NVIDIA Disables GeForce GTX 900M Mobile GPU Overclocking with Driver Update

[btarunr]

With GeForce R347 drivers (version 347.29), NVIDIA disabled overclocking on its GeForce GTX 900M series mobile GPUs. Buyers of new notebooks, and using older drivers, with the chips fell under the impression that like their desktop counterparts, the GTX 900M series support overclocking, until they updated their drivers to 347.29, to find that their overclocks were wiped back to reference clocks, and overclocking using third-party tools was disabled.

When angry users took to the official GeForce forums to report the bug, NVIDIA explained that overclocking on the GTX 900M series was enabled by accident, and has since been disabled with the recent driver updates. This explanation was met by angry reactions by users who argued that they should be allowed to use the hardware as they want, even if it voids their warranties. Historically, overclocking was allowed on NVIDIA GPUs.



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[vega22]

if you overclock them now how can we sell them to you again next year when we do it?

or is that not what this is saying?

 

[shhnedo]

if you overclock them now how can we sell them to you again next year when we do it?

or is that not what this is saying?

Sort of. If they make another rebrand like, they won't have much to change if people are allowed to OC their initial 9xxM gpus.

 

[P4-630]

If I owned a GTX980M I would not feel the need to overclock it, you would be able to run all games at 60fps or more @1080p!!
I have a GTX770M and not even overclock this one yet.

 

[Caring1]

What's stopping them from reverting back to an earlier driver?
If they really want to cook their GPU, let them.

 

[Octopuss]

If you want to play games and overclock, buy a damn desktop PC.

 

[jateruy]

Literally there's no point OC a 900M GPU, you pull the clock slider right, the card will almost always thermal throttles itself back left on every equipped notebook.

 

[Caring1]

Now, if they made liquid cooling for them .......

 

[dj-electric]

For those who wonder what overclocking will give them
The answer is not much. Outta the box, you reach near-maximum potential. With overclocking you won't gain much anyway. Far from desktop GPU potential.

 

[BUCK NASTY]

C'mon Nvidia. Why would you create more drama on top of what is already happening???

 

[svl7]

What's stopping them from reverting back to an earlier driver?
If they really want to cook their GPU, let them.

If you want to play games and overclock, buy a damn desktop PC.

I assume you guys never actually owned a mobile system with a powerful GPU. While there certainly are systems that can't handle an overclock too well due to thermal limitations, there are many notebooks that can easily take an overclock including increased voltage with no issues at all, without hitting a critical temperature.

With the power and temperature sensing that's implemented in modern hardware it is almost impossible to damage a GPU, especially a mobile one, by overclocking. If you hit a thermal limit the card will slow itself down instantly, Nvidia is really good at this. They seem to have learnt some things since their Fermi (aka Thermi) generation.
The GPUs used on mobile graphic cards are identical with the parts used on desktop SKUs, they can easily handle the load. If the thermal envelope of the system doesn't allow it it will simply throttle, and if there is enough headroom... well it will perform like a champ. No harm done.

Here's a 970m in a system that's more than 5 years old. Overclocked by about 50% on the core...

You see the potential of this card. Probably Nvidia really just wants an easier way to sell rebranded hardware. If they don't allow overclocking you'll be forced to buy the same hardware again in order to get the increased performance.

Literally there's no point OC a 900M GPU, you pull the clock slider right, the card will almost always thermal throttles itself back left on every equipped notebook.

That just means that the thermal design of your system is not able to handle it, it doesn't mean that overclocking is a bad idea in general.


Look at it this way, if Nvidia did the same thing on desktop parts, you'd all be furious... some people are notebook enthusiasts, and for them this is like a slap in the face.

For those who wonder what overclocking will give them
The answer is not much. Outta the box, you reach near-maximum potential. With overclocking you won't gain much anyway. Far from desktop GPU potential.

I have to disagree. As long as you have a solid mobile system you can get insane overclocks with no issues at all, see above.

 

[bogami]

Typical behavior of nVidia's some fucked up again ! Pll paying to nVidia for a good product and receive knife in the back ! Horor . They are also locked debt on GTX590 OC manual options having determined a design error .I will not forgive fhis theft because I then bought the strongest option with a water-cooled just for oc option .Well, after all, we are fortunate that we do not get send kg of rice in cardboard boxes for Subscribers nVidia product .

 

[john_]

Too many accidents there in Nvidia lately. Probably accidents follow Nvidia's earnings reports. Higher profits, higher probability of accidents. Or maybe it's just coincidence.

 

[ZoneDymo]

Too many accidents there in Nvidia lately. Probably accidents follow Nvidia's earnings reports. Higher profits, higher probability of accidents. Or maybe it's just coincidence.

The GTX970 memory fiasco is hardly an accident, they knew very well what they were doing and hoped it did not come out.
This... I guess you can call it an accident that you could overclock to begin with?
But I personally always thought you could, hell I can with my now like 4 years old ATI graphics based laptop.
Taking something away from the people like that is terrible and should be labeled as criminal imo.

 

[PLAfiller]

I don't have a problem with this. Nvidia for DA win!

 

[Tsukiyomi91]

I still prefer reliability more over raw power as OCing does not just make the chip run hotter but also reduces it's lifespan. The GTX900M chips are meant to last for 3-4 years for mobile users, not less than a year of 24/7 OCing while stress testing it to get the same synthetic numbers of a custom desktop GTX900 card with aftermarket cooling solutions or liquid-cooling kits. What NVIDIA did is a good move to remind number freaks that pushing your $2000+ GTX970M powered "gaming" laptop will not give you the same level of performance found in GTX970 rigs no more than $1500. BTW, the term "gaming" on laptops is just a gimmick.

 

[64K]

How many people OC their laptop GPU anyway? We're on a tech site so there may be a few that do but I never have and I've never known anyone that does. I don't look for ways to create more heat and shorten the battery life for a few more FPS.

 

[GhostRyder]

Well either way disabling it after you had it enabled is not exactly the smartest decision because you knew people were going to get mad about it.

While its not the most feasible thing and certainly something that only a small margin would do or even could do with thermal restraints and such, its still a feature that was there that is being taken away which is sure to make the masses mad. Though personally I would not consider overclocking a mobile GPU at least much because it can cause heat issues among other things to my machine.

 

[wickerman]

I wonder if Nvidia is so optimistic about their future in ARM based SoCs, that they are so willing to turn their backs on the desktop and mobile enthusiasts who have supported them for so many years? A lot of terrible moves lately certainly make it look that way...

 

[Cheeseball]

They probably had to disable it because the OEM laptop manufacturers would be pissed if they get lots of RMAs for enthusiast/gaming-level laptops that have ruined heatsinks or possibly melted casings due to to the extra heat made from the overclocks. Mobile GPUs throttle anyway so it's probably not a big deal.

 

[GorbazTheDragon]

I used to use an MSi GT60 with a GTX670m, when I played BF3 I had to overclock the GPU to get stable 60+ fps. The GPU ran well within thermal constraints, and was limited only by the lack of overvoltage. I still have the laptop and might give it a try with some voltmods, but I don't know if the power supply would like that.

Regardless, I don't think NV should be disabling OCing like that. When I OC my devices I am well aware of the risks and am willing to live with them. If people screw up NV doesnt have to replace them.

 

[Jorge]

There is no God given right to overclock anything. The entitled generation needs to get in touch with reality. You are free to do whatever you desire with a product that you purchase but no where does it state that a manufacturer must provide a means for a product to be modified nor warranty a modded product.

 

[PLAfiller]

I don't get it and I might be totally wrong in my conclusions, but, the 970 "fiasco" for me, was nVidia trying out new ways to manage the memory, albeit unsuccessful. That's not exactly a bad move, more like trying to be innovative move. So now, they disabled the mobile GPU OC, as people pointed above, hardly a deal breaker. I don't wan't to sound like a fanboy here, its just I am tired of people banging on their door for like every single thing.

If they had disabled it from the start, and this information leaked, then probably this article would've been called: Nvidia intentionally disabling OC on mobile GPU. Catch my drift?

If people screw up NV doesnt have to replace them.

Not so sure about that. I mean, if people mess up their laptop what usually happens is: Oh no mr. Salesman, I have done nothing wrong. I was typing on my Powerpoint and all of a sudden my laptop melted. While the reality should be something like: I was trying to get a few extra FPS using a 3rd party OC-tool and then the card hit it's termal limits, which the layout of this laptop wasn't inteded to and my laptop speakers melted. Can I get a new one for free?

 

[moviemarketing]

I don't look for ways to create more heat and shorten the battery life for a few more FPS.

If you are running games on battery, you're doing it wrong.

What NVIDIA did is a good move to remind number freaks that pushing your $2000 $1200 GTX970M powered "gaming" laptop will not give you the same level of performance found in GTX970 rigs no more than $1500.

Fixed that for ya - P650SE starts from $1230: http://www.xoticpc.com/sager-np8651-clevo-p650se-eta-nov7-p-7690.html

 

[Octopuss]

If you are running games on battery, you're doing it wrong.

If you are playing games on a notebook, you are doing it VERY WRONG, period.