I got a 7970 Vapor-X yesterday and it felt slower in BF3 than my reference gigabyte 7970. I used hwinfo and gpuz to monitor the clocks while running furmark. Hwinfo says the card is down clocking to 800 mhz while gpuz says its at 1000 mhz at the same time. Which one is correct? If I increase the power control to +15%, hwinfo will report the clocks stay at 1000 mhz while running furmark, but then the system crashes in 10 seconds. I dont think its a power issue since I have a Seasonic platinum 1k. FWIW gpuz says the default voltage of the card is 1256 mv. I thought the ghz edition cards were supposed to be lower voltage?
![[H]ard|Forum](/styles/hardforum/xenforo/logo_dark.png){kind=logo}
7970 Vapor-X down clocking?
- Thread starter HybridHB
- Start date
with power option at +20% run Heaven 3.0 and check clock speeds and note down benchmark score. then with power option at 0% run Heaven 3.0 and check clock speeds and note down benchmark score. if its score is lower with power option at 0% you should return the card. The card cannot be throttling in normal workloads at stock speeds. Furmark is useless as clocks will throttle. Also apply the same test with BF3. if clocks throttle its a problem. also monitor core GPU and VRM temps while running Heaven 3.0 to see if its overheating.
thats very hot. check VRM temps in Heaven and BF3. Your VRMs should not cross 100c for long term safe working. I would return the card for RMA if VRMs are overheating in heaven or BF3. For core temps, if it crosses 70c in BF3 at stock speeds there is a problem. the vapor-x cooler is supposed to keep the HD 7970 Ghz below 70c easily. set the fan speed at 50% manually and check for temps. also check at auto fan speed.
SonDa5
Supreme [H]ardness
- Joined
- Aug 20, 2008
- Messages
- 7,437
HybridHB
Just to give you a data point I did as raghu78 suggested on my 7970 vaporx.
I used these settings
I got virtually the same score on both runs and no card throttling or other issues
Run 1 with +20
50fps
score 1259
Run 2 with +0
50fps
1260
Max vrm temps were 85C and GPU 74C
These were at the stock card settings.
Just to give you a data point I did as raghu78 suggested on my 7970 vaporx.
I used these settings
Code:
Render: direct3d11
Mode: 1920x1200 8xAA fullscreen
Shaders: high
Textures: high
Filter: trilinear
Anisotropy: 4x
Occlusion: enabled
Refraction: enabled
Volumetric: enabled
Tessellation: extremeI got virtually the same score on both runs and no card throttling or other issues
Run 1 with +20
50fps
score 1259
Run 2 with +0
50fps
1260
Max vrm temps were 85C and GPU 74C
These were at the stock card settings.
yeah OP this is how the card is expected to behave. no throttling and no overheating of VRM or GPU. if your card is not return it and get a new one.
Furmark is a power virus and not a real world workload. do not bother about throttling in furmark. check heaven, 3d mark 11, BF3, crysis 2. these are more relevant. If throttling does not happen in these apps don't even bother. also monitor core GPU temps and VRM temps in these apps at stock speeds first and then overclocked to 1150 Mhz. If your core temps are below 75c and the VRM temps below 100c then you are safe. anything higher than that and you should be concerned.
I made some tests on my XFX BE @ 1130/1600 which is running the GE BIOS and cooled by a EK Fullcover block. Power Tune at 20%.
During a OCCT GPU run the card downclocks from 1130 to ~850. Seems like GPU VRM Power Out (POUT) is triggering this. But normal benchmarks (Heaven, 3DMark etc) doesn't trigger throttling.
Not sure if this is by design or due to the GE BIOS...
During a OCCT GPU run the card downclocks from 1130 to ~850. Seems like GPU VRM Power Out (POUT) is triggering this. But normal benchmarks (Heaven, 3DMark etc) doesn't trigger throttling.
Not sure if this is by design or due to the GE BIOS...
skyboyextreme
n00b
- Joined
- Aug 31, 2012
- Messages
- 59
i've bought this card yesterday and it's bad for overclocking 1150/1575 only on stock voltages of 1.256v/1.5v which is too high for the core and too low for the memory it should have come @1.6v for the memory to help it clock better than this, also i can't change the voltages for some reason, tried trixx what ever voltage i put in there doesn't apply and there is no memory voltage slider at all ami missing something ? also it shows that my gpu draws only 1.088v ~ 1.137v in gpu z which is weird because it's stock voltage when i click "reset" in trixx is 1.256v.......
I made some tests on my XFX BE @ 1130/1600 which is running the GE BIOS and cooled by a EK Fullcover block. Power Tune at 20%.
During a OCCT GPU run the card downclocks from 1130 to ~850. Seems like GPU VRM Power Out (POUT) is triggering this. But normal benchmarks (Heaven, 3DMark etc) doesn't trigger throttling.
Not sure if this is by design or due to the GE BIOS...
This is exactly what im seeing. I logged data with hwinfo while playing bf3 at 1175/1575 and it didnt down clock at all which is great. I guess it only down clocks during super stressful benchmarks.
Yes, I have a similar issue on the exact same card. 1.2-1.256 stock voltage seems REALLY high. The first time I boot and launch Trixx, it shows 1.200, but if I hit reset, it goes to 1.256. I've seen it hitting that voltage in MSI afterburner/HWinfo, but it seems to droop below that a lot. You can see the voltage spike back up at abit when the load is removed at the end of a benchmark run before the card goes back to idle voltages, which is why I think it's droop.
I'm not even entirely sure my card is stable at stock yet, going to run some Heaven later, it crashed very early on with a 1600Mhz clock. Furmark crashes it after a few minutes regardless of settings (stock included), but I don't really trust Furmark.
skyboyextreme
n00b
- Joined
- Aug 31, 2012
- Messages
- 59
i think furmark crashes because it gets the VRMs so high over 120c that's why it crashes i guess.....
when minning using 1.25v @ 1200 core my friend's 7950 hits a max 87c on the VRMs
while my vrms hit 120c on the vapor-x 7970 "stock" voltage @ 1150 core so yea this card is crappy apparently and i paid like 500$ for it what a rip off sapphire !
skyboyextreme
n00b
- Joined
- Aug 31, 2012
- Messages
- 59
can't change the bios in this card it makes atiwinflash freeze !
Thats what you should always look at. Is the card running normal real world apps without throttling. also what are your VRM temps at those clocks. those are important for stability. make sure it stays below 100c . then you are safe.
get a replacement or better get a refund and get another card. hitting 120c VRM temps at 1150 Mhz is poor as long as the app is not furmark.
It must be a bad card. I have the same one and I am not getting near 120 on the vrm with furmark.
I just ran furmark for 10 minutes on my slightly o/c vaporx.
79C on the gpu and 102C on the vrm were max. The card throttled for about 1 second at ~ 8 minute mark and then finished the test with no issues.
I just ran furmark for 10 minutes on my slightly o/c vaporx.
79C on the gpu and 102C on the vrm were max. The card throttled for about 1 second at ~ 8 minute mark and then finished the test with no issues.
skyboyextreme
n00b
- Joined
- Aug 31, 2012
- Messages
- 59
what fan speed ? can you post an image please ? i've stopped the furmark test when the vrms hit 126c..... can't be a "one" bad card cause temps here are like the op's temps on the vrms - thanks !
Last edited:
fans were running pretty strong and they were loud (one of the things I dislike about this card) but they were not at max. Tell me what settings you want me to run and I will take a screen capture. That way we are doing apples to apples.
EDIT Ok I just ran a test with default settings. my card has a mild o/c and I set gpuz to show the max temps.
Last edited:
skyboyextreme
n00b
- Joined
- Aug 31, 2012
- Messages
- 59
fans were running pretty strong and they were loud (one of the things I dislike about this card) but they were not at max. Tell me what settings you want me to run and I will take a screen capture. That way we are doing apples to apples.
EDIT Ok I just ran a test with default settings. my card has a mild o/c and I set gpuz to show the max temps.
is this the HD 7970 Vapor-X 3GB with the blue pcb , if yes then please give me your bios !
also vrms doesn't appear in gpu z here i have to read them through hwinfo and here is a 10 hour mining session with 100% fans the vrms hit 98c on STOCK
Last edited:
skyboyextreme
n00b
- Joined
- Aug 31, 2012
- Messages
- 59
gpu-z let's you dump the bios
give me the blue button secondary bios please, also can you control the voltage on this card ?
SilverSliver
[H]F Junkie
- Joined
- Feb 23, 2004
- Messages
- 12,526
Stop running Furmark. It's a joke.
skyboyextreme
n00b
- Joined
- Aug 31, 2012
- Messages
- 59
how about mining is vrms @ 98c on stock voltage and frequency sounds right when mining using a 7970 ?
if i overclock it to 1150 it will hit 110c while mining
SilverSliver
[H]F Junkie
- Joined
- Feb 23, 2004
- Messages
- 12,526
98 is better than 126 but I cannot speak if that is normal. Seems awfully hot as well.
skyboyextreme
n00b
- Joined
- Aug 31, 2012
- Messages
- 59
Keep VRM temp below 100C to be on the safe side. I have 1 120mm cooling hitting the module with 1 sensor, I also have a 80mm directed at the second set but it can't reach it, case is small and cramped.
what program did you use to stress ? mining or furmark ? also is this a vapor-x 7970 3gb ? i managed to get the vrms to the 80's by down clocking the core only without any voltage tweaking as it seems like this card has locked voltage @ 1.256v
Last edited:
skyboyextreme
n00b
- Joined
- Aug 31, 2012
- Messages
- 59
did you try furmark ?
skyboyextreme
n00b
- Joined
- Aug 31, 2012
- Messages
- 59
did you check for the temps before you end the test ?
skyboyextreme
n00b
- Joined
- Aug 31, 2012
- Messages
- 59
skyboyextreme et al
Seems my card was not as good as I thought. Ended up returning it and getting a different brand/model. I was having issues where the card would freeze / slow down every so often. It was not a downclock issue, but more like a temporary lockup. To bad, I think this card had potential. With my new card all the issues are gone.
Seems my card was not as good as I thought. Ended up returning it and getting a different brand/model. I was having issues where the card would freeze / slow down every so often. It was not a downclock issue, but more like a temporary lockup. To bad, I think this card had potential. With my new card all the issues are gone.
what brand and model did you get ?
MSI GTX680 Was offered for a good price so I bought it. First Nvidia card I have owned in years.