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x1600 128MB Performance

K

Karnifax

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Apr 14, 2007
22
0
Hey guys, I have read many a thread on how under-clocked the x1600 video card is in the Macbook Pros. I decided to mess around with it a bit with the new Omega Video Drivers. I have boot-camped and ran this in windows- The stock GPU speed was 310mhz and it scored a 798 in the Omega Drivers Benchmark program.

(Apple Macbook Pro 2.0Ghz Core Duo, 1.5Gb Ram, 80gb 5400 Rpm HDD, 128Mb x1600)

Here are the results of a little higher levels:

375Mhz
Benchmark375.jpg


425Mhz
Benchmark425.jpg


I think that the 425Mhz is a optimal level of performance because if I turn it higher, it goes back down...I don't know why it does that, but this is my first real experience over-clocking.

I was stunned at the difference in performance in actual game-play. The laptop does not run noticeable hotter due to the increase in GPU/Memory speed. The fans to run at a higher RPM, but thats fine with me, it improved my gaming experience immensely. Let me know what yall think.
 
Interesting numbers. Glad to see you get a decent performance jump with the OC.

Unfortunately for ATI, its last two midrange video cards have been a letdown; both the X700 and X1600 have been soundly beaten in performance by the equivalent NVIDIA cards.

Keep an eye on those temperatures - Apple underclocked the card for reliability, and while most of us agree they overdid it the risk of burning the GPU in a laptop is higher than in a desktop, and more expensive.
 
I believe the major underclocking is only present on the original Core Duo MBPs - note this from Bare Feats:

More good news. Using Graphiccelerator, we were able to display the core frequencies of the ATI Mobility Radeon 1600 GPU while running OpenGL 3D games on the new 15" MacBook Pro. To our delight, the core clock jumped from 311MHz to 423MHz. The memory clock jumped from 297MHz to 450MHz. In the previous series of 15" MacBook Pros the clock speed remained at lower levels (we assume) due to cooling issues. Only the 17" MacBook Pros were up-clocking.
Click to expand...

423MHz/450MHz is slightly lower than the specc'd 470MHz/470MHz.
 
what are the long-term effects of overclocking a video card? other then over heating, can it damage other parts of your cpu other then the videocard?
 
thechris69 said:
what are the long-term effects of overclocking a video card? other then over heating, can it damage other parts of your cpu other then the videocard?
Click to expand...

Like everything else, "it depends".

In theory, it can shorten the life of the video card, it can cause the rest of the system to run too hot.

In reality, it's probably not much of an issue unless you use it in a place that's already pretty warm.

As the old saying goes, YMMV. Follow standard overclocking guidelines and you should be fine.
 
thechris69 said:
what are the long-term effects of overclocking a video card? other then over heating, can it damage other parts of your cpu other then the videocard?
Click to expand...

Like others have said - it depends. One major variable is the "stock" speed. If a manufacturer decides to run its chips at the upper end of the safe range, their may not be much room to safely overclock...

In theory, running a chip hotter reduces its useful life, though the difference may not be noticable (i.e the chip becomes obsolete and replaced long before it fails).

I've been running a GeForce 6800GT at stock speeds in my PowerMac G4 for about 15 months or so, and it runs between 65C at idle to 75C+ under heavy load - so far I haven't had any issues but it is certainly running hot. I can't safely overclock it unless I install a more efficient cooling system.

Overclocking the GPU in an iMac or laptop is more risky - the GPU tends to run hotter due to the less efficient cooling and frying the GPU generally means getting your motherboard replaced. :(
 
The stock clock speed for the X1600 Mobility is 470/470 MHz. Now Apple has underclocked this to keep the iMacs/MacBook Pros quiet.

You can clock it up to stock speeds in the iMacs and beyond. You just have to take into account what Apple has designed the cooling systems to take care of. At best you'll get more fan noise and RPMs, then video crashes, and at worst you'll get a fried chip.
 
Can apple tell if you've overclocked the videocard or anything? Supposed someone fried it, what would apple do? I mean they'd have to boot up into windows to see the clock speed difference anyway, and theoretically if one did fry their chip would they have any way of finding out?
 
f1400 said:
Can apple tell if you've overclocked the videocard or anything? Supposed someone fried it, what would apple do? I mean they'd have to boot up into windows to see the clock speed difference anyway, and theoretically if one did fry their chip would they have any way of finding out?
Click to expand...
At worst you might want to wipe your Windows partition. Reading it would show that you installed an overclocking tool or the driver for it.

You do not need video to wipe a hard drive.
 
You may not not necessarily get caught by Apple, but is pushing the limit on your GPU clock worth the risk of having to replace the logic board?

It's always best to be very cautious when overclocking no matter which computer you're doing it with.
 
Eidorian said:
At worst you might want to wipe your Windows partition. Reading it would show that you installed an overclocking tool or the driver for it.

You do not need video to wipe a hard drive.
Click to expand...

Oh ok I was under the impression the computer would not even boot (thought macs were different, no idea why I thought that) but that's good news. I was thinking about what a pain it would've been to open it up, take the drive out, wipe it, reinstall, put in back in (etc)
 
Lord Blackadder said:
You may not not necessarily get caught by Apple, but is pushing the limit on your GPU clock worth the risk of having to replace the logic board?

It's always best to be very cautious when overclocking no matter which computer you're doing it with.
Click to expand...

Oh a nd don't forget that if your GPU dies they basically have to replace the motherboard because it's in 1 piece, unless there is some way of repairing it? Correct me if I'm wrong
 
f1400 said:
Oh a nd don't forget that if your GPU dies they basically have to replace the motherboard because it's in 1 piece, unless there is some way of repairing it? Correct me if I'm wrong
Click to expand...

If you get Applecare isn't that a win-win situation?

Logic board burns out 2 years down the road, they give you a refurb cos those logic boards are out of stock.
 
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