Hi all !!
I will get a Gigabyte 9600XT 128 MB (GV-R96X128D) for my PC next week... I would like some hints about how to do a safe and efficient Overclock on it (with stock cooler). I have bought it because I read some good results of it over the internet - It seems that this model is a nice overclocker, because of its good memory, as I read in a review "The memory chips used on the Gigabyte board are not run of the mill 300 Mhz chips but 350 Mhz ones. A quick run over to Samsung's site confirmed the code - K4D263238E-GC2A - 350MHz 700Mbps/pin."

Sorry if the questions looks like basic; I am a newbie on doing Overclock, and, as it will cost me expensive (I am from Brazil), I wouldn't like to damage it ...

Question 1: I have read that its OWN Overclock program (V-Tuner) isnt' very operative to use (don't works well, because it don't accept small adjusts). What's the program you suggest for me to use, as a alternative (Rage3D, Powerstrip, ...) ??

Question 2: What item (Core or Memory) should I to increase FIRST, for better OC??

Question 3: It seems that the change of one item has impact on the other... Is it true?? So, if I need to increase all them, should I to privilege the MEMORY increase or CORE increase??

Question 4: I have read that there is a program (ATI Tool) that makes easier to reach the potential limit of the video card. Is really recommended to use it?

Question 5: Is there some danger of damage the video card, if I turn off the computer when the screen begins to show some white artifacts??

Question 6: Why there are, sometimes, much discrepancy between final results of an Overclock (with stock cooler), if the base is the same? Sometimes we see some people reach numbers of OC very higher than others, with the same video card and the same supposed conditions ...

Here are 03 final results I got over the internet, for this specific video card:
1) Core / Mem : 576/740 (HotHardware) - WOW!!!
2) Core / Mem : 576/718 (NeoSeeker) - Not Bad! But they used "V-Tuner" (Gigabyte own "utilitary") to OC, what probably toggle the memory increase...
3) Core / Mem : 587/654 (PcStats) - Apparently, not good result for Memory, unlike the Core ...

Would I be able to reach some final result at least "near" from the "first" (576/740) above?? I would like to know my video card limits, but only to decrease it a bit (around 10 mhz would be enough??), in order to have a safe operation (with stock cooling) of it ...

Well, That's it ... Sorry for the excessive number of doubts and THANKS A LOT IN ADVANCE FOR ANY ADDITIONAL HELP / HINT !!

IMO,,
Radion cards go with "ATITool" or RIVA Tuner.
With nVidia cards,,"CoolBits"
1. look at the card, Is the Heatsink good enough? i.e. Nice and big?, got an "active" Cooler on it?.
2.Down load something to see if your getting more "Speed" i.e. GLxs,and/or any of the 3DMarks.
3.Do your "Core" first in small steps,,like 5Mhz at a time.
4.After you up the core run a test after each Tweak,once you get Artifacts drop back one setting and run test TWICE.
5.Follow the same stpps with your mem.

just the basics for you,just keep in mind the higher the Mhz setting the more heat is produced.
i too am somewhat "New" at the OC'n thing. Voltage also has an effect but i dont go thare,,so i wouldn't suggest it.

Be carefull and think about if you really want to OC stuff.

http://www.techspot.com/vb/showthread.php?s=&threadid=9388

If you have to ask how to overclock, then you shouldn't be

Well how is he ever supposed to learn if everyone refuses to tell him.

I hear ya Rory7 but we all were "BrandNew" too,,i asked ,,i got the basics,,i learned the rest,,
i figgerd i would pass it on,,granted the Guru's as well as the "Meadiators" of these post have heard the ??? a million times.
Some dont even know ware to start.

just my opinion.

Keep in mind the one basic rule of OCing. If you can't afford to lose it, DON'T OVERCLOCK IT.
Otherwise, start with simple FSB overclocking. One step at a time. Depending on the board, the FSB will also overclock your memory, PCI bus and others. Use a step process. 1-5 MHz each step and use a benchmark utility to test for stability. If your processor is unlocked, use the multiplier as this will only increase the speed of the processor. DO NOT ATTEMPT TO OC THE FSB AND MULTIPLIER AT THE SAME TIME. Get the multiplier to a stable spot, the set back to default. Then find out the stable OC for the FSB, and set back to default. That will give you the basis for the max the system can take. Then slowly step up both (one at a time) and find the stable location for the multiplier and the FSB... It does take time, but if you don't want to blow anything... Also, if your mobo has a temp monitor and alarm, turn it on. Do not let you processor get to hot. That is a little info. Get more info from other users as everyone will have more advice that I may have forgotten.
Bug

rgr that, first rule still applies. Also using the step process during the OC process. Sorry about the unnecessary info.
Bug

IMO, researching on how to overclock is like learning how to run before you learn how to walk. Or injecting NOS in your first car when you're 16. It's stupid and you're just gonna screw something up because you want to "go faster."
You should never have to learn "how to overclock" because you should already know how from your basic CMOS knowledge that you should have.

I'm not on a crusade or a jihad against people overclocking, I'm just saying, for people's own good, that they should know some basic computer knowledge before they overclock anything. Overclocking is fun.

Hi all !
I just finished my first attempt of Overclock my Video Card (Gigabyte 9600XT 128MB - GV-R96X128D), and I am a bit disappointed ...
My final result (I used Rage3D Tweak), with stable operation, was :
- CORE : 553,50 (+ 10,7%)
- MEMORY : 670 [335x2] (+ 11,7%)

My main deception is with the increase that I got with the memory; as I wrote in my first thread, I had read a review (www.neoseeker.com) that said that this model of Video Card from Gigabyte had a memory that could reach at least 350MHz ...
..."The memory chips used on the Gigabyte board are not run of the mill 300 Mhz chips but 350 Mhz ones. A quick run over to Samsung's site confirmed the code - K4D263238E-GC2A - 350MHz 700Mbps/pin"
So, shouldn't I to be able to reach, AT LEAST, 350 Mhz?? I can not understand (even knowing that there are no exactly identical video cards...).
Anyway, I need to inform some important thing to help us to analyse this matter: I installed my new video card inside my "old" PC, which has the basic spec:

P4 1.6GHz
Asus P4SDX
512MB DDR333 (2x256)
120GB HD ATA 133 Maxtor

I am intending to upgrade my processor around christmas, because I guess it is the current "bottleneck" of my system...
So, the questions are:

1) Is my current processor (P4 1.6) a real bottleneck?

2) My overclock results were affected because of it? (my new video card could reach better results working with a better/faster processor)?

3) I ONLY play Race games, and I think (I am not sure about this) that, in this "category" of game, the speed of CPU is crucial; am I right, or not? If yes, would I have a sensible increase of FPS when I will upgrade my processor?... Or, in other words, is my current processor limiting the potential of my new video card (Gigabyte Radeon 9600XT)?

4) Inside my PC BIOS, there is one item with which we can control the "AGP APERTURE", which is currently set to 256MB... Should I set it to 128, because my video card has 128 MB of memory, or keep it set to 256MB??

Well, that's it ... THANKS a LOT for any additional help !!

Change these settings and then test them. I find that you want to keep this less than or equal to (1/3) your system ram. For your system 170MB or less. I would set it to 128 or 64 MB, but the best way to tell what is good for your system is to set it at one, and then benchmark it, set it at another and benchmark it.

Bug