How Overclockable are video cards?

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Uniqueuponhim

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In an air-cooled system, how much extra performance can you squeeze out of a HD4850 or 4870? How much of a difference does the brand of the card make? I noticed the Palit 4850 (which I'm looking at getting) has a huge copper heat sink and fan on it. Would that make it more or less overclockable than other brands with the plastic cover and fan? If it's not as good, would it be worth it to spend a bit extra on another, more overclockable brand? What about the different brands of the 4870? Thanks.
 
Brands really don't matter, its just a matter of luck and how decent the cooler is...

Some chips are lucky enough to go real far, some are crap and won't go much past its stock... its really luck of the draw
 
ya but arent the cards that have a factory overclock designed to handle it so you can take it that much further?
i still think ill get my 9800gx2 to do well
 
^ I honestly have no idea.. I think everything is buit to a certain tolerance and "Desired performance". (To who?)


OK.. enough talk.. I'm getting back to my game!! :D (Had to get a new mouse... Those things will SHATTER if you throw em hard enough!! F****ng Crysis.. LOL! )

GAWD I can't wait till my new rig comes in tomorrow!!
 
But that doesn't really answer my question: How much increase in performance (ie fps) can you expect from overclocking a 4850, or a 4870?

And how big a difference does having the big copper heat sink vs the composite cover make on the video cards?
 
IIRC the 4850 doesn't overclock well and you won't get much of a gain. I would guess the 4870 is the same but I never read a review for it.

And a good heatsink and fan can make a difference unless the chip on the card can't handle more voltage and higher clocks.
 
IIRC the 4850 doesn't overclock well and you won't get much of a gain. I would guess the 4870 is the same but I never read a review for it.

And a good heatsink and fan can make a difference unless the chip on the card can't handle more voltage and higher clocks.

The 4850's overclock great if you have good cooling. With water cooling gurusan has overclocked his 4850 high enough to beat a gtx280.
 
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