overclocking. Good or bad ?

Hi again

I'm new to this gfx overclocking stuff.. what are the pros and cons in overclocking a gfx card ?

I have alienware m15x with 1GB gtx 460m and is it possible for me to overclock it ? if so can you guide me how to do them or any link ?

Code:

Pros:


Cons:


How to:

I hope this will also help many other people that are new to overclocking stuff

Thanks for the help. Much appreciated

 

overclocking is very easy there are many tools for that like:

EVGA Precision (my favorite), MSI Afterburner, Gainward ExperTool and so on...

i can overclock my GTX 460 to 800/1600 mhz without any probs,
but this always depends on the card, every card has its own potencial, some can be overclocked higher than others.

 

Pro: Much stronger.
Cons: Heat increases. If overclocked too much the GPU may throttle.

 

overclocking is pushing hardware above system spec, getting extra performance.

the issues include heat, but also the fact that stressing the gpu above what it was designed for may reveal potential faults and cause the hardware to fail. no hardware lasts forever, overclocking will generally shorten it's life span (which is usually longer than is necessary before being replaced).

bottom line is, if you're not willing to risk it, don't overclock it. this is the first question you must answer for yourself.

as to how, the overclocking tools designed specifically for this.
a popular one is sapphire trixx.

know your stock clocks, and work slowly. increase the core and memory in small steps. play a little, look for artifacting/glitches in game. also keep an eye on your temps to ensure they're not out of control.

 

@xeroxide: TriXX won't be any help with the OPs 460m

@OP: MSI Afterburner is a very comfortable tool for overclocking a 460m, if you want some more options, take a look at NVidia Inspector.

 

Pros: Your laptop will run faster in term of gaming. And a plus, you'll get to see your laptop flying with fire coming from the back if u push it hard enough XD

Cons: You'll need a helicopter to chase your laptop back XD

ps: don't take this seriously, overclocking is not that dangerous lol XD. Just use AfterBurner and hwinfo to check the temps

 

Yeah, as long as you don't go crazy with the voltage you don't really need to worry, only make sure your temps are ok.
The 460m doesn't allow increasing the voltage anyway. (At least not without a soldering iron )

 

Pros: More performance, more value for the money you spent on the card


Cons: Possibly shorter lifespan


How to: Trixx, Msi afterburner, custom bios (dangerous)

 

Thanks guys

Now i know what overclocking these beast mean

But i will stick without overclocking since the games i play in full high settings runs smoothly.

Mafia II
faryCry 2
Left 4 Dead 2
Batman Arkham Asylum
GTA IV ( this B* is only making trouble for me )