In this day and age, video games are becoming more and more demanding, with amazing graphics that require the best graphics cards to run happily. Many gamers choose to overclock their graphics card instead of buying a new one every time a new game comes out, but can overclocking damage the GPU? Let’s find out.
Key Takeaways
- Overclocking a GPU increases frame rates and the overall performance of the system.
- Overclocking can damage a GPU if the clock speed is increased too high or if you set the settings to extreme limits.
- You can prevent the GPU from getting damaged by staying within limits.
What Is Overclocking?
Overclocking is the process of configuring a piece of hardware to run at a higher speed than its default settings. We overclock a system to improve the hardware’s performance or allow it to run faster than its specified maximum speed.[1]
In GPU overclocking, we increase the clock speed of a video card to get better performance. Overclocking a GPU leads to increased game frame rates and faster video or 3D application rendering times.[2]
Before altering the clock speed of your GPU, it’s crucial to remember that overclocking can also result in instability and excessive heat.
GPU Memory Overclock Damage
Memory overclocking might shorten the life of your graphics card and cause harm. The chips could become destroyed due to overheating. The chips can also be damaged if the voltage is not increased properly. If the overclocking is not done correctly, it can lead to data corruption.[3]
Therefore, GPU memory overclocking is a dangerous activity that skilled users should only try. Those attempting it should monitor the GPU’s temperature and ensure that the voltage is increased slowly and carefully.
How To Correctly Overclock GPU Without Damage?
A great technique to increase system performance is by overclocking your GPU. Just remember to take things slowly, be mindful of your temperatures, and ensure your graphics card can handle the additional stress.
With a little care, you can safely overclock your GPU and enjoy the benefits of increased performance. You can carefully overclock a GPU with the help of the techniques provided below:
Check Eligibility
First, make sure that your graphics card is designed to be overclocked. Not all cards are made equal, and some won’t be able to withstand the increasing burden as per feedback from different users.[4]
Begin Slowly
Second, take things slow and steady. It’s tempting to try and push the limits as far as they’ll go, but that’s a surefire way to end up with a fried card. Start with a slight overclock and work your way up gradually.
Slightly increase the required settings and test thoroughly. Even a 10 MHz adjustment is sufficient. We encourage you to take even smaller step-ups to increase your excitement.
If the voltage does not fluctuate in the benchmark test, there is no need to increase the voltage.
You can always increase the overclock by going to settings and increasing it again. Even though it could take some time, finding an acceptable and stable overclock by going through the process several times is preferable.
Temperature Monitoring
Third, keep an eye on your temperatures. The temperature of your GPU and CPU should never be greater than 90 degrees Celcius. Overclocking puts extra stress on the GPU, leading to higher temperatures.[5]
The importance of monitoring GPU temperature cannot be overemphasized. Running at a slightly lower temperature can extend the life of your card. This is a great advantage when high-end GPU prices are highly volatile.
Even if you think you’ve found a stable overclock, keep an on-screen temperature monitor and check different types of programs regularly to see if the temperature is stable and as expected. If this is the case and your overclocking is stable, then everything is fine.
Ensure you have good cooling in place, and you should monitor temperature monitoring tools like GPU-Z or HWMonitor. If things start to get too hot, stop the process and let things cool down.
Stress Test
Look for GPU stress tests. This puts your card through a series of difficult situations and evaluates how it responds to them. It can also be used to test overclocking stability. If your GPU is unable to complete the stress test at the selected level, we recommend lowering the number.
You should test your GPU with the most demanding programs. Put the temperature monitor on a second screen and launch all the high-end programs that will benefit most from overclocking.
Recommended Tools
The software we would recommend for overclocking a GPU is MSI Afterburner.
Further, FurMark can also be used for GPU stress tests.[6] So, if you will need another tool for stress testing, use FurMark, as, we found it to be the best tool for GPU benchmarking.
Benefits Of Overclocking A GPU
As you know, the most important and noticeable benefit of overclocking your GPU is increased performance. With just one touch of overclocking, you can turn your regular budget card into a value-for-money, high-quality graphics card for a truly superior device.
All GPUs have a required speed on which all internal functions depend. But if you add a booster to this speed, you can select large amounts of information for a long time.
It can help to improve the efficiency of the GPU by reducing the amount of time that the GPU spends processing each frame. All graphics cards have different processing styles, and two cards with similar capabilities may run at different speeds. Some graphics cards are more capable of overclocking, while others perform better at that power level.
Careful execution of the overclocking process is the only way to know if your graphics card can handle the extra speed.
Drawbacks Of Overclocking A GPU
Overclocking also has side effects. Overclocking any part of your PC – RAM, CPU, GPU – will shorten its lifespan. It causes instability in the system. Upgrading your GPU frequently with compatible upgrades means you are in your safe zone. However, forcing the card in will cause premature loss of the graphics card.
At the same time, overclocking the card will increase the temperature. It heats up and consumes extra power. Overclocking the CPU may cause undesirable alarming conditions. Even GPUs follow the same technology strategy but with less risk.
The reason is that most clock reforms can check the GPU’s higher clock limit and will not allow the limit to be exceeded. The precise clock limit of a GPU is difficult to determine.
The extra stress placed on the GPU can lead to premature failure. As a result, it decreases the lifespan of the GPU. It will not harm your system if handled with care.
Increasing the supply voltage along with the GPU clock speed is an optional step in overclocking and can be used to push your machine further. However, this optional procedure can slowly damage the GPU if the voltage exceeds the limit.
As well as within safe voltages, the silicon semiconductors in GPUs do not degrade significantly but do so when exceeding limits.
“Can overclocking damage GPU?” Yes, when you apply a voltage boost, it can damage your GPU. But aside from this, it’s safe, and temperature fluctuations aren’t as instantly lethal as voltage.
Overclocking a GPU is against the terms and conditions of the warranty. As a result, overclocking your GPU or any other component of your system will reduce its value and void its warranty.
Conclusion
Should you overclock your GPU or not? The answer to this question is entirely up to you and based on your computer’s needs.
For example, we have two GPUs. We overclocked our NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1080 Ti because we needed a boost in gaming performance. But our NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3090 Ti works perfectly fine without overclocking.[7] So we thought there was no need to do it.
You should also consider what kind of GPU you have and whether it is overclockable. You need software to tune your GPU’s performance by increasing clock speeds, managing voltages, and changing fan curves for higher temperatures.
If you need to boost your GPU’s performance and are familiar with overclocking utilities, there’s no reason not to overclock. Many people have successfully done this. This is risky but following the above steps makes it safe and easy.
More Helpful Resources By Tech4Gamers:
- Can A Motherboard Bottleneck A GPU? [Explained]
- Does Overclocking Reduce CPU Lifespan?
- What Is TDP, Factors, Overclocking & Guide
- How To Choose A CPU? [Things To Know]
References:
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Tech4Gamers. What Is Overclocking? [The Definitive Guide]. Retrieved from https://tech4gamers.com/overclocking/
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George Mason University. GPU Overclocking. Retrieved from https://mason.gmu.edu/~ttolosa/projects/gpu.html
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Blenderartist.org. Damaged GPU from 150MHz Overclocking? Retrieved from https://blenderartists.org/t/damaged-gpu-from-150mhz-overclock/1364166
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Boinc Community. Graphics Card Fry? Retrieved from https://boinc.berkeley.edu/forum_thread.php?id=3450&postid=22113#22113
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Dillo. Intel K vs KF vs F: What’s the Difference? Retrieved from https://dillo.org/intel-k-vs-kf-vs-f-whats-the-difference/
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Duke. Benchmarking Tools for Testing Your Computer’s Performance. Retrieved from https://sites.duke.edu/ddmc/2019/07/01/benchmarking-tools-for-testing-your-computers-performance/
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Tech4Gamers. BEST RTX 3090 Ti Graphics Card In 2024. Retrieved from https://tech4gamers.com/best-rtx-3090ti-graphics-cards/
Common Questions
The answer depends on your work needs. If you need some extra performance, you can, but always proceed with caution.
No, overclocking is not bad. However, it can be disadvantageous if you increase voltages too high, clock too much, and don’t overlook the temperature of the GPU and system.
Yes, you can overclock a laptop GPU. But overclocking your laptop GPU will void your warranty, so be sure to weigh the risks and benefits before taking this step.
This question doesn’t have an exact answer. Because each GPU, even the same models, would overclock differently or possibly not at all. The silicon used is microscopically different, so tolerances will also be different. If your GPU is compatible with overclocking, you should overclock your GPU memory by 10% or by 50 to 100 MHz. Anything under 10% should continue to perform steadily.
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[Wiki Editor]
Ali Rashid Khan is an avid gamer, hardware enthusiast, photographer, and devoted litterateur with a period of experience spanning more than 14 years. Sporting a specialization with regards to the latest tech in flagship phones, gaming laptops, and top-of-the-line PCs, Ali is known for consistently presenting the most detailed objective perspective on all types of gaming products, ranging from the Best Motherboards, CPU Coolers, RAM kits, GPUs, and PSUs amongst numerous other peripherals. When he’s not busy writing, you’ll find Ali meddling with mechanical keyboards, indulging in vehicular racing, or professionally competing worldwide with fellow mind-sport athletes in Scrabble at an international level. Currently speaking, Ali has completed his A-Level GCEs with plans to go into either Allopathic Medicine or Business Studies, or who knows, perhaps a full-time dedicated technological journalist.
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