Overclocking outside of motherboard

D

Doublenature

Well-known member
Hey guys. Im getting a new graphics card next week (ASUS radeon 7850) and I want to overclock it.

There is a problem: my motherboard wont let me clock in BIOS (I have a gigabyte motherboard). Is there a way to overclock it with a program or something like that ?

Thanks in advance!

 
You could use Afterburner...

http://downloads.guru3d.com/Afterburner-2.0.0-Final-download-2562.html

Be very careful OCing any AMD product though... They have a reputation of burning up instead of auto-shutting down like they're supposed to if you start overheating them.

Slow slight increment increases in speeds, and don't let it exceed 75c. Might also want to take off the stock heatsink and replace the stock thermal grease with some better stuff, like Prolimatech PK-1. (or PK-2 or PK-3, PK-3 is the best) You could also look into an aftermarket heatsink. (like this one: Prolimatech MK-13

 
You could use Afterburner...
http://downloads.guru3d.com/Afterburner-2.0.0-Final-download-2562.html

Be very careful OCing any AMD product though... They have a reputation of burning up instead of auto-shutting down like they're supposed to if you start overheating them.

Slow slight increment increases in speeds, and don't let it exceed 75c. Might also want to take off the stock heatsink and replace the stock thermal grease with some better stuff, like Prolimatech PK-1. (or PK-2 or PK-3, PK-3 is the best) You could also look into an aftermarket heatsink. (like this one: Prolimatech MK-13
Click to expand...
Ill try afterburner then.

That heatsink seemed a little outdated, will it work for newer cards aswell ? Or is it enough to just put in another case fan blowing straight at the card ? Im not gonna OC THAT much.

As for the whole Overclocking: Should I just slowly increase the speed and watch the temps ? (I have never overclocked before, my 560ti was clocked when I got it)

 
When overclocking in general, you want to overclock in small increments, test the overclock by running a utility of sort for a bit to test stability and temps, then either repeating the process, stopping, or stepping down a bit on the current overclock.

Some tools I use for testing a GPU overclock:

3D Mark 11

Heaven Benchmark

Furmark

Of course, there are others, so feel free to do some searching of your own.

Also, is the Asus card you bought one of those with the two fans, the Direct CUII? If so, I wouldn't worry about replacing the cooling system on it since you can get a modest overclock with the stock cooler there. The ones I'd avoid or replace (avoid being the preference, never been a fan of replacing GPU coolers) would be the ones with the single fan on the opposite end of the I/O shield, since those tend to run hotter than the rest, even on stock settings.

 
When overclocking in general, you want to overclock in small increments, test the overclock by running a utility of sort for a bit to test stability and temps, then either repeating the process, stopping, or stepping down a bit on the current overclock.
Some tools I use for testing a GPU overclock:

3D Mark 11

Heaven Benchmark

Furmark

Of course, there are others, so feel free to do some searching of your own.

Also, is the Asus card you bought one of those with the two fans, the Direct CUII? If so, I wouldn't worry about replacing the cooling system on it since you can get a modest overclock with the stock cooler there. The ones I'd avoid or replace (avoid being the preference, never been a fan of replacing GPU coolers) would be the ones with the single fan on the opposite end of the I/O shield, since those tend to run hotter than the rest, even on stock settings.
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I will check those tools out once Im home.

Yes it has directcuII, will that be enough with my case fans?

Is there any other brand which uses better cooling? Or is ASUS the best?

Edit: Here is a pic of my temps: http://img52.imageshack.us/img52/4459/tempsz.png

The gpu is really cool, but what the fuck is up with my cpu temperature?! Im gonna have to get a better cpu fan...

 
If you're using a stock fan (the ones that come with the CPU), that's probably why your CPU temps are high. What kind of case/airflow are you working with? Limited airflow to that part of the motherboard may also be influencing those oddly higher temps.

For the most part, the DirectCUII should be enough for modest overclocking. There are some MSi cards that let you overclock further because of voltage tweaks, and I'm pretty sure BTGBullseye would recommend Gigabyte cards for their coolers (he usually does after I mention MSi cards). All in all, from the benchmarks I've seen, the DirectCUII cards tend to be higher up on the list of lower temps when under load.

 
If you're using a stock fan (the ones that come with the CPU), that's probably why your CPU temps are high. What kind of case/airflow are you working with? Limited airflow to that part of the motherboard may also be influencing those oddly higher temps.
For the most part, the DirectCUII should be enough for modest overclocking. There are some MSi cards that let you overclock further because of voltage tweaks, and I'm pretty sure BTGBullseye would recommend Gigabyte cards for their coolers (he usually does after I mention MSi cards). All in all, from the benchmarks I've seen, the DirectCUII cards tend to be higher up on the list of lower temps when under load.
Click to expand...
Im using the stock fan (i5-2500k) my case is: Cooler Master Silencio 550. Ill open up my case and see whats up..

Im not gonna overclock very much, so I dont know if Ill need to get the MSI cards. What cooler does gigabyte cards use ? Also, how does one change the fans on the cpu ?

Would the Cooler Master Hyper 412S be a good cpu fan ?

Edit: CPU has been at around 80 celsius for a few hours now, nothing special has happened. (no freezing or anything) The cores are around 37c, so I dont know what the hell is going on...

 
If you're using a stock fan (the ones that come with the CPU), that's probably why your CPU temps are high. What kind of case/airflow are you working with? Limited airflow to that part of the motherboard may also be influencing those oddly higher temps.
For the most part, the DirectCUII should be enough for modest overclocking. There are some MSi cards that let you overclock further because of voltage tweaks, and I'm pretty sure BTGBullseye would recommend Gigabyte cards for their coolers (he usually does after I mention MSi cards). All in all, from the benchmarks I've seen, the DirectCUII cards tend to be higher up on the list of lower temps when under load.
Click to expand...
Im using the stock fan (i5-2500k) my case is: Cooler Master Silencio 550. Ill open up my case and see whats up..

Im not gonna overclock very much, so I dont know if Ill need to get the MSI cards. What cooler does gigabyte cards use ? Also, how does one change the fans on the cpu ?

Would the Cooler Master Hyper 412S be a good cpu fan ?

Edit: CPU has been at around 80 celsius for a few hours now, nothing special has happened. (no freezing or anything) The cores are around 37c, so I dont know what the hell is going on...
Click to expand...
If you already haven't, I'd look into getting a second fan for the front of your case to help draw more air in, if not replacing the existing one as well with a fan that can move more air. Also, if you're not using both hard drive cages, I'd remove the top one to clear up additional obstructions to airflow.

The voltage tweaks you can do with MSi cards are for extreme overclocks, so you don't need that feature for slight overclocks. The coolers on MSi cards are somewhat similar to the ones on the Asus, so I wouldn't worry about the differences either. Gigabyte cards also use similar designs, although some of their cards use three fans instead of the normal 2, their 7850 uses two fans that are slightly oversized for the PCB. But the temperature difference here, in my opinion, isn't large enough to fret over. For more info on 7850's, check out this link: http://www.anandtech.com/show/5705/amd-radeon-hd-7850-launch-recap . The prices are a bit dated, but the other info there is accurate.

That CPU cooler would do just fine compared to others in its class and around its price point. I'm not sure why you'd be getting that high reading for your CPU temperature, though. Maybe that reading is for the CPU cooler and not the actual chip? I know some software also reports temperatures based on readings it gets from the CPU fan itself, which should run warmer than the CPU. As for installing the unit itself, google some tutorials. There are plenty out there for most aftermarket CPU coolers.

 
If you're using a stock fan (the ones that come with the CPU), that's probably why your CPU temps are high. What kind of case/airflow are you working with? Limited airflow to that part of the motherboard may also be influencing those oddly higher temps.
For the most part, the DirectCUII should be enough for modest overclocking. There are some MSi cards that let you overclock further because of voltage tweaks, and I'm pretty sure BTGBullseye would recommend Gigabyte cards for their coolers (he usually does after I mention MSi cards). All in all, from the benchmarks I've seen, the DirectCUII cards tend to be higher up on the list of lower temps when under load.
Click to expand...
Im using the stock fan (i5-2500k) my case is: Cooler Master Silencio 550. Ill open up my case and see whats up..

Im not gonna overclock very much, so I dont know if Ill need to get the MSI cards. What cooler does gigabyte cards use ? Also, how does one change the fans on the cpu ?

Would the Cooler Master Hyper 412S be a good cpu fan ?

Edit: CPU has been at around 80 celsius for a few hours now, nothing special has happened. (no freezing or anything) The cores are around 37c, so I dont know what the hell is going on...
Click to expand...
If you already haven't, I'd look into getting a second fan for the front of your case to help draw more air in, if not replacing the existing one as well with a fan that can move more air. Also, if you're not using both hard drive cages, I'd remove the top one to clear up additional obstructions to airflow.

The voltage tweaks you can do with MSi cards are for extreme overclocks, so you don't need that feature for slight overclocks. The coolers on MSi cards are somewhat similar to the ones on the Asus, so I wouldn't worry about the differences either. Gigabyte cards also use similar designs, although some of their cards use three fans instead of the normal 2, their 7850 uses two fans that are slightly oversized for the PCB. But the temperature difference here, in my opinion, isn't large enough to fret over. For more info on 7850's, check out this link: http://www.anandtech.com/show/5705/amd-radeon-hd-7850-launch-recap . The prices are a bit dated, but the other info there is accurate.

That CPU cooler would do just fine compared to others in its class and around its price point. I'm not sure why you'd be getting that high reading for your CPU temperature, though. Maybe that reading is for the CPU cooler and not the actual chip? I know some software also reports temperatures based on readings it gets from the CPU fan itself, which should run warmer than the CPU. As for installing the unit itself, google some tutorials. There are plenty out there for most aftermarket CPU coolers.
Click to expand...
I have 2 120mm in the front and Ive removed the second harddrive slot.

I checked a little more and the cores are around 35-40. I guess its the cooler itself.

Ill stick with ASUS if the cooling is enough, no need to overdo it. I really appreciate all the help Ive gotten from you guys, thanks alot! I will go and buy the ASUS card next week and pherhaps another cpu fan. Thanks again!
icon_e_smile.gif.bcbebef1ac5bf3046463bb802e22bbcc.gif


 
I'm pretty sure BTGBullseye would recommend Gigabyte cards for their coolers (he usually does after I mention MSi cards).
Click to expand...
Yes indeed.
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Gigabyte tends to put their custom coolers on cards in the price range that others leave the stock coolers, and they generally have a better default OC than other brands. Generally.

I checked a little more and the cores are around 35-40. I guess its the cooler itself.
Click to expand...
You might want to try out OpenHardwareMonitor as another option for monitoring temps and clock speeds/multipliers. http://openhardwaremonitor.org/

Ill stick with ASUS if the cooling is enough, no need to overdo it. I really appreciate all the help Ive gotten from you guys, thanks alot! I will go and buy the ASUS card next week and pherhaps another cpu fan. Thanks again!
icon_e_smile.gif.bcbebef1ac5bf3046463bb802e22bbcc.gif
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As long as it's not the default stock stock cooler it doesn't matter the brand usually.

Here's my suggestions for the CPU cooler, if you're interested...

Enermax ETS-T40 VEGAS DUO

COOLER MASTER X6 Elite

Thermaltake Frio Advanced

Or if you're willing to spend a bit more for a bit better cooler...

ZALMAN CNPS9900MAX-R

Phanteks PH-TC14PE

 
I'm also going to add the Noctua NH-D14 CPU cooler to BTG's "spend a bit more for a better cooler" list, as it's arguably one of the best air coolers on the market today. I'd also recommend looking at videos and manuals regarding the application of thermal paste so you'll get the best performance from your cooler. Note that there are some "methods" of application that work better on other CPUs, but it's mostly the same these days, especially for the consumer intel chips.

 
I'm also going to add the Noctua NH-D14 CPU cooler to BTG's "spend a bit more for a better cooler" list, as it's arguably one of the best air coolers on the market today.
Click to expand...
I've heard a lot about them, but have never used one. (I usually only recommend cooling solutions I've personally tested)

I'd also recommend looking at videos and manuals regarding the application of thermal paste so you'll get the best performance from your cooler. Note that there are some "methods" of application that work better on other CPUs, but it's mostly the same these days, especially for the consumer intel chips.
Click to expand...
Yes indeed, this can be extremely helpful if you're not experienced with thermal paste/grease.

 
I'm also going to add the Noctua NH-D14 CPU cooler to BTG's "spend a bit more for a better cooler" list, as it's arguably one of the best air coolers on the market today.
Click to expand...
I've heard a lot about them, but have never used one. (I usually only recommend cooling solutions I've personally tested)
Click to expand...
No worries, that's what I'm here for. I've installed a few of them with friends before, as the NH-D14 is one of the few coolers I know that you may want assistance with because of its size, and we've achieved some pretty high overlocks with AMD and Intel CPUs while staying within a comfortable temperature range.

 
I think amongst those cpu coolers the Zalman or the cooler master. Im gonna have to wait a month to get the cash though.

How do I know if the thermal paste is starting to "vanish" ?

I am also thinking about installing lights in the computer so that I can see dust etc. Is it complicated ? (I dont trust google, I really dont...)

I am also gonna check the Noctua whenever I have the time (To see if its in any local store).

Thanks again. You guys sure know your computers..

 
How do I know if the thermal paste is starting to "vanish" ?You're talking about applying a really thin coating right? Here's a quick application guide...
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1. Put a really small glob in the center of the top of your CPU. (about the size of half a grain of rice)

2. Spread the past/grease around until it covers the entire surface of the CPU as much as possible.

3. If it doesn't cover the entire surface, repeat steps 1 & 2.

4. If the heatsink area that contacts the CPU & thermal grease is anything but perfectly smooth, skip step 5.

5. If you can scrape some off without getting all the way down to the CPU itself, do it.

6. Put on the heatsink, push down and try to rotate-wiggle it a little bit to help get the thermal grease everywhere.

I am also thinking about installing lights in the computer so that I can see dust etc. Is it complicated ? (I dont trust google, I really dont...)
Click to expand...
Just get lighted case fans, they are easier to mount and usually the same price as dedicated internal lighting. Other than that, I don't suggest you install internal lighting yourself. (it's usually a pain)

 
I am also thinking about installing lights in the computer so that I can see dust etc. Is it complicated ? (I dont trust google, I really dont...)
Click to expand...
Just get lighted case fans, they are easier to mount and usually the same price as dedicated internal lighting. Other than that, I don't suggest you install internal lighting yourself. (it's usually a pain)
Click to expand...
+1 for good lighted case fans. However, I feel the need to mention Bitfenix's Alchemy LED lighting strips for computer cases. These are in no way difficult to install and I can see similar products putting cathode lighting down for the count.

 
So, Ive been reading all this in the thread, and Ive decided to:

1. Get the zalman fan

2. Get the white Alchemy LED

3. Get my card

4. Overclock it

5. ???

6. Profit

My thermal pasting (after many hours of opening my case without breaking it. It was STUCK) seems to be enough.

All this is gonna take a while. I havent got the cash for all this, so I shall look for a job.

I really want to thank you all for helping me out here. Great advice (as usual).

Also, I wish to say that Im sorry for spamming this part of the forum.

 
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