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. :D

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. :D

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! :D 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. :)

[3oh6]

Originally Posted by saihossoku

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. :)

972 core is a ridicules core clock...not good, absolutely crazy for stock voltage. the memory on a lot of these cards is limited to right around 1000MHz so that fits the average.

what program are you using for the overclocking?

[saihossoku]

Originally Posted by 3oh6

972 core is a ridicules core clock...not good, absolutely crazy for stock voltage. the memory on a lot of these cards is limited to right around 1000MHz so that fits the average.

what program are you using for the overclocking?

RivaTuner v2.06, here's the images to back up my claims. :D



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! :D


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

[SKYMTL]

Post a GPU-Z screenie too. But 3oh6 is right...that core clock you have on stock voltage is insane. It seems like you have one of the few that can clock that far which means that you are pretty lucky on that accord.

BTW, don't forget to tune into the season finale of Terminator tomorrow!!!

[Keir]

Am I the only one thats going to tell him his score is just a bit.. ( I mean a lot ) low?

For comparison, The screenshot has a Single 3870 at 972/1332 but has been voltmodded, and I set the Voltage to about 1.45 for that to be stable. But I also scored a mere 200 points less than you with a single cored card. Ouch.


- I know the cpu part looks messed.. thanks to ms paint but here's the image it was cropped out of.


So why are the scores so low? I'm just curious since it seems off what I'd expect.

[3oh6]

Originally Posted by saihossoku

RivaTuner v2.06, here's the images to back up my claims. :D

ahhh...now try clocking both cores. 972 with one core is still pretty damn amazing but even more un-likely with both cores. Rivatuner is only able to overclock 1 core on my HIS 3870X2. perhaps with other cards it can clock both cores but i wouldn't think so. what you want to do is use Rivatuner for setting fan speeds but use AMD GPU Tool for clocking the cards. it will let you clock both cores and actually hold the clocks.

AMD GPU Tool: http://www.3oh6.com/forum_posted/080...kTool_v0.7.zip

that archive should already have the updated toolib.dll. just un-zip and run. be sure to set the clocks for both cores using the drop down menu. it will say that the overclocks weren't applied after you apply but they have been. just cycle back and forth between the cores to see the updated clocks.

Originally Posted by Keir

So why are the scores so low? I'm just curious since it seems off what I'd expect.

two words...AMD dual-core, that and he is likely only clocking a single core which puts them out of sync and doesn't help from the limited testing i have done with different core clocks.

[saihossoku]

Originally Posted by 3oh6

ahhh...now try clocking both cores. 972 with one core is still pretty damn amazing but even more un-likely with both cores. Rivatuner is only able to overclock 1 core on my HIS 3870X2. perhaps with other cards it can clock both cores but i wouldn't think so. what you want to do is use Rivatuner for setting fan speeds but use AMD GPU Tool for clocking the cards. it will let you clock both cores and actually hold the clocks.

AMD GPU Tool: http://www.3oh6.com/forum_posted/080...kTool_v0.7.zip

that archive should already have the updated toolib.dll. just un-zip and run. be sure to set the clocks for both cores using the drop down menu. it will say that the overclocks weren't applied after you apply but they have been. just cycle back and forth between the cores to see the updated clocks.


two words...AMD dual-core, that and he is likely only clocking a single core which puts them out of sync and doesn't help from the limited testing i have done with different core clocks.

I used ZoLKoRn's method as well (start at post #3 of the below listed link).

http://www.xtremesystems.org/forums/...d.php?t=175559


My results were fairly good (BOTH CORES): 959MHz/1000MHz/15678 3DMarks and YES, the AMD is a HUGE bottleneck for me right now, picking up a QX9650 for $350 (I know the owner of a store in T.O. hehe) So I'll be getting waaaaay better scores soon enough. :)

Not able to get the CPU :( he sold it on me fracking prick! lol Grabbing the E8400 instead. :)

[MpG]

Originally Posted by Keir

Am I the only one thats going to tell him his score is just a bit.. ( I mean a lot ) low?

...stuff...

So why are the scores so low? I'm just curious since it seems off what I'd expect.

He seems to be running 3DMark w/ higher res and settings. That'll pull down any card in a hurry. How about a quick run at standard settings for comparison?

[saihossoku]

Originally Posted by MpG

He seems to be running 3DMark w/ higher res and settings. That'll pull down any card in a hurry. How about a quick run at standard settings for comparison?

No, no. lol Of course I used stock settings in 3DMark06, 12K+ is good for a 5000+ BE for my CPU. I did a run at full in 3DMark06 and got over 8000.

[saihossoku]

By the way, grabbed AMD GPU Clock, it won't let me change anything. I always get:



What am I doing wrong? Thanks.