Dear Forum,
It would have been very nice if anyone could explain to all of us the power managment profile under the NVidia Drivers settings for SLI configurations
I am running my 4SLI 970GTX's SSC's, on Z87 Classi, slightly overclocked by tweaking only the cards power target limit to 103% and using optimal power setting under global NVidia settings with no issues. 
But I am wondering if it is a proper setting configuration taking always in consideration the cards power demands.

Use "Prefer maximum performance" power settings instead of Optimal under the "Global Settings" tab.
What Others here on the Forum are saying

I agree with Maximum under each and every program/game. If you set it in global, then your cards will stay at high clocks on the desktop. Having it down lock on the desktop so it can cool off more efficiently and reduce power would be your best best.

Optimal power: Reduces power consumption when the computer is idle and nothing is changing on the screen, the driver will not make the gpu render a new frame, the driver will use the already rendered frame from the framestore and output directly to monitor to save power.
 
Adaptive: Allows the graphics driver to automatically determine the proper performance state based on gpu usage. Allows the gpu to render a new frame when needed.
 
Prefer maximum performance: Makes the card run at its maximum performance state when 3d applications are running regardless of gpu usage. Prefer maximum performance shouldn't be set under the global tab as it can cause your gpu clocks to run at base clock all the time when web browsing.
 
For best results use adaptive under global settings & prefer maximum performance under program settings for each game.

bcavnaugh
Current Drivers
 
Looks like we still have issues on the Forum and Images.

I don't have those last two settings. In any case, you're showing that you're using Optimal in the Global profile versus the Max Perf.

HeavyHemi

bcavnaugh
Current Drivers
 
Looks like we still have issues on the Forum and Images.

I don't have those last two settings. In any case, you're showing that you're using Optimal in the Global profile versus the Max Perf.

This is a GTX 970M Graphics Card.
 
HeavyHemi, I will post an image of my GTX 980 and GTX 1080 for you to see what settings I use.
 
 

Dear Fellow Forum Members,
 
Thank you very much for your valuable inputs cons. graphics power management under Nvidia's global settings. I will change the power setting from optimal to adaptive, and let the graphics Drivers adjust gpu for proper performance.
 
Do you know also if the new drivers recently coming up primarily for the Ge Force 10 series have any impact on 9 series? 
 
thanks once again.