient cooling under load. I would be interested in seeing how they are doing this. Most people that I have seen are topping out about 1300 mhz under load using ambient cooling.

https://gyazo.com/354465079831a8c6ede4ecee5188c041

In game I've had it to 1603 Mhz on the core stable BF4 Ultra 1080p. I'm not sure if people are just getting different cards or what my voltage still stock on ambient temp of 32ishC.