I just tried overclocking my 485m to the 580m clock speeds. No difference?

Am i just having unrealistic expectations? Can i not just overclock my 485m to the 580m clock speeds and get the boost in performance?

I overclocked it to the 580m speeds during maxed out Crysis 2 gameplay in DX11 mode and there was no difference in either framerate or temperature.

Should i try going higher? What clock speed might i see an actual difference?

 

You didn't see any difference in overclocking it? If you actually had 580m speeds/clocks, then you should reach the same performance. (Any overclock should bring that with it). I'm not sure if Crysis 2 DX11 is CPU bound (unlikely), but check your CPU utilization as well. Don't push the overclock too much without checking temps/stability as you go though.

 

I'm using the msi afterburner on screen display to display temperature and framerate only. And yea i can't notice any major framerate difference.

Am i using afterburner right? I basically set the clock speeds with the sliders, hit apply, then start the game. I also use max fan speed while i do it.

 

Sounds like you used it correctly. I'd check with CPUz and HWinfo to make sure the clocks are where you set them to though. If they don't show the right frequencies, then it might be an issue with the card taking the overclocks through afterburner.

 

Well i tried out msi afterburner with those two programs but i have no clue what i'm looking for, so i took this screencap...

First the CPUz said this

http://gyazo.com/e94dadad84198ef661078a67a3fd0f0f.png

Then it jumped up to the proper clocks here...

http://gyazo.com/2d5ee544cfca0b1be862286bb8180e4d.png

 

Judging by those screenshots, everything is set and working correctly. If I'm seeing that right, your max temps were 36C too- was that still at idle? If that's after playing a game that would be really impressive for the overclock.

I'd suggest running 3DMark 11/Vantage/06 (your choice- 11 is probably the best) with and without the overclock and comparing the scores. Crysis 2 may simply not make enough of a difference at overclocked speeds to notice. The average FPS on the 485m is 31 and with the 580 it's 34 (on ultra settings). Compare your scores with the averages in the links below:

NVIDIA GeForce GTX 485M - Notebookcheck.net Tech
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 580M - Notebookcheck.net Tech

Other than that, it seems the overclock itself is working as expected.

 

Here's a little test i did with Crysis 2, DX11, maxed out, 720p, made sure vsync was off.

With 580m overclocking
http://i1137.photobucket.com/albums/n514/decayed_matter/Crysis2overclocked.jpg

Stock 485m clock
http://i1137.photobucket.com/albums/n514/decayed_matter/Crysis2notoverclocked.jpg

Appears that i gained 2 fps but the framerate was fluctuating a lot, who really knows?

What kinda increments should i push it? And what temp should i try to stay under?

Edit: Now that look at that scene some more, with the overclocking applied it fluctuates between 44-45 fps, with overclocking off it fluctuates between 40-42 fps.

I think before i had vsync on thats why i thought there was no difference. Max temps are 75 degrees as i type. Switched overclocking off again and the temp stayed at 75 degrees.

 

For increments, start small. I'd say 5-10mhz now that you're at such a high overclock already, followed by benchmarking or stress testing to be sure it's stable. If you can stay under 80C, that would be ideal- though anything under 90C is safe. Once you hit a point where you lose stability you'll need to back down to safe clocks. You could bump up the voltage most of the time and continue but it's highly discouraged in laptops because of the tight tolerances in heat and power.

Personally, I'd keep it at or below where you're running it now as you've already reached 580m performance (without the corresponding die shrink the 580m brought with it). Pushing it too much can shorten the life expectancy of the part. Granted, your temps are very good for being under load so you do have a decent window left before getting worried about heat.

The FPS you're listing before/after overclock seem to jive nicely with the expectation between the two clocks as well

 

What benchmark do i run to test stability and how do i know if its stable? (Sorry i'm new to overclocking and benchmarks.)

I suppose the advantage with a 580m is that it's already at that higher clock speed and can be overclocked even higher and more safely than the 485m?

Edit: Is there any risk to my 485m running at 580m clock speeds since the temp is the exact same as default clock speed temps?

 

Benchmark applications are personal preference, but here's what I like to completely stress it:

CPU: Prime95
GPU: Furmark
Monitor temps: HWMonitor
Monitor Clocks: HWInfo/CPUz

Just be aware that Prime95 and Furmark will stress the machine significantly more than any gaming will, so temps will be correspondingly higher. (Furmark even warns you that system instability may cause it to shut down). Be very cautious when you run these two and monitor your temps closely. You may need to shut them down early if they shoot up too high.

You are correct on the 580m. Due to the change in die size, it can accommodate a higher overclock from stock. If you aren't noticing a temperature difference, there is minimal risk from overclocking. However, any overclock will shorten the lifespan of parts just due to the stress of higher clocks. This shortening may only be marginal though- there's no way to predict it.

 

You, sir, are full of good info I already bookmarked a few links you've posted throughout these forums, and look forward to playing with the benchmark tools you posted above.

 

I will most likely just leave my clock speeds at default anyways since i am still blown away by the performance of this card at stock speed.

Just recorded this video of an epicly imtense Crysis level completely maxed out, mind you it's at 720p but still looks and runs great!

Crysis - Maxed Out Onslaught Gameplay - Sager NP8170 With GTX 485m - YouTube

 

Did some more overclocking with Crysis 2 and got some good results..this first set is with MAX fan speed and vsync OFF.

575/1150/1500, 42 fps, 71 degrees
http://i1137.photobucket.com/albums/n514/decayed_matter/Crysis2notoverclocked.jpg

620/1240/1500 (gtx 580m clock), 44 fps, 70 degrees
http://i1137.photobucket.com/albums/n514/decayed_matter/Crysis2overclocked.jpg

640/1280/1575, 46 fps, 71 degrees
http://i1137.photobucket.com/albums/n514/decayed_matter/GTX 485m Overclocking/Crysis264012801575.jpg

650/1300/1600, 47 fps, 76 degrees
http://i1137.photobucket.com/albums/n514/decayed_matter/GTX 485m Overclocking/Crysis265013001600.jpg

660/1320/1600, 48 fps, 76 degrees
http://i1137.photobucket.com/albums/n514/decayed_matter/GTX 485m Overclocking/Crysis266013201600.jpg

670/1340/1600, 49 fps, 76 degrees
http://i1137.photobucket.com/albums/n514/decayed_matter/GTX 485m Overclocking/Crysis267013401600.jpg

680/1360/1600, 50 fps, 77 degrees
http://i1137.photobucket.com/albums/n514/decayed_matter/GTX 485m Overclocking/Crysis268013601600.jpg

So an 8 fps gain total and only 6 degree difference in temperature, good? I played the rest of the level using 680/1360/1600 after taking those static shots, with max fan speed on and my temperature never exceeded 79 degrees. The framerate was between 40-50 fps the whole time.

Next level i turned Vsync on and compared default clock speed to my highest overclock, this time with the fan speed on default.

680/1360/1600, vsync on, 39 fps, default fan speed, 82 degrees
http://i1137.photobucket.com/albums...485m Overclocking/Crysis268013601600vsync.jpg

575/1150/1500, vsync on, 35 fps, default fan speed, 80 degrees (still cooling down from overclock prolly)
http://i1137.photobucket.com/albums...485m Overclocking/Crysis257511501500vsync.jpg

So that's it, what would you suggest i keep my clock speed at? I don't feel comfortable exceeding 80 degrees so i think i've hit my comfort zone limit heh. I am pretty impressed i can gain 8 fps at least with overclocking. But i definitely won't use it regularly....only to show off, hah!

My laptop is now at 38 degrees idle temp at default fan speed. So it's taking a breather heh.

EDIT: Also did a sorta crazy overclock in Metro 2033...

750/1500/1650, 57 fps
http://i1137.photobucket.com/albums/n514/decayed_matter/GTX 485m Overclocking/Metro2033MaxOC.jpg

Stock clock speed 30 fps
http://i1137.photobucket.com/albums...X 485m Overclocking/Metro2033DefaultClock.jpg

With that crazy OC i quickly started to see line artifacts. Though the temperature stayed below 70 degrees...strange. That was done with the game completely maxed out with all dx11 features enabled at 720p with vsync forced on, as well as physX. Though i was facing a wall to keep it more controlled.

 

Great THREAD for OC starters like me. Way to go Decayedmatter and Malibal #2. +1 for both!

Doesn't OCing also involve increase the voltage in steps? Can you/Did you play with the voltage levels too?

Edit: Your screenshots of CPU-Z and HWinfo do not show the voltage levels. Try Nvidia Inspector. http://downloads.guru3d.com/NVIDIA-Inspector-1.94-download-2612.html



Uploaded with ImageShack.us

 

Theres a slider for voltage in msi afterburner but it wont let me move it. IDK why.

 

Im not sure, but i think you can OC with Nvidia Inspector too. See if that lets you toy with voltage levels.

 

I don't think i wanna mess with the voltage anyways. I'm pretty satisfied with an 8 fps increase in Crysis 2 while maintaining low temps.

 

You can increase the voltage to clock it further but I wouldn't recommend it in laptops. There's not enough of a ceiling as far as heat is concerned to safely do it most of the time. I'm sure you could push it a little further but not to anything really worth mentioning (except if you turned your laptop into the 4th of July).

 

Yea like i said, getting 8 fps extra at safe temperatures pleases me enough

 

I'd also recommend (as I did in the original posts) not adjusting voltages unless you really know what you're doing. The tolerances for heat and power draw are already tight in laptops. As decayedmatter said, you can reach a decent overclock without attempting to boost voltage.

That said, if you know what you're doing, it's possible to do so (though speak to your reseller as to whether this would affect warranty coverage)

 

Keep in mind that actually using the FRAPS program itself will lower your FPS about 4-5 fps than normal, depending on the circumstances.

Mr. Mysterious

 

Wow, I didnt know that! So letting it sit minimized on the taskbar can reduce your FPS? Or is that only when the FPS overlay is on?

 

I don't know exactly. But I do know using it lowers your FPS, for sure. *nods*

Mr. Mysterious

 

I think it only lowers your fps when recording, not just by using the OSD.

 

I was just playing Crysis warhead at the clockspeed of 680/1360/1650.

It was going great, getting between 30-34 fps in wide open busy areas at 1080p at very high. The temperatures with max fan speed was hovering between 76-78 degrees and all seemed well, then.....my whole laptop froze up. Dang. If only that overclock was stable i could be playing Crysis at 1080p and very high at a steady 30 fps. Ahhh i guess it's not meant to be, gonna lower the overclock a little and try again. Maybe i can get 30-32 fps stable at a lower clock.

Edit: I tried 680/1360/1600 again in Crysis 2 in dx11 and my whole laptop locked up yet again, so i went down to 670/1340/1600 and played through 2 levels with no crashes and at least 4 degrees lower temp, so i think i will stick to that overclock from now on. I was getting 60 fps almost constant in Crysis 2 at 720p and dx11 maxed out. So that's good enough for me.

 

Damn! Im jealous of the 580M owners reporting crysis2 @ 40FPS on stock clocks with the 285.27

http://forum.notebookreview.com/sager-clevo/584665-gtx-580m-111.html

 

Yea i'm running those beta drivers now. That guy didn't list what resolution he was running at though. I have my 485m clocked well over the 580m stock speeds and i only get 25-30 fps at 1080p maxed out. They must be running 720p or something.

Not to mention the framerate fluctuates so much in Crysis 2 in dx11. Sometimes i'll get solid 60 fps indoors, 40 fps outdoors. But if there's a bunch of particle effects right in front of my face it drops to like 18 fps at times.

The dx11 patch in Crysis 2 seems reeeeeaaaally unoptimized, i wish they would patch it one more time to fix that up.

EDIT: I also need to mention there's a glitch involving having Vsync enabled at the game initially loading in fullscreen. It will lock your framerate around 30 fps unless you ALT+enter out and back into fullscreen. If you do this in fraps you'll notice your framerate shoot up to the true framerate.

I guess this is an issue with both Crysis 1 and 2. Pretty ridiculous if you ask me.

 

FRAPS will only decrease your FPS when you record. It should be pretty noticeable for you.

 

So, you guys have learned how to overclock.

When are you going to flash the vBIOS to a 580m and make it permanent?

 

Are you talking about the VBIOS flash thats supposed to boost the voltage to 1.03v on the 485M? Or is there something else?

 

He is talking about a flash that will actually let you set the OC speeds via bios as if thats how it came.

I do this on my old desktop 280GTX and did it on my old Asus G50vt.

Found the max I could OC without voltage change, than dropped back one more level and modded the bios. Made it perm.

On the desktop though I changed the fan speed curve so the fan would spin up sooner and made the card run cooler. Can't do that on notebooks

 

But why? Can't we just load the clocks just before running a game?

 

You can if you want, but for example I always hated the extra program to run and the manual step of doing it etc.

This was just flash and you are done forever, and it really only effected games, so was not like a full time overclock because unless you play a game or have dual monitors (which I now do so may do something else) your card does not run at the performance clocks, it runs at lower speeds for normal desktop usage so it will still be cool and not pushing it while not playing.

But I also don't like voltage mods so was even more safe as I left that stock. They designed them around a specific amount of power and I don't want to play with that and shorten life of things. Even if you can keep temps lower the life is still shortened when playing with voltages, its the nature of electronics.

 

I'd rather just manually start the OC every time because i don't like the idea of using something that could potentially harm my gpu as a permanent thing.

 

For anyone that wants to look into this, is there are guide out there?