Most likely, you are familiar with such an expression as "margin of safety." This phrase applies to some basic computer components. A special program for overclocking a video card allows you to use the hidden potentials of a graphics adapter. However, in order to achieve the desired result, it is necessary to know how to do it correctly and what to fear in the process of graphic overlocking. What we want to share with you, dear reader.
The main question: is the game worth the candle
Unfortunately for many, the program installed on a PC for overclocking a video card, alas, is not always capable of miracles. It all depends, above all, on the modification of the negotiated product. If you want to play resource-intensive games on a budget laptop, then you will find disappointment: overlocking in such cases is just a waste of time, and sometimes even nerves. It’s another matter when a video card has “gaming” characteristics - this is precisely what you can make it work more productively. But here we must act, so to speak, without fanaticism. Otherwise, a previously workable graphics card will go into junk. After all, an increase in productivity inevitably leads to overheating. Therefore, you need to know exactly what margin of safety your graphics adapter has.
The program for overclocking the nVidia graphics card
So, let's say you are the owner of a PC on board which a discrete type graphics adapter from the aforementioned manufacturer is installed. To increase the missing speed parameters, install the nVidia Inspector utility. Of course, before you start the immediate moment of acceleration, update the graphics driver of your device to the current version. After the program for overclocking the video card is launched, you will find yourself in its main window, where the graphic characteristics of your chip will be painted in the most detailed form. Despite the inherent English interface of this software, understanding it is quite simple.
- First of all, install several auxiliary utilities on your PC: SpeedFan, FurMark and 3D Mark, which subsequently allows you to monitor the temperature of the GPU and conduct a test on the stability of the GPU after the changes.
- Now make sure that the “Overclocking” checkbox is set to the acceleration mode (Performance Level [2]).
- Next, proceed to changes in the core frequency (GPU Clock). Do not operate with large values: after adding the next 5 units (do not forget to press the “Apply Clocks & Voltage” button), follow the temperature indicators and check in each of the above benchmarks how the program for overclocking the video card affected the graph.
- After the moment when the GPU starts throwing various artifacts onto the screen, lower the processor frequency by a few units and proceed to the next “Memory Clock” settings block. The overclocking scenario is the same, we monitor the “degrees” and do not allow “crook” on the screen.
- The next stage of acceleration is moving the slider in the “Shader Clock” block.
This program for overclocking the nVidia graphics card allows you to save your changes in the form of a profile. After you restart the PC, the parameters of your GPU will return to their default values. In order not to complicate yourself with the process of newly introduced changes, after you achieve the “ideal settings” option, activate the “Create Clocks Shortcut” button. It is worth noting that sometimes with an increase in operating frequencies, it is necessary to add voltage to the “Voltage” core. However, at such times it is extremely important to know the limits and acceptable values when overclocking your GPU adapter. Otherwise, a good experiment may fail.
Finally
Programs for overclocking a Radeon video card work on the same principle as described above. All the same parameters and the same values. Nevertheless, probably, it will not be difficult for you to understand that with the "native" ATI application the "Radeon" chip will interact more correctly than in the "competitive arms" of specialized software. However, there are precedents in the face of third-party developers, but this is a topic for another article. Fruitful experiments to you and realistic graphics!