For video card connected to motherboard but not to monitor, does the card still wear out if it's at OC mode?

Happy Hopping

Happy Hopping

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So I got a free Asus GTX 950 w/ 2GB of Video RAM. This card was connected to a PC motherboard but no cable was ever not connected to the monitor, instead the video cable was connect to the main motherboard's VGA port.

I now use this card to my new PC, and install Asus GPU Tweak II.

1) does connecting an un-used video card to that motherboard wear out the video card in any way? I am trying to gauge the lifespan of the video card

Is there a way to find out what was the default setting of the video card speed from GPU Tweak II? for e.g., at what GHz, and at what mode?
 
All semiconductors degrade when power is applied to them. Some components, like capacitors, can degrade while the card is sitting in a box on a shelf. That being said, there is a very real possibility that the card will be able to operate for the next 20 years without a hiccup. There is also a slight chance that the video card is already dead. You'll just have to fire it up and see what happens.
 
I have been using it for a few mth., it's fine.

My old PC, the Asus video card was default to Over Clock, and it only last 6 yr. It's still running, but I lower the clock speed to below the rated speed. So something in that old card is dying due to Over clock. I'm not a fan of overclock.

shouldn't there be some way to figure out what was the mode this card was default to when it is just connected to the motherboard but not to the video cable? Asus c/w OC mode, Silent Mode, and Gaming mode
 
Happy Hopping said:
I have been using it for a few mth., it's fine.

My old PC, the Asus video card was default to Over Clock, and it only last 6 yr. It's still running, but I lower the clock speed to below the rated speed. So something in that old card is dying due to Over clock. I'm not a fan of overclock.

shouldn't there be some way to figure out what was the mode this card was default to when it is just connected to the motherboard but not to the video cable? Asus c/w OC mode, Silent Mode, and Gaming mode
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Ok, i think I have and understanding of what you're talking about. You're probably referring to cards that are marketed as "factory overclocked" but in reality, its such a small change to the default that its not something you should even be thinking about, let alone worried about trying to change. Its the default clock of that card, there are no "modes" that you're speaking of.

In order to change this, you'd have to manually underclock it which would also do literally nothing.

Leave it alone.
 
If the video was hooked up to the onboard video, your graphics card probably ran at low voltage/temps/clocks as it wasn't being used. Kind of like speedstep with Intel processors. I don't know why someone would have not used their discrete video card for years, but probably accidentally doing that because they didn't know better.

The only wear point is probably the fans as I don't remember if there were zero fan cards back in the 950 days.
 
kirbyrj said:
If the video was hooked up to the onboard video, your graphics card probably ran at low voltage/temps/clocks as it wasn't being used. Kind of like speedstep with Intel processors. I don't know why someone would have not used their discrete video card for years, but probably accidentally doing that because they didn't know better.

The only wear point is probably the fans as I don't remember if there were zero fan cards back in the 950 days.
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The thing that comes to mind for me is crypto mining, or some sort of compute task.

What I would do if I were the OP is take the heatsink off and clean any dust and residue off of the board, and then put it back together with new grease and pads. I'd also probably run a fan curve that keeps the fans from stopping completely.

Beyond what you can observe based on its physical condition, there isn't really any telling what the card's usage was like in the past, unless you can get the previous owner to tell you. It doesn't really matter, though, since there isn't much you can do about it, and it presently works anyway.
 
criccio said:
In order to change this, you'd have to manually underclock it which would also do literally nothing.

Leave it alone.
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why would it literally do nothing? See on my old PC, it's a 650GTX OC, and it was dying after using it since Jan. 2014, quite a no. of black screen that last 1 to 2 sec., then I under clock it. And it works fine since (only 1 black screen in months)
 
Happy Hopping said:
why would it literally do nothing? See on my old PC, it's a 650GTX OC, and it was dying after using it since Jan. 2014, quite a no. of black screen that last 1 to 2 sec., then I under clock it. And it works fine since (only 1 black screen in months)
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Because one thing does not equal the other. Those factory "overclocks" are hardly anything and have no impact on the longevity of the card. You could have had a completely factory clocked card exhibit the same problem and underclocking it may also fix that. You've made the mental jump that because the card say "OC" on the box, that is why it had a problem and that, without and proof, is a logical failure.

The clockspeed, with the little info we have, has nothing to do with it. You're not somehow going to save this current card from eventually failing by underclocking it. You're just going to make a really slow GPU even slower.

But if you are dead set on it, by all means, MSI Afterburner is the way to go. (yes, your card is not an MSI, that doesn't matter)
 
I agree. I don't think the factory overclock at anything to do with the card failing at stock speeds.
 
Well, since the card is free. I can't complain. I may not get another free video card ever. I have to wait till 8K OLED out for home user, in order to buy a new video card that support 8K. So as long as this card can last a few year, I'm happy.

P.S. I can raise the speed of the clock back to factory default speed. But only play Bubble Witch 2, so the slow down or default speed is un-noticeable either way
 
If you want to find out the stock clocks go find the card on the manufacturer's webpage, it will list them.
 
Furious_Styles said:
If you want to find out the stock clocks go find the card on the manufacturer's webpage, it will list them.
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His manufacture is Asus and its a factory overclocked card. It will tell him exactly what the card is already running at which is probably something stupid like 20Mhz faster than the reference Nvidia card.

He thinks that 20Mhz of the factory overclock is somehow going to cause his card to prematurely fail which is just not the case.
 
criccio said:
His manufacture is Asus and its a factory overclocked card. It will tell him exactly what the card is already running at which is probably something stupid like 20Mhz faster than the reference Nvidia card.

He thinks that 20Mhz of the factory overclock is somehow going to cause his card to prematurely fail which is just not the case.
Click to expand...
Well if that's the case here's my advice OP: uninstall gpu tweak and let things run at stock.
 
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