(TLDR version: Upgraded GPU cooling and dropped temperatures by 20 degrees, yet refuses to boost close to previous levels even with a higher power limit)
I've been overclocking my Zotac 5080 Solid Core OC. I have the Apocolypse BIOS flashed with a 450w power limit. On the factory cooling solution I didn't want to push the power too far and left it capped at 410w, it would reliably boost to 3100mhz and score around 9700 in Steel Nomad.
Yesterday I tore it down to re-paste everything and replace the factory fans with 120mm arctic p12 pros. PTM7950 on the GPU. Mosfets, chokes, and vram got Gelid GP-Ultimate pads. Temperatures are fantastic. It dropped 20 degrees on the GPU, which remains in the 50s under load. Even the VRAM is much cooler now.
Yet, with substantially better temps and a raised power limit it refuses to boost nearly as high.
It used to hold around 3100mhz and ~1.04v while pulling 410w. Now it rarely breaks past 2700mhz and 0.96v, and the confusing part is that it pulls 450w at these settings despite the fact that it used to boost higher at higher voltages with lower power use?
I have a few guesses as to what it might be:
- Some sort of panic because it doesn't detect any fans.
What I have tried:
I have flashed a different BIOS with no change in behavior. Also, I don't see any mention of this concern with people who waterblock them, so I am doubting this is an issue. Also why would it let me pull 450w if that was the problem…
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Strange behavior of the algorithms which control clock/voltage not being used to cards running this cool… but then everyone who watercools them would have the same issue and I would have found my solution with Google so I don't think that's it?
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I have no way to monitor the temperature of VRM components, maybe my thermal pads are not making good contact and are way too hot? I just checked, it looks to me like they have good contact.
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A new driver dropped yesterday, is that the culprit? I just DDU'd the new drivers and reinstalled the previous version. Did not fix anything.
Has anyone encountered this strange phenomenon before?