ATI Overdrive 4 plans

[W1zzard]

ATI will introduce Overdrive 4 with the next Catalyst Driver scheduled in March.

Previously you could only overclock your GPU core with Overdrive, and only by a rather small amount.
Now you can overclock both core and memory and the frequency range will be increased to 75% of the next higher class product.
For example the X800 Non-Pro (400 Mhz / 350 Mhz) could be overclocked up to 456 Mhz Core (400 + (475-400) * 0.75). The memory overclock would be 425 Mhz (350 + (450-350) * 0.75).

This rule does not apply to the XT and XT PE versions of the card and it does not apply across video card generations.

One requirement for Overdrive 4 is that a digitally-signed "SecureBios" is present on the video card. At the moment it is unclear whether current video cards without the signed bios will work. But we think ATI wants to let as many users as possible use the new Overdrive so exceptions will probably be made.

Another requirement is that a thermal sensor circuit MUST be present on all cards supporting Overdrive 4 because temperature monitoring will be used to prevent overheating damage to the chip.

[Mussels]

and just how will it test for a stable MHz? i sure know my X800 has issues with even small OC on the core, ram is fine tho.

also, i think ATI may juse test the cores as they do, and flash the cards BIOS with two speeds, one stock, one overdrive... and it just cycles up and down based on temperature. i doubt ATI will include some testing util, with the amount of crashes we see here with ATI tool.

so i think it needs that bios set at the start, and the only hope we have is of modding our bioses with support for it, possibly adding out known OC into it... not like we care when we have ATItool.

[W1zzard]

hmm but how will ati account for different thermal environments when they pretest the chips?

Given the fact that current ATI GPUs overclock a measly 1-3% until they start generating artifacts like dropped pixels, this seems to be a bold move. I only hope that they finally get their yields under control to the point where a) there is a supply and b) there is at least some 5-10% performance overhead, otherwise, they will become famous for even paperlaunching software.

[Christer]

My X800Pro overclocks from 475/450 to 520/530 with the stock cooler and no artifacts. I have the Silencer on there now so will see what more I can do...

The X800Pro is the exception since it is basically using cores that were specked for higher speed and is set apart from those by the disabled 4th pipeline block. In other words, there is no reason why it should not work at the speed rated for the X800XT since the "bad part" is already eliminated. However, the X800XL or the X800XT that are already running at the designed speed just don't seem to go any higher and whatever ICs are screened out that will go higher - those are sold as the elusive PE series -- which is excluded from the OC expectations anyway.

[Rammsteiner]

Hmmm... Well, when I got my Sapphire X800Pro ViVo back, Ill OC it lol. But I read somwhere that the Sapphire is a great OCer, in a review, wiht the redline software(delivered in the box ghehe) they got 580/580... If overdrive 4 will work on the X800Pro... Well, Im afraid that those speeds will be reduced by the BIOS? Ill wait for some reviews before using it I think...

I own a dell XPS laptop with a ATI 9800 256MB graphics card. and I have beens seeing some discussion on notebookforums.com about this card actually having 12 pipe lines rather than the
8 as avertised and that moding the bios will enable these pipes and gaining significant persormance gains over run of the mill OCing. So this maybe why ATI is doing this so the can sell the Same card for different prices and only adjust the Bios to change the card.

Gamer on the G0

[Rammsteiner]

I just installed the new driver with Overdive 4, Ive a X800pro ViVo with an Ati X800Pro BIOS that enabled 16 pipelines on my VGA. But Overdrive isnt working for me. Is it for someone else working? Or do I need to install a X800XT PE BIOS so Ive an 'original' BIOS? Thx in advance

i have a x800xtpe and ive just downloaded the new 5.3 driver and i 2 only have the normal overdrive option, not the overdrive 4 as discussed, maybe they didnt introduce it here, but overdrive 4 is meantioned in the help section of the control centre, i was wondering if it was the same with both the control pannel and the control centre. if any1 finds out please post it

[Super XP]

Where can we Download it from?

[ReconCX]

patience young padawan (sorry, been playing way too much KoTOR/KoTOR2 lately)

It'll probably come out with the april relase (5.4). They probably meant to do this for March but since it's so close to april, then they'll just wait until then.

[Super XP]

Originally Posted by ReconCX

patience young padawan (sorry, been playing way too much KoTOR/KoTOR2 lately)

It'll probably come out with the april relase (5.4). They probably meant to do this for March but since it's so close to april, then they'll just wait until then.

O.K. well I hear that all the new ATI cards make Aquamark 3 crash. So, I prooved it with my X800 XL & X700 Pro with old drivers & new drivers.

WE NEED 5.4 Drivers soon.

Will overdrive 4 work with the x800 xt p.e with the new 5.4 drivers

I was able to oc my card to 595 core + 1240 mem using a ati silencer 4 (load temps =52 c )
3dmark 01 = 27569
3dmark 03 = 12958
3dmark 05 = 6355

amd 3500+(90nm)
1024 ocz platinum rev 2

Originally Posted by Unregistered

I was able to oc my card to 595 core + 1240 mem using a ati silencer 4 (load temps =52 c )
3dmark 01 = 27569
3dmark 03 = 12958
3dmark 05 = 6355

amd 3500+(90nm)
1024 ocz platinum rev 2

5.4's are OUT RIGHT NOW?????????????????????

AMD RULES 10000000000000%

Originally Posted by Unregistered

Given the fact that current ATI GPUs overclock a measly 1-3% until they start generating artifacts like dropped pixels, this seems to be a bold move. I only hope that they finally get their yields under control to the point where a) there is a supply and b) there is at least some 5-10% performance overhead, otherwise, they will become famous for even paperlaunching software.

1 -3 % ... i beg to differ. my X800XT is running stably at 554/582 looks like a little more than 3% if i asy so myself