Overclock ZOTAC GT 640 2GB with MSI Afterburner?


Recommended Posts

About a month ago, I got a brand new ZOTAC Geforce GT 640 to replace my previous GT 640 that i had been using for two years until it crapped out. The fan in the original card was actually a pretty bad fan, If that helps.

 

Anyways, I realized that the card's architecture just isn't keeping up to speed, but I don't have money to afford a stronger card. Then I remembered something. When i was diagnosing the problems with my other card, I used MSI afterburner to check the temperatures, which was the issue. But then i realized you could also overclock the card using the same program. I only overclocked the fan speed to see if it could help send temperatures down to optimum, but the damage was already done then.

 

So basically, I'm asking: What could work as the sweet spot for this card as far as overclocking goes? I'm hoping to get a little bit more decent performance in the games i am playing with the card until i can hopefully get money to buy a stronger card.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

If the temperature is already high, I wouldn't risk overclocking it. That will make a GPU hotter, and the fan has to run harder.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

3 minutes ago, Mindovermaster said:

If the temperature is already high, I wouldn't risk overclocking it. That will make a GPU hotter, and the fan has to run harder.

The current clock settings are at factory default, and the temperatures report around 27-32 Idle, and 40-50 under load. I'm only playing ROBLOX games at the moment.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

20 hours ago, SirWeathers said:

The current clock settings are at factory default, and the temperatures report around 27-32 Idle, and 40-50 under load. I'm only playing ROBLOX games at the moment.

up the core by 10mhz and test using a burn in program (afterburners artifact tool would suffice for 30+ minutes) , if temps dont rise above the max of say 75C, up another 10mhz until you find a happy amount against max temp.

 

TBH youll see minimal increase in performance on such an old budget card mate.

 

I would leave the memory alone completely at stock.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 1/11/2018 at 3:47 PM, Mando said:

up the core by 10mhz and test using a burn in program (afterburners artifact tool would suffice for 30+ minutes) , if temps dont rise above the max of say 75C, up another 10mhz until you find a happy amount against max temp.

 

TBH youll see minimal increase in performance on such an old budget card mate.

 

I would leave the memory alone completely at stock.

Yes. But actually not because it's old, but because it is too budget. Every year there is a model number below which the card is junk. So 640 is crap, and 660 is nice enough etc. (that year the GTX 650 was a bit of an exception and was also a piece of junk which they fixed with the "GTX 650 Ti Boost")

 

Sometimes you can get a sweet spot if you realize this and try to go older until you cross the line into a decent GPU.

 

Good GPUs older than 640:

 

- 580

- 570

- 560 ti (this model sold like hotcakes so it should be easy to find)

- 480

- 470

 

Even a GTX 460 has twice the performance of a GT 640

 

Overclocking garbage is going to produce differences that are not perceived. Better use of your time is to sell the 640, scan ebay and local classifieds and get an older model that rocks! Deliver some pizzas instead of mucking with AfterBurner will be more productive!

 

And GPU RAM is always on the edge. Overclocking GPU RAM will just create unstable operation and again you won't notice any improvement.

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

13 hours ago, DevTech said:

Yes. But actually not because it's old, but because it is too budget. Every year there is a model number below which the card is junk. So 640 is crap, and 660 is nice enough etc. (that year the GTX 650 was a bit of an exception and was also a piece of junk which they fixed with the "GTX 650 Ti Boost")

 

Sometimes you can get a sweet spot if you realize this and try to go older until you cross the line into a decent GPU.

 

Good GPUs older than 640:

 

- 580

- 570

- 560 ti (this model sold like hotcakes so it should be easy to find)

- 480

- 470

 

Even a GTX 460 has twice the performance of a GT 640

 

Overclocking garbage is going to produce differences that are not perceived. Better use of your time is to sell the 640, scan ebay and local classifieds and get an older model that rocks! Deliver some pizzas instead of mucking with AfterBurner will be more productive!

 

And GPU RAM is always on the edge. Overclocking GPU RAM will just create unstable operation and again you won't notice any improvement.

 

if it was myself, id be hunting for a cheap 2nd hand 660ti tbh 

 

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/MSI-660TI-Graphics-Card/142648370106?hash=item21368163ba:g:hWwAAOSw9NBaUhdI

 

£23 atm

Link to comment
Share on other sites

11 hours ago, Mando said:

if it was myself, id be hunting for a cheap 2nd hand 660ti tbh 

 

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/MSI-660TI-Graphics-Card/142648370106?hash=item21368163ba:g:hWwAAOSw9NBaUhdI

 

£23 atm

Well since he had a 640 and bought another 640, I assumed he needed to go low budget wise.

 

Sometimes for some reason the 770 can be found at a good price as well.

 

 

Common mid-range/affordable cards sorted in order of performance:

(a few higher cards included for reference)

 

1070 Ti - 12260 - https://www.videocardbenchmark.net/gpu.php?gpu=GeForce+GTX+1070+Ti

 

980 Ti - 11322 - https://www.videocardbenchmark.net/gpu.php?id=3218

 

1070 - 11056 - https://www.videocardbenchmark.net/gpu.php?id=3521

 

980 - 9577 - https://www.videocardbenchmark.net/gpu.php?id=2953

 

Under 10000

 

780 Ti - 8888 - https://www.videocardbenchmark.net/gpu.php?gpu=GeForce+GTX+780

 

1060 - 8842 - https://www.videocardbenchmark.net/gpu.php?gpu=GeForce+GTX+1060

 

1060 3GB - 8781 - https://www.videocardbenchmark.net/gpu.php?gpu=GeForce+GTX+1060+3GB

 

970 - 8582 - https://www.videocardbenchmark.net/gpu.php?gpu=GeForce+GTX+970

 

780 - 7971 - https://www.videocardbenchmark.net/gpu.php?gpu=GeForce+GTX+780&id=2525

 

1060 with Max-Q Design - 6710 - https://www.videocardbenchmark.net/gpu.php?gpu=GeForce+GTX+1060+with+Max-Q+Design&id=3769

 

Under 6000

 

770 - 6089 - https://www.videocardbenchmark.net/gpu.php?gpu=GeForce+GTX+770

 

960 - 5805 - https://www.videocardbenchmark.net/gpu.php?gpu=GeForce+GTX+960

 

1050 Ti - 5802 - https://www.videocardbenchmark.net/gpu.php?gpu=GeForce+GTX+1050+Ti

 

680 - 5683 - https://www.videocardbenchmark.net/gpu.php?gpu=GeForce+GTX+680

 

670 - 5373 - https://www.videocardbenchmark.net/gpu.php?gpu=GeForce+GTX+670

 

950 - 5023 - https://www.videocardbenchmark.net/gpu.php?gpu=GeForce+GTX+950

 

760 ti - 5090 - https://www.videocardbenchmark.net/gpu.php?gpu=GeForce+GTX+760

 

580 - 5021 - https://www.videocardbenchmark.net/gpu.php?gpu=GeForce+GTX+580

 

Under 5000

 

760 - 4941 - https://www.videocardbenchmark.net/gpu.php?id=2561

 

660 Ti - 4679 - https://www.videocardbenchmark.net/gpu.php?gpu=GeForce+GTX+660

 

1050 - 4425 - https://www.videocardbenchmark.net/gpu.php?gpu=GeForce+GTX+1050&id=3596

 

570 - 4419 - https://www.videocardbenchmark.net/gpu.php?gpu=GeForce+GTX+570

 

480 - 4355 - https://www.videocardbenchmark.net/gpu.php?gpu=geforce+gtx+480

 

660 - 4124 - https://www.videocardbenchmark.net/gpu.php?id=2152

 

Under 4000

 

750 Ti - 3710 - https://www.videocardbenchmark.net/gpu.php?gpu=GeForce+GTX+750

 

470 - 3694 - https://www.videocardbenchmark.net/gpu.php?gpu=GeForce+GTX+470

 

560 Ti - 3537 - https://www.videocardbenchmark.net/gpu.php?gpu=GeForce+GTX+560

 

650 Ti BOOST - 3534 - https://www.videocardbenchmark.net/gpu.php?gpu=GeForce+GTX+650

 

750 - 3283 - https://www.videocardbenchmark.net/gpu.php?gpu=GeForce+GTX+750&id=2825

 

560 - 3123 - https://www.videocardbenchmark.net/gpu.php?id=71

 

Under 3000

 

460 - 2655 - https://www.videocardbenchmark.net/gpu.php?gpu=GeForce+GTX+460

 

1030 - 2297 - https://www.videocardbenchmark.net/gpu.php?gpu=GeForce+GT+1030

 

745 - 2173 - https://www.videocardbenchmark.net/gpu.php?gpu=GeForce+GTX+745

 

550 Ti - 1927 - https://www.videocardbenchmark.net/gpu.php?gpu=geforce+gtx+550+ti

 

650 - 1831 - https://www.videocardbenchmark.net/gpu.php?gpu=GeForce+GTX+650&id=2155

 

Under 1500

 

450 - 1558 - https://www.videocardbenchmark.net/gpu.php?gpu=GeForce+GTS+450

 

640 - 1282 - https://www.videocardbenchmark.net/gpu.php?gpu=GeForce+GT+640

 

 

 

It would be interesting for people to mention which cards hit a value sweet spot in their geographic location.

 

There are also some notable observations from that list:

 

- the 1030 really sucks

 

- they sold a lot of 560 Ti which means used availability might be good

 

- the 580 really holds on nicely for its age

 

- the 950 is surprisingly well endowed

 

- the 770 holds up well as the best (affordable)  performer of the pre-9xx generation

 

- the 1060 really pulls away from the crowd compared to previous generation type jumps.

 

 

Anyone passing by: please comment on this list to add corrections, omissions, your experience...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  • Thanks 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Based on looking at the value GPUs in  list of older GPUs above, I grabbed a GTX 770 to test out to see if there is a non-benchmark perceptual improvement over a GTX 570

 

I will report back

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

This topic is now closed to further replies.
  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.