First venture into graphics overclocking -- hoping for advice

[OldProf]

I just added a Gigabyte GEFORCE GTX 950 graphics card with 2 GB of memory to my computer. Since this card came with an overclocking utility (Gigabyte OC GURU II), I feel almost obliged to make my first venture (not counting learning how to speed up or slow down mechanical household clocks as a kid) into overclocking.

So far, I've just been piddling around, making slight adjustments to the GPU and Memory clocks, but the utility will allow me to tweak core voltage, power target and fan speed as well. Baseline settings are 1203/1405MHz for CPU clock, 7000 MHz for memory clock, "auto" for fan speed, and 100% for power.

I selected the "Really Yard Work" career scenario from the Cologne-Coblentz route as a bench-marker, since it involves shunting in an enormous and densely packed yard area. The card's standard settings yielded 8-10 FPS (measured by Fraps), depending on camera and view angle. So far, by boosting just the CPU clock to +40 (1243/1445), I've managed to raise this to 12 or so (and lower it to 7, by the way). After each setting change, I've launched TS2016, checked the results, and shut down TS2016, but should I also reboot the computer before each setting change?

Any additional serious advice (other than putting in a new processor or other component for now) will be welcome.


System: Gateway IPPISB-VR motherboard, Intel Core i3 2120 processor @ 3.30GHz, 16 GB Dual-channel DDR3 @ 665MHz.

[BillS]

Don't know a lot about over clocking, but have read that you need better CPU cooling, and that you need to have an adequate PSU, depending how much you dare push the envelope.

[_o_OOOO_oo-Kanawha]

CPU is probably meant to read GPU, Graphics Processing Unit, the chip on the video card.

BillS is right, how far you can push the envelope depends on the cooling solution on the video card. Stock coolers cannot take much overclocking, so what model is your card and is it fitted with a heavy duty cooling solution?

Overclocking, especially raising core voltage also puts thermal strain on voltage regulators and capacitors, both need adequate air circulation around them. Here again, the cooling solution of your card can make a difference. Best set it to maximum when you can bear with the noise.

Even then, a severely overclocked video card isn't meant to be run at full strain for extended periods.

Do I understand you correctly: a 40% overclock yielded 2 average extra fps?

Railworks is more CPU than GPU intensive, but perhaps you can unload the CPU a little by having the video card manage anti-aliasing and supersampling using its advanced driver features. That is a whole book in itself.

Here is how my most powerful GPU looks, with a heavy duty cooling solution:

As you can see, the slots in the backplate of the card hardly serve a purpose, all hot air is circulated inside the computer case. This is most often the case with heavy duty cooling solutions. So you need adequate ventilation in your computer case as well to prevent heat build up.

[peterhayes]

Tom
I can't see the point in overclocking a video card as the card already has more than 5 - 10 x the memory bandwidth of even the fastest cpu's.
Even if you do overclock the gpu your processor may not be able to supply data fast enough to your oc'd up card ie it becomes bottlenecked.
The big problem with video cards is latency and overclocking won't cure that.
You are better off overclocking the cpu, using fast RAM on a gaming mobo, TS2016 on a SSD, and leave the video card at stock figures.
TS 2016 does not "underperform" due to the video card, its more likely due to a combination effect of all the components of a PC.
pH

[OldProf]

Tom
I can't see the point in overclocking a video card as the card already has more than 5 - 10 x the memory bandwidth of even the fastest cpu's.
Even if you do overclock the gpu your processor may not be able to supply data fast enough to your oc'd up card ie it becomes bottlenecked.
The big problem with video cards is latency and overclocking won't cure that.
You are better off overclocking the cpu, using fast RAM on a gaming mobo, TS2016 on a SSD, and leave the video card at stock figures.
TS 2016 does not "underperform" due to the video card, its more likely due to a combination effect of all the components of a PC.
pH

Perhaps, Peter, but then why am I seeing definite differences in fps rates as I change the GPU and Memory clock rates? (By the way, I have to apologize for not understanding Geek Speak: mobo? SSD?)

(To others who have reacted to my question, I can only suggest that they read the OP.)

[buzz456]

mobo=mother board. cpu=central processing unit.

[buzz456]

mobo=mother board. SSD=solid state device generally referring to a hard drive.

[peterhayes]

Tom
You are using geek speak too GB, cpu, gpu MHz
pH

[OldProf]

Tom
You are using geek speak too GB, cpu, gpu MHz
pH

This is just like teaching used to be: using terminology doesn't mean I understand it!

[OldProf]

Tom
I can't see the point in overclocking a video card as the card already has more than 5 - 10 x the memory bandwidth of even the fastest cpu's.
Even if you do overclock the gpu your processor may not be able to supply data fast enough to your oc'd up card ie it becomes bottlenecked.
The big problem with video cards is latency and overclocking won't cure that.
You are better off overclocking the cpu, using fast RAM on a gaming mobo, TS2016 on a SSD, and leave the video card at stock figures.
TS 2016 does not "underperform" due to the video card, its more likely due to a combination effect of all the components of a PC.
pH

Peter, in regard to an SSD, would internal or external make a difference? I'm thinking that if I put my 103 GB Steam folder on an external SSD I could run TS from it both here in Tennessee and in Italy -- or not?

[peterhayes]

Tom
If you are using an eSATA connection - this would be the same or very similar to an internal SATA connection.
If using USB 3.0 or 3.1 very similar to internal sata.
If using USB 2.0 slower than SATA but may not impact TS 2016
Some PC cases have a plug in slot for SATA drives and that would be the same as internal sata.

eSata ref: http://www.compco.net.au/Helpdesk/comph ... eSata.html
better http://www.pcmag.com/encyclopedia/term/50811/sata
USB explained: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USB

Geek terms explained!1

Regards
pH

[trev123]

I have overclocking software too that came with my already factory overclocked card. I will leave mine as is.

[OldProf]

Peter:

I've bought a 128 GB external SSD drive. What's the procedure for copying (or moving?) Steam & Railworks to this drive so that I can run TS2016 from it instead of from my C drive?

Thanks

[peterhayes]

Tom
This is a very good guide: https://support.steampowered.com/kb_art ... -YUBN-8129

pH

[OldProf]

Thanks for the link, Peter. I'm beginning to think that the 128 GB drive I bought may be too small too small, especially since its formatted size turns out to be only 111 GB, but maybe not. Before making the purchase, I checked the size of my Steam folder, which Explorer reports as 117 GB, but some of the folders in that installation contain both packed (.ap) and unpacked files. For example, the folder for the Castle Rock route includes these items:

Unpacked folders: MixMap, Networks, RouteInformation, Scenarios, and Terrain; in addition the primary route folder contains unpacked files named de.lan, es.lan, pl.lan, ru.lan, and RouteProperties.xml
Packed files: CastleRockDD40XScenarios.ap, MainContent.ap.

Are some of these redundant? Does MainContent.ap include all of the items in the unpacked folders?