I did have my GTX 460 on quite a high overclock, but I now want to set it to a lower, more stable setting, but still with a nice overclock. I use these settings on furmark. (xtreme burning + post fx on), and my overclocked graphics card doesn't last long. It gets up to 84C after a few mins and then crashes. However, I can run the Unigine Heaven benchmark and/or 3D Mark 11 multiple times without any trouble. How "stable" does my graphics card need to be to be counted as "stable" ? Thanks
Start playing the most demanding game you normally play - if it runs fine for a couple of hours you have yourself a stable overclock. If it doesn't, well then you turn it down.
Well. In that case my MSI N460GTX Cyclone 1Gb is stable at: Volts - 1087 Core - 905 Shader - 1810 Memory - 2100 At those clocks I have never had a problem in any game or benchmark, and I can run furmark (with xtreme burning on, but with post fx off) for 10 mins.
10mins ! thats hardly a test at all run it for how ever long you game for and slightly longer. i.e. the longest you game is 6 hours in any 1 session so test for 6-7 hours and it will be perfectly stable.
Furmark is supposed to make it hot. Real games will never be as demanding as actual benchtests. (Except for the poorly coded Crysis and Arma II which is utter nutter.)
I have run crysis for about 6 hours straight at max settings and never got as hot as furmark after 5 mins :/
When people use furmark, what settings are recommended for checking stability. Im assuming you use highest res, fullscreen, highest MSAA samples. But im not sure about Xtreme Burning mode and Post FX. With Post FX off, my card temperature levels off around 72, but with it on it increases very quickly to 84 and as i said, crashes.
To be honest, stable in Furmark is a good indication of a stable OC, but its not a realistic representation of games so if its stable for you in BC2 or whatever you play, its stable.
