Deep Power Down BIOS for reference HD4870 - Does it hurt the card ?

[David-Duc]

Everyone who used or using the reference HD4870 is totally scared by the card's noise and heat, this led me to the modding of my HIS HD4870 512MB BIOS so it can lower core/mem clock to a deeper stage, but this is what I'm considering about:

-ATi has set the card idle clock at 500/900 for core/mem, respectively - idle VDDC Current around 25Amps, this result in 70°C+ GPU temp with 27% fan speed :eek:. No changes in memory clock (because with GDDR5, memory clock change will result in a screen flicker).

-My modded BIOS has idle clock at 300/500 for core/mem - I've encountered a significant heat and noise reduction: idle VDDC Current around 14.5Amps, 58°C+ GPU temp with 29% fan speed. But everytime the card change it's memory clock, the screen flicker (I heard this is caused by GDDR5).

So I'm not sure if it is safe or dangerous to let my card run with this modded BIOS, since I have my comp running 24/7 and most of the time it's idle.

Does the continuously change of memory clock hurt the memory chips ?

[zanzabar]

u should beable to clock it to 250mhz 1.05V like the 4890 has, im down to 1.5W on the gpu with its stock bios. and did u try and updated bios the early ones ether clocked way to low and changed the ram causing problems or did nothing

[David-Duc]

Tried with 250/250 clocks, and even with a simple web page with 1-2 flash ojects, the screen flicker rapidly and continuously, 300/500 is the best for me :D :p. I'm just wondering about memory clock change, is it safe or not ? :p. I have 2 cards with GDDR5: 4870-4770 and none of them with the stock BIOS can reduce memory clock. GTS250 with GDDR3 can clocked down very well in 2D mode, 300/100 for core/mem, wish ATi could do that without any hassle.

[Jakalwarrior]

I bought my 4850 on release and since then I have had the idle set to 125/500 @ 1.046. Have never experienced any lag on a flash based web page, photoshop, etc.... Couldn't tell a bit of difference. I actually copied those values from a different branded 4850 OEM bios (Mine is Asus, was set at 500).

My 4850 bios looks like this now though I had to lower the clocks and voltages after a driver update from ATI that made the card stop working if voltages were bumped up... (lame ass ATI). http://pictureposter.allbrand.nu/pictures/oic0/temp+pics/RBE.jpg.html

[zanzabar]

Tried with 250/250 clocks, and even with a simple web page with 1-2 flash ojects, the screen flicker rapidly and continuously, 300/500 is the best for me :D :p. I'm just wondering about memory clock change, is it safe or not ? :p. I have 2 cards with GDDR5: 4870-4770 and none of them with the stock BIOS can reduce memory clock. GTS250 with GDDR3 can clocked down very well in 2D mode, 300/100 for core/mem, wish ATi could do that without any hassle.

i dont think that down clocking ram is a good idea, generally from what ive seen ram dies if u have it running at low speed with normal voltages and its only like 10W, and if it changes powerplay settings in game and u down clocked the ram be ready for a nice black screen for 1-20sec