Maximum PC

I'm trying to overclock my MSi N560GTX-Ti (OC Edition) using Afterburner. I'm getting stable performance at a 980MHz core clock, 1960MHz shader clock, and voltage bumped up slightly to 1025 mV.

Now, I'm not sure how far to push my voltage. I've Googled reviews of this card. In one, the voltage was pushed as high as Afterburner allows (about 1150 mV) and a 1.2GHz core clock was stable. Is this safe to do or can this cause major damage to the card? Will this cause outrageous power consumption?

In another review, the voltage was pushed to about 1040 mV, and the card was stable at about 1GHz. Is this a better option?

Any feedback is appreciated.

It's a common misconception that overclocking shortens the lifespan of parts. I've been OC'ing CPU's, GPU's, RAM, and just bus speeds in general (in both desktops and laptops) for a long time. You just have to be able to keep the part running within it's recommended thermal limits since higher clocks = higher heat production. The heat is generated by the part consuming more energy to drive the faster clock settings, but obviously it will only draw up to a certain specified safe limit.

Overvolting obviously is the solution, but unlike a reasonable overclock, adding voltage can damage your hardware. Capacitors, resistors, and the IC's themselves are all rated for a specific range of energy flow. Exceeding that recommended range not only generates more heat, but it stresses the part itself. Not all hardware will overclock the same for various reasons, so don't expect your card to perform exactly as one you read about.

The general rule of thumb for casual overclocking is one of compromise. OC in small intervals until the card becomes unstable. Add just enough voltage so that it remains stable during stress testing. Monitor the temps, and you can walk the fine line between added performance and taking care of your gear.

Keep this in mind. The human eye is not going to discern the difference between 120FPS and 130FPS. The only added benefit after a certain point becomes higher scores in benchmarks and bragging rights. You can use something like FRAPS to check your frames, and HWMonitor to keep an eye on your temps. Good luck!

Thanks for the info! I'll try to be as conservative with voltages as possible.

I think I've found my sweet spot for this card. At these settings, the card has passed multiple 5-minute Furmark benchmarks (1080p, No AA):
Core Voltage: 1050 mV
Core Clock: 1000 MHz
Shader Clock: 2000 MHz
Memory Clock: 2100 MHz (I won't bother overclocking this)
Max Temp: 84C
Max Fan Speed: 98%

This overclock gives me an extra 170 3DMarks (Extreme) and I think Crysis 2 (DX11) will run maxed at a solid 30FPS.

Furmark failed with the Core Voltage at 1037 mV, so I can't lower the voltage at this clock speed. Is this a safe voltage? Is it too much voltage? Do I have room for more voltage?

The temps are a small concern. The Fermi architecture runs a bit warm, but I wouldn't really be comfortable with 84*C. Comparable AMD cards usually run high 60's low 70's with the fan speed at an appropriate level. Nvidia cards should be shooting more for the mid to high 70's. How's the airflow in your case? Do you have fans drawing in cool air? Keep an eye out for artifacting. If you see any visual anomalies you're pushing the part too hard.

I have a 200mm front intake that came with the chassis (CM Storm Enforcer). The BIOS says it spins at about 700 RPM. I do have a lot more exhaust than intake. I can't do much about it, though; there's no other spot for intake.
But I'm not too worried; I'll never be running the GPU at full throttle outside of benchmarks. So it won't be in the 80s normally.
And it survived 45 minutes of Furmark without a hiccup, so I'd say it's stable.

I haven't seen any artifacts yet. I'll keep an eye out, though.

I had to bump the voltage up to 1062 mV to stop Crysis 2 from freezing. Furmark was fine at 1050 mV... Whatever, it works.