Pushing the 7900 xtx

I have a 9800x3d and 7900xtx which are water cooled.
I have overdrive enabled, but my GPU never seems to want to clock over 2.4 gHz.
Here are the temps and LACT.

What I find weird is that the gpu cites hot spot temperature as to why it is not clocking higher, but the junction is like 40-50c.

So, I was thinking about using a different vbios to get more clocks, but the overdrive profiles have the same limits. The normal profiles do have different clocks though.
Is there a point to other vbios when overdrive exist?

Interesting. My rx 6800 runs a little cooler than yours, but not that much–maybe 48C under load. I’ve never seen it throttle based on temps. Does changing the location of the temp sensor LACT uses have any effect?

What now?
You can change the sensor?
Forgot to mention, on the gpu, green is memory, cyan is junction, red is core.

So, I have no fans plugged into the gpu anymore, and as a result, lact has no fan control.
Did try changing the temp first, and no difference, I set it to like 60c with edge (the lowest as well).

So we have no idea where you are, what you’ve done or even what version of TW you’re on … post inxi -GSaz and use the </> preformatted text button please …

  1. Next question … have you updated your BIOS? They have really neat tools to “perk up” your build without any 3rd party stuff … I haven’t built my new machine yet but that is the FIRST thing I’m going to do … pretty much all the AMD boards have recent updates
  2. Go back to stock and get a Baseline … you can’t go forward if you don’t know where ya been … same with your card … turn it back to stock

We need info and you’ve given us none … so “overclocking” might be a better subject for an “overclocking” forum and not a distribution forum … we can help with configuration concerning proper operation … from there there MAY be people with similar interests who would be inclined to help you out

Get a baseline and give us some proper info please …

Hm, I guess an overclocking forum might be better.
I just updated it, thanks for reminding me, boot time from 1:30 to 50s amazing what 1 version did.
I thought the temps and settings in lact might be enough for a starting point.
New version of lact no longer says I am thermal throttling.
Is there a preferred benchmark for linux? I have occt installed.
My main problem is that no game will have the GPU clock over 2.4 gHz, but it does have 100% utilization.

System:
  Kernel: 6.15.3-2-default arch: x86_64 bits: 64 compiler: gcc v: 15.1.1
    clocksource: tsc avail: hpet,acpi_pm
    parameters: BOOT_IMAGE=/boot/vmlinuz-6.15.3-2-default
    root=UUID=bfb1c97a-f4e3-4886-ada3-0770d88a7341 splash=silent quiet
    security=apparmor amdgpu.ppfeaturemask=0xffffffff mitigations=auto
  Desktop: KDE Plasma v: 6.4.1 tk: Qt v: N/A info: frameworks v: 6.15.0
    wm: kwin_wayland tools: avail: xscreensaver vt: 3 dm: SDDM Distro: openSUSE
    Tumbleweed 20250627
Graphics:
  Device-1: Advanced Micro Devices [AMD/ATI] Navi 31 [Radeon RX 7900 XT/7900
    XTX/7900 GRE/7900M] vendor: Sapphire PULSE driver: amdgpu v: kernel
    arch: RDNA-3 code: Navi-3x process: TSMC n5 (5nm) built: 2022+ pcie:
    gen: 4 speed: 16 GT/s lanes: 16 ports: active: DP-1 empty: DP-2,
    HDMI-A-1, HDMI-A-2, Writeback-1 bus-ID: 03:00.0 chip-ID: 1002:744c
    class-ID: 0300
  Device-2: Advanced Micro Devices [AMD/ATI] Granite Ridge [Radeon Graphics]
    vendor: ASUSTeK driver: amdgpu v: kernel pcie: gen: 4 speed: 16 GT/s
    lanes: 16 ports: active: DP-3,DP-5,DP-6 empty: DP-4,HDMI-A-3,Writeback-2
    bus-ID: 74:00.0 chip-ID: 1002:13c0 class-ID: 0300 temp: 45.0 C
  Device-3: MS USB Video driver: hid-generic,usbhid type: USB rev: 2.0
    speed: 480 Mb/s lanes: 1 mode: 2.0 bus-ID: 1-2.4:7 chip-ID: 345f:9133
    class-ID: 0300 serial: <filter>
  Display: wayland server: X.org v: 1.21.1.15 with: Xwayland v: 24.1.8
    compositor: kwin_wayland driver: X: loaded: modesetting unloaded: vesa
    alternate: fbdev dri: radeonsi gpu: amdgpu d-rect: 6400x3600 display-ID: 0
  Monitor-1: DP-1 pos: primary,top-left model: Samsung LC27G7xT
    serial: <filter> built: 2021 res: mode: 2560x1440 hz: 240 scale: 100% (1)
    dpi: 109 gamma: 1.2 size: 597x336mm (23.5x13.23") diag: 686mm (27")
    ratio: 16:9 modes: max: 2560x1440 min: 720x400
  Monitor-2: DP-3 pos: middle-r model: ASUS MB14AC serial: <filter>
    built: 2022 res: mode: 1920x1080 hz: 60 scale: 100% (1) dpi: 158 gamma: 1.2
    size: 309x174mm (12.17x6.85") diag: 355mm (14") ratio: 16:9 modes:
    max: 1920x1080 min: 720x400
  Monitor-3: DP-5 pos: middle-c model: MDSA156 built: 2025 res:
    mode: 1920x1080 hz: 60 scale: 100% (1) dpi: 138 gamma: 1.2
    size: 354x199mm (13.94x7.83") diag: 406mm (16") ratio: 16:9 modes:
    max: 1920x1080 min: 640x480
  Monitor-4: DP-6 pos: bottom-c model: MDSA156 built: 2025 res:
    mode: 1920x1080 hz: 60 scale: 100% (1) dpi: 138 gamma: 1.2
    size: 354x199mm (13.94x7.83") diag: 406mm (16") ratio: 16:9 modes:
    max: 1920x1080 min: 640x480
  API: EGL v: 1.5 hw: drv: amd radeonsi platforms: device: 0 drv: radeonsi
    device: 1 drv: radeonsi device: 2 drv: swrast gbm: drv: kms_swrast
    surfaceless: drv: radeonsi wayland: drv: radeonsi x11: drv: radeonsi
  API: OpenGL v: 4.6 compat-v: 4.5 vendor: amd mesa v: 25.1.4 glx-v: 1.4
    direct-render: yes renderer: AMD Radeon Graphics (radeonsi
    raphael_mendocino LLVM 20.1.6 DRM 3.63 6.15.3-2-default)
    device-ID: 1002:13c0 memory: 1.95 GiB unified: no display-ID: :1.0
  API: Vulkan v: 1.4.313 layers: 8 device: 0 type: integrated-gpu name: AMD
    Radeon Graphics (RADV RAPHAEL_MENDOCINO) driver: N/A device-ID: 1002:13c0
    surfaces: N/A device: 1 type: discrete-gpu name: AMD Radeon RX 7900 XTX
    (RADV NAVI31) driver: N/A device-ID: 1002:744c surfaces: N/A device: 2
    type: cpu name: llvmpipe (LLVM 20.1.6 256 bits) driver: N/A
    device-ID: 10005:0000 surfaces: N/A
  Info: Tools: api: clinfo, eglinfo, glxinfo, vulkaninfo
    de: kscreen-console,kscreen-doctor gpu: amdgpu_top, corectrl, lact
    wl: wayland-info x11: xdpyinfo, xprop, xrandr

That’s the silicon lottery … some will … some won’t … I would play with the bios settings first … AMD got some fine stuff in there … gotta go to the advanced tab

Did you check for updates on the VBIOS as well?

Doesnt seem to be anything in the advanced tab for GPU, the only gpu option is gpu boost, but it seems to apply to the iGPU? It doesn’t seem to help the FPS.

trusted computing
amd fTPM config
uefi variable protection
cpu config
pci subsystem settings
usb config
network stack config
nvme config
hdd/ssd smart info
sata config
apm config
onboard device config
nb confg
amd cbs
amd pbs
amd overclocking

I have an all core OC, with the lowest voltage which is stable with 1 hour of stress testing. Tuned ram to do at least 1 pass of memtest86+ (2200 fclk, 6000-24-33-33-70, though tras seems to be ignored this generation)
It’s just unfort that the gpu the is the only one I have not been able to tune, might have lost the silicon lottery here lol.
It seems there is a v 39 of the vbios, I’m on 31.
But is it better to use a more recent vbios or one for the aqua? currently using a pulse sapphire.
The overdrive profiles are the same, so perhaps newer is better?

As long as that’s for your particular card than ya … newer is usually better

Don’t try to get fancy with a BIOS not for your card

When you for my card do you mean:
Like same aib partner/model or same gpu die?
oh
So the v39 is unverified, but the lore is that the guy got it from sapphire support then uploaded it. But looking in the collection, I guess by default it only shows verified bios files, which is why I missed v39 for sapphire.

I mean for your particular model and manufacturer

Remember what I said about BASELINE? … that means STOCK

Does that matter since I no longer am using the cooling solution which came with the card?
The reason I ask is the new bios I found is for the sister card to the pulse, the nitro, so I imagine it will be the same. But might as well get the higher PPT and current limits. But I guess the might have more power delivery on the aqua maybe, but I have similar cooling performance.
I will flash the new one later today

Is there a community favorite benchmark for GPUS?
I will run it on default settings on LACT to revert my changes, then see if there was any uplift.

Don’t imagine … run it stock … go from there

I just want to point out here that 2.4GHz is below the stock boost frequency so if this is a silicon lottery thing, the card is defective and needs to be returned. The minimum you should expect is for it to run at stock baring external throttling.

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Now that it isn’t throttling, what is the GPU clock at? Did it improve at all?

Where did you get the settings you’re using in LACT? Were they recommended somewhere for your card, or did they come from experimentation?

I wouldn’t say there’s one standard benchmark here. I usually use vkmark or the benchmarks in hardinfo2.

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Experimentation, the mem clock seems to max out at 2.5 gHz. But Nothing on my system boost, not sure if is a linux thing, like the CPU with the all core oc is just 5.2 almost all the time, but thats the boost clock anway. But the base clock 1980 mHz game clock for this GPU is like 2.4 gHz, but it’s cooled, so it makes no sense it doesn’t want to boost higher.

You think they could take it after using it for a while?
I used to be air cooled, but didn’t look at the clocks at all, since it was putting out better performance than my last GPU. Now that I have a full liquid loop, its just using like 250 w out of the budget of 400.