Overclocking the 8700m

I felt like I should start a new thread on this because the topic would easily get lost amongst the 7950gtx vs 8700m banter, and 8600m overclocking is simply different and would thus get different results.

So, I downloaded RivaTuner (which tells me it doesn't support the 169.01... oh well), and I'm stuck trying to figure out what's the best, safest way to overclock this thing. People say they can get this card to "such and such" speeds, however when I try that out (in Crysis), it runs amazing at first but then quickly crashes. I've been told that "baby steps" is the best way to go. However there's a couple pre-OC questions I have:
1. Because I need to take "baby steps" to OC the card (presuming that each OC is at 5mhz increments), does that mean I have to set RivaTuner to automatically set to OCed core speeds whenever Windows starts, or else I'd have to take "baby steps" every time the GPU switches back to default clock speeds?
2. I can't find out for the life of me how to measure GPU temp on this machine. Any app?
3. Every time Window's boots up, it blocks RivaTuner from automatically launching. I can't figure out how to turn off Windows from doing that.

Okay, with that out of the way, down to business: I have a chart laid down on a pad of paper. The first column is the Core/Shader speeds, the second memory, and the third FPS average. Here are my questions:
4. What do I work on first? The Core/Shader speeds or the Memory speeds, or both at the same time? How will I know when I've maxed one and not the other?
5. What graphic-intensive program to I test the speeds on? I kind of started on Counter-Strike: Source, because it has an easy-to-access "Video Stress Test" mode, however my concern is that it's not intensive enough. What might be max stable speeds for CS:S may blow up when I'm running Crysis SP demo, for example. The problem with Crysis is that it takes EXTREMELY long just to boot up, so switching in and out every time will take me hours. I don't have this kind of patience. Some other graphically intensive games I have are: Company of Heroes, STALKER, Bioshock, Medal of Honor: Airborne, and Enemy Territory: Quake Wars. Any video test demos with these apps. that are convenient?

Thanks in advance.

 

I do not think you need to OC.

I have a 7800GTX... which is slower than the 8700M GT in most respects... but it plays the current games fine with proper optimizing of the system and of the in-game settings.

Check out sites like www.tweakguides.com, to find good optimizations for game settings.

Just wait until Chaz comes out with his review of the Sager 5791 with 8700M GT. He will tell you his optimal settings for the new games, like Crysis.

 

I've heard the opposite from members of these very forums. Many say that the 8700m is not "just an OCed 8600m" and is in fact itself extremely OCable. Some people hit speeds equal to the 7950GTX... but lets not get into that.

If anyone could help me with overclocking here that'd be appreciated.

 

most people do not understand the power specs of the 8600M and the 8700M.

The 8700M GT (MXM-III) has 10watts over 8600M GT (MXM-II) with only 25w. Thats significant.

The 8700M GT gets more power and has a higher clock.... as well as having GDDR3 dual-rank... but limited to 128-bit mem interface (like the 8600M's).

Certain 8600M GT's with the GDDR3 (usually with only 256mb) can OC near to 8700M GT... but the power limitations (MXM-II w/ 25w TDP) prevents it from getting any further without risking hardware/software failure and causing instabilities.

 

Well, I'm currently at 723 core/1446 shader/916 memory and I'm taking a little breather before I progress even further.

Right now I'm alternating between the core and memory with every 5 or so increments. The program I'm using to record FPS is 3dMark06 "Deep Freeze" which is a bit over a minute in length. I look for artifacting and the such.

Stock clocks: 20.117 FPS
723/1446/916: 23.285 FPS

I'm aiming to get 24.5 FPS, by which time I'm going to halt overclocking until I get a cooling pad, where I'll probably get one or two more FPS with no problems.

:edit: I've stopped at

751/1502/958: 24.149 FPS

 

there is a guy here overclocking at 720Mhz Core and 1.2Ghz Memory with a Sager NP5920 looks like you may be able to push the memory a little further.
http://www.yjzone.net/showthread.php?p=12836

 

I bumped up the core even a little bit further, only to find out that I was getting some static in CS:S after about an hour and a half to two hours of play, so I pulled it back down to 751.

I'll give a shot at boosting the memory to 1.05 gigs. It should probably give me 25 FPS. I'll keep you in touch. Thanks.



S'good?

 

NO, you should be getting aprox. 6000 with that clocks, even in vista.

Just to give you an idea: in xp with the 169.04 drivers and rivatuner 2.06 and 760/1000 i get 6110. And i have the T7500 which is slower than yours.

Also, you can mess around with the latest version of nibitor...