x800xt PE overclocking

[OBLIVIONLORD]

ViperJohn?

 

[Sucka]

ViperJohn?

No.

 

[OBLIVIONLORD]

who?

 

[Sucka]

who?

SIK_L_CELL

 

[El<(')>Maxi]

Lets see the pics already

 

[ViperJohn]

hey,

I got my x800xt pe card today and have been attempting to overclock it. I have some issues though.

I started benching with 3dmark 05 and got to:
573/600 stable:
(benched at these speeds many times without any probs)

Then I went to 3dmark 03 and started hitting probs:
max stable core: 560 (any higher would crash my pc)
max stable mem:587 (any higher would create distortions in the benchie)

Why do i have probs with 3dmark 03 and not 3dmark 05??? Any ideas?

temps are fine: 35C idle, 55C load

3DM05 is not particularly hard on an R420.

To find the max clean OC do the following. Use the highest quality setting in the ATI
Control Panel with AA and Aniso set for Application Preference.

Core OC:

(1) Leave the memory at 560Mhz
(2) Use ATItool to lock the stock GPU cooler fan up at 100% speed. Do not use ATItool to OC the card.
(3) Use RivaTuner to OC the card and set the reference divider to 9 (3mhz steps).
(4) Fire up 3DM01se and select the Nature test only.
(5) Set Nature test to repeat (Not Loop!) 25 times with the Title Screens Disabled.

What you are trying to find is the higher core clock you can run without locking up in the 25 pass Nature
torture loop. A decent XT-PE will have little trouble running 560+ and complete the torture loop. A 3Mhz
difference can be the difference between repeating forever and locking up in the torture loop. It goes
faster if you start with the core clock high and work lower. I start XT-PE tests at 570 core. If you see any
artifacts hit escape immediately. With 95% of all R420 core if you see an artifact in the torture loop you
are just seconds away from a lockup.

After you find the max core speed above do the following to find the max clean memory.

(1) Lower the core clock 6-9Mhz below the max you found above (this is temporary).
(2) Increase monitor brightness to it's max.
(3) Increase the 3D Gamma in the ATI Control Panel to 1.60 - 1.70 (makes arti's much easier to spot)
(4) Fire up 3DM03 and choose the Trolls Lair test only
(5) Set Trolls Lair to repeat 3-4 times. (to let the chips heatup)

What you are trying to find here is the max clean memory OC you can run in Trolls Lair. You will be
looking for black lightning stikes, flickering textures, shimmering pixels, etc to creep in as the chips
warm up.

Now increase the core clock back up to it's max and run through 3DM01, 3DM03 and 3DM05. If you
lock up lower the core clock 3Mhz and try again.

Viper

 

[andyl33t]

why cant you just let ati tool to just find then max mem and core? after its done that just run 3dmark and look for any artifacts?

 

[ViperJohn]

why cant you just let ati tool to just find then max mem and core? after its done that just run 3dmark and look for any artifacts?

You could but the clocks found will be far from the worst case accurate clocks in most cases.

The tests above with get you on or almost dead on the worst case clocks your card will
run in anything.

Viper

 

[Vio1]

hey guys, i have a prob. Every time my computer restarts the videocards' overclock resets... how can I have so that the overclock stays put? What program should i use?

 

[Larethus]

Hmm, I may have to look into voltmodding my card once I get the better cooling on it. I picked up the Zalman VF700-CU and a set of tweakmonster ramsinks. At the moment my retail Sapphire x800 XT PE willl hit 580/640 before it begins to get cranky and artifact. This is off stock cooling of course. So I'm thinking this card has some potential...
I'll post pictures and a little mini review when I receive the cooler.

Now I'm off to search for a voltmod guide. I'm guessing it will be just as easy as my 9700pro was.

 

[bobmanfoo]

hey guys, i have a prob. Every time my computer restarts the videocards' overclock resets... how can I have so that the overclock stays put? What program should i use?

use atitool and save a profile, haven't used it in a while but thats about all you can do... or mod the bios

 

[cooter]

First off what proggy are you using to oc it with?

By the way Vio1 you have like my dream system now that you have that x800xtpe.

 

[ViperJohn]

hey guys, i have a prob. Every time my computer restarts the videocards' overclock resets... how can I have so that the overclock stays put? What program should i use?

You can do it with either ATItool or RivaTuner in several different ways. Just read the instructions.

Viper

 

[mysterfix]

I guess I must have gotten a crappy card because I can only get to 552/580 with mine. Any more and 3DMark03 locks up during the first test. I had to raise the vcore to get to that. Max without extra voltage is 527 on the core but the memory will still hit 580. My temps are 31c idle and 55c load using ATI silencer 4.

 

[mysterfix]

Well I was able to squeeze a little more out it after all. Got it to 555/597, my temps went up a degree though.

 

[OBLIVIONLORD]

I know I can get 540/590 with stock cooling. It artifacts barley at that point but, im wondering is it artifacting because of the heat? Even with the artifacting at that speed it is still 100% stable playing heavy gpu dependant games for many hours.

 

[Sucka]

I know I can get 540/590 with stock cooling. It artifacts barley at that point but, im wondering is it artifacting because of the heat? Even with the artifacting at that speed it is still 100% stable playing heavy gpu dependant games for many hours.

I don't think i've ever seen an artifact on my x800. Clock it 1-2MHz higher and i can assure you it will hardlock. The new cards won't artifact, they'll just lock up or error on you. Makes it easy to know what the max clocks are

 

[ViperJohn]

I know I can get 540/590 with stock cooling. It artifacts barley at that point but, im wondering is it artifacting because of the heat? Even with the artifacting at that speed it is still 100% stable playing heavy gpu dependant games for many hours.

Lower the memory clock a bit to clear the artifacts. About 95% of R420 cores
will hit their lockup point before they start tossing core artifacts.

Viper

 

[mysterfix]

I get artifacting on the trolls lair test in 03 but not in games or anything else. How much do you charge to mod x800's? Can you pm me with some info?

 

[ViperJohn]

I get artifacting on the trolls lair test in 03 but not in games or anything else. How much do you charge to mod x800's? Can you pm me with some info?

Trolls Lair is the Achilles heal for an x800/x850's memory OC and will almost always give
you the worst case memory OC.

Shoot an email to [email protected] for kit information please.

Viper