Firmware is not the same thing as BIOS. This is not fixable via a firmware update.

Power limit would be done usually in the bios of the gpu with nvflash or an executive file for the bios of the gpu not the firmware which controls the rgb, fans and the more minor issues of the card that have to do with the mcu controller.

FurlongNation
What resistors did you end up shunting your XC3 Ultra with?  I'm looking at either replacing with 4 mOhms or stacking 15 mOhms on top of the stock 5 mOhms since it seems like 460W is the point of diminishing returns.

15mOhm stacked on each 8 pin connector.
That gives you 443W on EVGA Bios default power slider and 460W at 105% slider.
Or on the gigabyte Bios, 469W default and 485W at 105%.

Iv got some 10mOhm ones coming I was going to change out to when I redo my loop. The back plate is getting a bit too hot for my liking and iv already got a 120mm blowing on it so going to add a chipset waterblock to it.
That will give me 489W on EVGA bios default power limit and 507W on 105% slider. Which is about the limit of what id want to put this 1000W PSU though.
But yeah, The gains up to 460W have been massive. Especially considering what my base score was when I first installed this card and ran it stock.

*edited * derp, I was looking at the wrong page

You guys are arguing semantics. BIOS is firmware.

Firmware on the ICX MCU is firmware. Firmware on the BIOS EEPROM is firmware.

They are both firmware.

Firmware CAN fix the 'issue'. But one firmware can and not the other. The ICX firmware can't fix the "issue'. The BIOS firmware can fix the "issue".

Celeras
The only people making it a semantics argument are those who are wrong. They're labeled as "BIOS" and "Firmware" versions in X1 for a reason. A firmware update will not address the issue and the BIOS update will.

No reason to muddy the water so someone can save face.

It only matters what EVGA labels it in X1 if EVERYONE agrees implicitly with EVGA's label and everyone refers to it as EVGA labels it in X1.  The problem is that not everyone does agree with EVGA's label and not everyone does implicitly agree with the EVGA's definition of firmware.

The fact is that a ICX MCU firmware update can't "fix" this "issue" of the power limit being lower than what people want.  The other fact is that a BIOS firmware update CAN "fix" this "issue" of the power limit being lower than what people want.  I'm not sure what you two were arguing.  I couldn't tell because neither of you explicitly stated your opinion of the definition of firmware.  All I am saying is that you two are both right depending on your individual definitions.
 
The FACT is that BIOS IS FIRMWARE.  If EVGA doesn't call BIOS firmware, fine, as long as everyone agrees with EVGA's definition for this one instance.  In ALL OTHER instances, BIOS is firmware.  Fact.  Since BIOS is factually firmware, it helps to state "BIOS firmware" or "ICX MCU firmware" in posts to minimize confusion.  Otherwise, we would have to have this long-winded explanation every time that someone misunderstands the other person's statement.
 

 
Carry on.  I was just pointing out the absurdity of your two arguments since neither of you provided enough information to disclose your definitions or explain what you were truly arguing.  Funny enough, you could have both been arguing the same thing but not realized it.
 
 
ADDITIONALY, I personally often refer to the BIOS on the motherboard or video card as firmware.  Why?  Because it is UEFI firmware these days.  UEFI firmware is technically not BIOS.  UEFI replaced BIOS.  Really throws a wrench in things, huh?
You REALLY should refer to the ICX MCU firmware as "ICX MCU firmware" or "ICX firmware" or "MCU firmware" or something to differentiate the two apart.  If you just say "firmware" I am going to assume that you are talking about what used to be called BIOS, every time.

FurlongNation
Thanks for the info.  Did you just do the resistors by the 8 pin connectors?  I've seen conflicting anecdotal evidence where some say they have had to shunt 6+ resistors including the one by the PCI lane to get it to work.

Just the connectors since thats what will raise the main powerlimiter.

PCI-E one isnt really needed. Leaving it as it is the card seems to keep that around 75-86W in GPUZ.
Then below the connector ones you have Memory and Core Wattage. Which isnt really needed. Since Nvidia set those power limits already to 150W memory and 400W Core.
With 485W board power GPUZ is showing.
96W Memory
301W Core
88W SCR

No idea what the 6th one SCR is for or what it does.

Really it depends how much power your after.
If you want all the power it can take then you would shunt them all. If your just wanting to raise the limit a bit higher then just shunt the 2 connectors ones since total board power is calculated with the connectors and pci-slot draw added together. And thats what your raising with the power limit slider in overclocking software.

The FE card already has power slider going up to 400W. So the next limit they would be hitting once its shunted to take 500+W would be the GPU Chip limit of 400W while the total board is pulling like 520W.

I just also note youll need new thermal pads for the chokes since they use a thick paste on them from factory that just falls apary when you remove the cooler.

I get can some better pics when I change them out.

Yeah, The water block came with pads so I just used those.

did we end up getting a bios/firmware update to increase the power limits?

GimliSonOfGLoin

JJ_Cane_Reddit
did we end up getting a bios/firmware update to increase the power limits?

No and it's very unlikely we'll get one (from official sources anyway). It's already maxing out the specifications of the power supply to the card (75W from the PCIe bus + 2x 150W from the supplementary 8-pin connectors). That's a total of 375W of power by specification and I'm regularly pushing 365+ W through the card.
 
If you want more power, get a card that's designed for it and has three supplementary 8-pin connectors. That'll give you another 150W to play with.

Thanks Gimli. What software are you using for OC?
Any views on undervolting? Saw a few posts showing that they get actually better results.
 
Thanks

JJ_Cane_Reddit
did we end up getting a bios/firmware update to increase the power limits?

Nope, Since they dont want to sell this model. They make more selling the FTW models.
Gigabyte Gaming OC bios is best one you can use. But depending on monitor setup you will lose middle DP.
Other wise you have to void warranty and shunt mod it.

bmgjet
For gaming I have the curve flatten from 1V+ so it never uses more then 1V since in games it just ramps right up to 1.080V and then throttles right back down to 0.8V over and over VS setting that limit it goes up to 1V then bounces between that and 0.95V.

Gamers nexus did a video where he said power the fans externally and unplugged the RGB was good for 500 points since your losing about 8W to those things.

Sure enough doing that gained me about 500 more points. Just shows even more so that 390W isnt enough either.
Ill keep my figures cross that they release a updated bios with higher power limits since I dont want to be stuck on the Gigabyte one just to make there card competitives in the 2 plug cards.
That and they need to fix the bios for the fans. If you get the card down to 25C then the middle fan stops spinning and makes a clicking sound as it trys to move every 500-1000 ms.

Other wise ill just have to shunt mod it when my water block arrives in 2 weeks. That got my 1080ti black from being middle of the pack to hanging with the top end cards.

I have the 3090 xc3 ultra hybrid, could you explain how to power the fans externally and unplug the RGB? I only see a cable from the card