EVGA Precision X1 0.4.8.0 Launched with "Boost Lock" Feature

[btarunr]

EVGA Thursday released the latest version of its Precision X1 software that lets you overclock, monitor, and customize your graphics cards. The latest version 0.4.8.0 adds a particularly useful feature for enthusiasts, which has the potential to become a must-have, called Boost Lock. This toggle locks the graphics card to a specific frequency, and disables boost beyond these clocks.

Power-limit will still be active in this state, the GPU will either hit the specified clock speed or below. The feature is particularly useful for overclockers, as it vastly reduces the uncertainty involved in getting the GPU stay at a desired clock-speed, and truly brings "precision" to the table. One drawback is that the card will no longer return to its idle clock state, leading to an increase in power consumption.



DOWNLOAD: EVGA Precision X1 0.4.8.0

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[sifu]

I prefer the undervolt way with MSI afterburner, maximum clock @ 900mV on balanced plan so that it downclocks back to 625mV/139MHz

 

[avatar_raq]

Waiting for MSI afterburner to get this feature. I hated precision X when I installed it few years ago and I do not want to give it another try!

 

[Blueberries]

I suppose if you're benchmarking and attempting to get the best score possible...

for daily use / gaming it's a horrible idea.

 

[EarthDog]

I suppose if you're benchmarking and attempting to get the best score possible...

for daily use / gaming it's a horrible idea.

Why would it be a "horrible" idea to lock clocks for gaming?

 

[er557]

because it's superficial and bypassing the normal boost the card can do under better circumstances, as the manufacturer intended, also the power usage will be higher needlessly

 

[claster17]

Waiting for MSI afterburner to get this feature. I hated precision X when I installed it few years ago and I do not want to give it another try!

Afterburner had this feature ever since they added the voltage-frequency-editor. Simply press L and apply after selecting a specific clock/voltage.

 

[eidairaman1]

Sounds like clock profiles

 

[er557]

I hate evga software; buggy, always beta, resource hog, lacks features, pales in comparison to msi AB

 

[CrAsHnBuRnXp]

I really like the updated look of precision. I havent used it in a while and it looks really cool to me.

 

[EarthDog]

because it's superficial and bypassing the normal boost the card can do under better circumstances, as the manufacturer intended, also the power usage will be higher needlessly

????

All you need to do is set it at the static clock... if you leave it at stock and enable it, yes, it locks to the base boost clock. Raise the slider to the normal, constantly fluctuating boost values, and you have the same clocks but without it varying a few boost bins........

 

[er557]

I meant "artificial", it bypasses the auto boost, which is derived from temps and power, and is better designed, than simply locking the boost and pegging it. And of course- power usage. Effectively locking it is going back to 2001 era overclocking, when gpus had no auto boost.

 

[EarthDog]

I meant "artificial", it bypasses the auto boost, which is derived from temps and power, and is better designed, than simply locking the boost and pegging it. And of course- power usage. Effectively locking it is going back to 2001 era overclocking, when gpus had no auto boost.

If you are worried about power use, sure, you have a point on idle. Othewise, the difference between a couple of boost bins and power is nill. Besides all you need to do is disable it when you are done gaming. Easy breezy.

Most people do NOT like the boost and how it jumps around due to temp and power limits, etc. This way temps aren't a factor and it can sustain higher clocks and only need to fit within power limits.

Sounds like clock profiles

Que? It is nothing like that... at all.

 

[LAN_deRf_HA]

This solves a long standing annoyance I've had with nvidia overclocking. You could set an offset and get a stable in game frequency of let's say 2000mhz, but for a lighter 3d load it could be 50mhz higher, which might be unstable. This never made any sense to me. Now if only afterburner would get this feature.

 

[Blueberries]

Why would it be a "horrible" idea to lock clocks for gaming?

Increasing the load and heat on your card and inside your chassis when it's not necessary is a terrible idea that will shorten the life of your hardware. GPU boost already works very well, the only performance gain you will see from this is superficial, meaning that briefly -certain frames- will render with a higher FPS. Given that GPUs already update their boost clock every 20ms or so, you're not going to get any actual advantage in real-time gameplay, only benchmarks that use an average of frametime to score the card.

 

[EarthDog]

Increasing the load and heat on your card and inside your chassis when it's not necessary is a terrible idea that will shorten the life of your hardware. GPU boost already works very well, the only performance gain you will see from this is superficial, meaning that briefly -certain frames- will render with a higher FPS. Given that GPUs already update their boost clock every 20ms or so, you're not going to get any actual advantage in real-time gameplay, only benchmarks that use an average of frametime to score the card.

It doesnt increase the load by much. Boost will vary only a couple of bins, so its literally 30mhz it holds.. like 2-3 boost bins. That said, it wont be much different heat either.. you should test it and see.

The worst part in this is at idle, but again, just shut it off when you are done.

Anyway, it's clear this isnt for everyone, but can help benches and reviewers along with keeping more stable clocks and framtimes. It isnt "horrible" nor "terrible" though.
That's being dramatic at best...

 

[low]

Some people have a pc dedicated to gaming only. They dont care for energy and loudness. They just shutdown the pc after gaming.


So i enabled boost lock and its always at 1740 instead of 2020. This feature is just for reviews. Maybee frametimes in games get better?

 

[EarthDog]

Some people have a pc dedicated to gaming only. They dont care for energy and loudness. They just shutdown the pc after gaming.


So i enabled boost lock and its always at 1740 instead of 2020. This feature is just for reviews. Maybee frametimes in games get better?

You arent using it right.

If you sit around 2020, then set the slider in msi afterburner/precision x1 so the boost clock is 2020 and it will hold there.

Read the thread there shouldnt be any confusion as to how it works or how little difference it would make it power use/heat, etc.

 

[lsevald]

How is this different from Kboost?

 

[EarthDog]

How is this different from Kboost?

It works with Turing.

 

[lsevald]

Oh, I see I just tried Kboost on my 1080ti a couple of days ago, but I didn't like the ~75watt idling with my overclock. Maybe it isn't as bad on Turing?

 

[EarthDog]

Enable it when you play games... disable it otherwise.

 

[lsevald]

That works...a bit annoying a windows restart is required to switch it on/off though. I use Bitsum ParkControl for the same purpose on my CPU, luckily no reboot required

 

[EarthDog]

I enabled and disabled without restarting windows.

 

[lsevald]

Interesting Maybe I'm not doing it right then. I use an old "Default EVGA PrecisionX 16 skin" in the latest version of Afterburner, a skin which has the Kboost toggle, and I'm asked to restart as soon as I click it. My fault for using a "hack" I guess...

Edit: I tried the newer XOC and X1 versions of Precision, I don't think they agree very well with my "Mining rescue" Palit card with the XOC no power limit bios on it. I much prefer how the AB "hack" works over it anyway