MSI GTX 460 1GB Hawk Edition Overclocking & Performance Linus Tech Tips

This Linus Tech Tips video delves into overclocking the MSI GeForce GTX 460 Hawk Edition and evaluates the performance gains achievable with careful voltage tweaking and cooling. The host demonstrates the physical setup, noting the Twin Frozr 2 heat sink, dual DVI outputs, and additional fans aimed at stabilizing temperatures during aggressive tuning. A beta version of MSI Afterburner is used to adjust core, memory, and auxiliary voltages, with the core voltage being pushed to maximize performance while monitoring stability. The presenter reports a final core clock of 962 MHz that is fully validated for stability, and he mentions plans to optimize memory timing next, followed by running 3DMark benchmarks to produce an apples-to-apples comparison against the GTX 480. He also clarifies hardware specifics such as the Hawk card’s longer PCB length compared to a reference GTX 460, and he sets up a future comparison framework with the GTX 480 to quantify the performance delta. Throughout, the video emphasizes the practical limits of overclocking, stability testing, and the expected gains for enthusiasts seeking to squeeze extra frames from a mid-range GPU. Viewers are encouraged to stay tuned for more updates and to subscribe for ongoing coverage of this particular MSI video card. The overall takeaway is that the GTX 460 Hawk Edition can achieve meaningful boosts under manual voltage control, albeit with careful monitoring of temperatures and stability during overclock testing.

Topics · hardware · overclocking · graphics-card · performance · technology · computer-science