Overclocking The 3870x2 (Detailed Journey)

[Saihossoku]

Okay, so I'm not an expert on overclocking GPU's but I've read the FAQs and I thought I'd give it a try and I also decided to post my method as well as results. Now during this I have noticed some odd trends with overall stability and temperature fluctuations, hopefully one of the guru's on this site can take a look and give me advice on how I might get a better overclock as well as try and make heads or tails on my findings. So here we go....

Test 1

Obviously I went stock to run the first test to get a base 3DMark score as well as observe temperature trends.

Core Clock - 824MHz
Memory Clock - 900MHz
Fan Cycle - 25%
Temp (Peak) - 90c
3DMark06 - 11778

Test 2

Time to up the core clock a bit.

Core Clock - 844MHz
Memory Clock - 900MHz
Fan Cycle - 25%
Temp (Peak) - 80c
3DMark06 - 11769

Already noticed a strange occurrence, my temps went down 10c and my score actually went down a few points!? So back to default for another run, lets see what happens.

Test 3

Core Clock - 824MHz
Memory Clock - 900MHz
Fan Cycle - 25%
Temp (Peak) - 80c
3DMark06 - 11779

Seems to be an anomaly, lets move on.

Test 4

Lets up the clock a little more...

Core Clock - 857MHz
Memory Clock - 900MHz
Fan Cycle - 25%
Temp (Peak) - 80c
3DMark06 - 11713

Now this trend is alarming, my clock goes up but my score is going down!?

Test 5

Let's up both clocks and see what happens...

Core Clock - 891MHz
Memory Clock - 990MHz
Fan Cycle - 25%
Temp (Peak) - 80c
3DMark06 - 11917

That's better! my score has gone up a few hundos.

Test 6

Okay now lets up those clocks some more...

Core Clock - 918MHz
Memory Clock - 1020MHz
Fan Cycle - 25%
Temp (Peak) - 80c
3DMark06 - N/A

CRASHED! We have our first sign of instability, maybe the memory clock was raised to high? Let's see if that's the case.

Test 7

Core Clock - 918MHz
Memory Clock - 1008MHz
Fan Cycle - 25%
Temp (Peak) - 80c
3DMark06 - N/A

CRASHED! Hmm, perhaps it's the core clock??

Test 8

Let's lower the core clock a bit and testy testy.

Core Clock - 905MHz
Memory Clock - 1008MHz
Fan Cycle - 25%
Temp (Peak) - 80c
3DMark06 - 12188

There we go! hehe, that's what I'm talking about. However, this can't be the 3870x2's limits!?!? I won't believe that, time to start seeing if temps are the issue.

Test 9

Okay, let's up the core, lower the memory and up the fan cycle to 50%.

Core Clock - 932MHz
Memory Clock - 999MHz
Fan Cycle - 50%
Temp (Peak) - 79c
3DMark06 - 12195

Better, but the temps only changed 1c, yet everything seemed stable.

Test 10

Up goes the clocks...

Core Clock - 945MHz
Memory Clock - 1080MHz
Fan Cycle - 50%
Temp (Peak) - 79c
3DMark06 - N/A

CRASHED! I really think this could be a temp issue, let's up that fan cycle to 75%...

Test 11

Core Clock - 945MHz
Memory Clock - 1080MHz
Fan Cycle - 75%
Temp (Peak) - 79c
3DMark06 - 12208

Our highest score yet!!! But, I'm not liking the fact the temp hasn't changed in the NV Monitor?? Really odd. But since it seems stable let's go ahead and raise core clock a smidge.

Test 12

Core Clock - 959MHz
Memory Clock - 1080MHz
Fan Cycle - 75%
Temp (Peak) - 50c
3DMark06 - N/A

CRASHED! Okay wtf! lol The temps dropped this time but we have instability?? You know what, it's time for a little suicide experiment hehe....

Test 13

Crank that core up baby! Also upping the fan cycle to 100%!

Core Clock - 972MHz
Memory Clock - 1080MHz
Fan Cycle - 100%
Temp (Peak) - 48c
3DMark06 - N/A

CRASHED! Okay, somethings really fubar here. I think it's time for a restart maybe.

~~~RESTARTED~~~

Fan cycle to 80% just curious...

Test 14

Core Clock - 972MHz
Memory Clock - 1080MHz
Fan Cycle - 80%
Temp (Peak) - 50c
3DMark06 - N/A

CRASHED! I thought so, but I had to be sure.

~~~RESTART~~~

Test 15

So it could be the clock?? Let's try lowering the core a bit but keep the fan cycle at 50%

Core Clock - 945MHz
Memory Clock - 1080MHz
Fan Cycle - 50%
Temp (Peak) - 55c
3DMark06 - 11796

So we seem to be a little more stable now.

Test 16

Let's up that core once again..

Core Clock - 959MHz
Memory Clock - 1080MHz
Fan Cycle - 50%
Temp (Peak) - 50c
3DMark06 - N/A

CRASHED! This is getting annoying. I decided at this point to try to see if I'd get different results using CCC, loaded it up and POW! CRASH, reboot, but after the bios screen all I got was MAME ROM loading liek screens!!! Oh frack! Maybe a killed my card!?!? Not going to panic yet, unplugged the PSU, waited a few minutes and tried the reboot...

Everything seems fine, must have been the temps. Time to try a different approach.

Test 17

Let's try this, core up, memory default..

Core Clock - 972MHz
Memory Clock - 900MHz
Fan Cycle - 80%
Temp (Peak) - 59c
3DMark06 - 11918

Needless to say, I need to play around with this a lot more, I'll skip ahead and show you the final result;

Test 81

Core Clock - 972MHz
Memory Clock - 990MHz
Fan Cycle - 70%
Temp (Peak) - 55c
3DMark06 - 12280 <---- HIGHEST SCORE!

I obviously tried soooo many different combinations, but his is the only "stable" overclock I could achieve. Is there anything else anyone would suggest I try?? I cannot believe that 990MHz is the highest the memory can go!?!? The core I can believe at 972MHz, that's a fairly good overclock with stock cooling I would think. In any event, let me know what you think. Thanks for reading.

 

[Automata]

I must say, 12k with that card is damn impressive if you are using that 5000+. Very nice.

Mine is in Monday or Tuesday, so thank you for this "guide", I hope to have similar results (with less crashing ).

 

[Shell]

You're putting the poor thing to waste unless you're running at high resolutions with a very powerful processor.

Not a bad overclock with 2 GPUs to deal with, how "loud" is the fan at %70?

 

[Saihossoku]

I must say, 12k with that card is damn impressive if you are using that 5000+. Very nice.

Mine is in Monday or Tuesday, so thank you for this "guide", I hope to have similar results (with less crashing ).

That's what I thought as well.

 

[Saihossoku]

You're putting the poor thing to waste unless you're running at high resolutions with a very powerful processor.

Not a bad overclock with 2 GPUs to deal with, how "loud" is the fan at %70?

Just look at my sig, believe me I run ALL games at 1920x1080 so I get the most out of it, except I need to upgrade to a better CPU to get away from the bottleneck. The fan is fairly loud, but I only OC when I play games, so the fan is at default almost all the time, I also use earphones ALL the time so fan noise is not a problem.

 

[Saihossoku]

UPDATE

Ran DX9 Real-Time High-Dynamic Range Image-Based Lighting 1.2 for about 24 hours with zero problems. The temps maintained around 60c with the fan cycle at 70%. Will be installing Crysis and various other games to test actual real-time gaming stability. I'll post my results.

 

[Automata]

That's what I thought as well.

Stock for my card

http://i55.photobucket.com/albums/g121/thideras/Benches/3870x2/20308.jpg

 

[Brolloks]

Nice OCing that X2, well done !
With the weak drivers and lack of OC tool support these cards are not easy to OC
What did you ues to OC the card, what program and method?

If you can couple the X2 with and Wolfdale or even better a Yorky, your score will go to 18- 20K without a doubt

 

[Brolloks]

Well Thideras has just proven my point
Nice going friend !!

 

[Saihossoku]

Nice OCing that X2, well done !
With the weak drivers and lack of OC tool support these cards are not easy to OC
What did you ues to OC the card, what program and method?

If you can couple the X2 with and Wolfdale or even better a Yorky, your score will go to 18- 20K without a doubt

I used RivaTuner only. Trial and error was the method! lol Might be grabbing the Intel Core 2 Extreme QX9650 Quad-Core Socket LGA775, 3.0GHz, 1333 MHz FSB, 12MB L2 Cache, 45nm from my good friend at the PC store I frequent. I'll be getting a deal, I was quoted $350, worth it? Does it OC well? Thanks.

 

[Brolloks]

I used RivaTuner only. Trial and error was the method! lol Might be grabbing this Intel Core 2 Extreme QX9650 Quad-Core Socket LGA775, 3.0GHz, 1333 MHz FSB, 12MB L2 Cache, 45nm from my good friend at the PC store I frequent. I'll be getting a deal, I was quoted $350, worth it? Does it OC well? Thanks.

Well excellent work...you have paved the way for others breaking in the X2

 

[Saihossoku]

Well excellent work...you have paved the way for others breaking in the X2

Thanks, I just wanted to help the best I could, you all have helped me greatly in the past. I'm a n00b to overclocking cards so I wanted to see if I could get any success. Hopefully new Catalyst drivers will be released in the near future, I know the potential overclock for these cards must be higher.

 

[Brolloks]

Thanks, I just wanted to help the best I could, you all have helped me greatly in the past. I'm a n00b to overclocking cards so I wanted to see if I could get any success. Hopefully new Catalyst drivers will be released in the near future, I know the potential overclock for these cards must be higher.

Now it's time to move over to a strong Intel foundation (CPU and board) to compliment your good GPU OC work

 

[Saihossoku]

Now it's time to move over to a strong Intel foundation (CPU and board) to compliment your good GPU OC work

I already picked up the Asus P5E WS Professional a couple of days ago, just waiting for the cash to pick up the CPU. I got it for 2 hundos so I think it's a good deal. They sell it for $250 usually.

 

[Brolloks]

I already picked up the Asus P5E WS Professional a couple of days ago, just waiting for the cash to pick up the CPU. I got it for 2 hundos so I think it's a good deal. They sell it for $250 usually.

Great choice of board, will go well with the X2

 

[Saihossoku]

Just copy and pasted this from another thread.

Here's the proof in case people might think I'm full of it! lol



Here's what the average FPS's are;

Also went with everything to max to see what score I'd get, still trying to break 10,000

Not bad eh? lol Here's the FPS's, not bad either I must say!

Obviously my 5000+ BE is holding me back, but meh, still not bad.

 

[Saihossoku]

Thought I'd post images of my Samantha, er my rig.

Not as impressive as some members but I like it.

 

[Saihossoku]

Just grabbed PCMark Vantage, this should be interesting! lol I'll post my scores when I'm finished.