ASUS EAH3650 256MB overclocking, need help

[jcdenton21]

Hello

I bought ASUS EAH3650 256MB graphic card
the purpouse is to be able to watch HD movies on my Athlon64 3200+@2.5GHz

but it would be no fun if I haven´t tried to push it to the limit

the default clocks are 725/800
it has the stock Glaciator cooler (zalman style) but I changed the termal insulating tape :shadedshu with AS Ceramique
the temp at full load is something like 55°C
no Vmods are done because ASUS used proprietry parts without known pinouts

memory is 1.4ns Qimoda, it can do 1100MHz (I can´t remember if not something close to 1180MHz but why to push to the max, when the bandwith is not the bottleneck (or at least I hope so))
but the core drives me nuts
from stock 725MHz I can go as hihg as 864MHz
875MH locks up PC in 3dMark (temp somewhere around 50°C)
I read HD2600 overcvlocking, feedback thread and I found out that ATi did something wrong in BIOS/Drivers and it has bug (cant set clocks in range 854-880)
if they set it beyond 880, they could clock it as far as 920MHz+
I tried that on my 3650 but without any success
I used to use ATiTrayTools but higher it was not stable
I used AMD/ATi GPU Clock tool with CCC uninstalled but it was also not stable at 880MHz

if 65nm RV630 can go 920+ why my RV635 can´t go beyond 864?
VR-Zone got one ASUS EAH3650 TOP and they clocked it to 973MHz at stock cooling
I compared bios of mine EAH3650 and EAH3650 TOP and voltages were the same

What the hell am I doing wrong?

 

[Thermopylae_480]

I'm a fan of using lower wattage PSUs, so many people go out and buy 800 watt power supplies that they don't really need. In this case however, you might finnally be bumping into the ceiling with that 380 watt PSU when you overclock your video card. A 475-500 watt PSU might help out. If you have access to a higher wattage PSU you might try it out in this computer and see what happens. That PSU is fine for normal operation, but I really question its abilities when you start ramping up those voltages.

 

[jcdenton21]

no, unfortunatelly I don´t have another PSU

but this is SEASONIC
S12 380W was enough to feed e6300 and 8800GTX and it was stable

the card doesn´t even have additional power connector and CPU is so lowend today that it also does not need so much power

when I measured the power going from cord to PSU I measured 152W at full load (both cpu and gpu)
cpu @2.5GHz
gpu @stock 725/800

As you know, PSU does not generate any energy, it converts it only

So 150W input (from cord) means 150W output (for cpu, gpu etc.)

I believe that an OC on that card can raise power consumption to something like 170W. To be generous let´s say 200W
but PSU is capable of outputting at least 380W (you know seasonic, not something like KME, Eurocase, LC power crap)

 

[jcdenton21]

no suggestions?

 

[jbruneau]

Half of the PSU is pure wattage, the other part is AMPs.

How many AMPs are available on your 12V line?

I have 30A on 12, 52A on 5, and 30A on 3.3. No problems with my 8600GTS 256 or 8800GTS 512. Overclocking was a breeze!

I found that I OCd much much better after installing a Sytrin KuFormula VF1 Plus. My OC wasn't as good on an AC Accelero X1 even with the Turbo Module. Wanted to try the ThermalRight HR-03 but no cash...

 

[jbruneau]

Oh, does the Glacier cool the RAM as well?

Did you apply AS Ceramique to the RAM, or are they thermal pads?

If they aren't cooled, you may want to think about RAM Sinks.

Most of my OCing problems were RAM related.

 

[BUCK NASTY]

no suggestions?

Um, it's a 3650. Gonna be very limited on overclocks. Are you that guy that buy's a Hyundai and wants to know why it won't go 150mph?

 

[jcdenton21]

+3.3.... 22A
+5V......21A
+12V1...15A
+12V2...10A

stock glaciator cooler looks like zalman vf700 al
no heatsinks on RAM are installed, but not RAM OC but Core OC does not go higher
I was thinking of buying Aceelero S1 but no cash now
I know that better coller will do an improvement, but I don´t know how much

VR-Zone review ASUS EAH3650 TOP made 973MHz on core with stock cooler
I know that review ones are the best available, but 860 vs 970MHz is too big difference

why would it be limited?
if 65nm RV630 can do 920+
why 55nm RV635 could not do that or even better

 

[jcdenton21]

nobody else with advices?

 

[jbruneau]

Overclocking is chip-per-chip. Perhaps you just got a 'dud' it is hard to say. I don't think you could RMA the board or exchange it based on the fact that it doesn't overclock as well as you want it to.

The only thing you might be able to do is change the cooler on it..

 

[jcdenton21]

thank you for you reply
I know that every chip is unique

OK and what cooler should I buy?
Accelero S1 or is there something else on the market with even better cooling capabilities
It shouldn´t very expensive and it should cool very well

and my second question
could you please tell me where are voltage regulators on my card or other parts that need to be cooled when I add more power
I think thal all MOSFETs should be cooled.
That "black cubes" are also warm, but not burning. I don´t know exactly what it is but I think it could be coils. Capacitators are also warm (maybe heat from coils, maybe not)
What else, which chips, thanks.

 

[jcdenton21]

so I am gonna get Accelero S1 rev.2 for my card

where are VRM that need to be cooled?
thanks