I'm getting some color artifacts when I go over +250MHz memory on my 2nd GTX 970 SSC 3975 (the one that doesn't have a backplate), but I can go +445Mhz on my first 970 without any problems and no artifacts either, is there something wrong with my 2nd GPU?



My computer Specs
Case: Cooler Master CM690 II (advanced)
Motherboard: MSI Z68A-GD80 (G3) Motherboard (Bios V19.2)
CPU: Intel Core i7 2600K (OC @4.6GHz) (v1.355)
Ram: G Skill Trident X DDR3 16GB (2x8GB) 1.5v @1600MHz
GPU: X2 EVGA GeForce GTX 970 SSC (3975) ACX 2.0 (Nvidia Driver V347.88)
PSU: EVGA SuperNOVA 850W G2
Monitor: ASUS VE248H
CPU Cooler: Corsair H100i with Arctic Cooling MX-4
OS1: Windows 7 Professional 64-Bit
OS2: Zorin OS 9 Ultimate 64-Bit
SSD: Samsung 840 EVO 250GB
HDD1: WD Caviar Blue 500GB
HDD2: WD Caviar Black 1TB
HDD3: WD Caviar Green 2TB
OD1: LG 12X Blu-Ray reader/16X DVD Burner combo
OD2: LG 16X Blu-Ray Burner

also here is my overclock benchmark scores

FireStrike 1.1: 16871 http://www.3dmark.com/fs/4450303
FireStrike Extreme 1.1: 9719 http://www.3dmark.com/fs/4450368
FireStrike Ultra 1.1: 5429 http://www.3dmark.com/fs/4450396
 

Ive also found than in sli the overclocking ceiling is lower that when overclocking cards not in sli. When u get the artifacts from the 2nd card are they in sli or is the 2nd card the only card in the comp,if not I would try to overclock that card individually to c what the oc ceiling is for it and just bear in mind that the sli oc will be lower.
 On a side note w all that intake do u have the aio cooler on your cpu set up as exaust, if not I would suggest that u do so, that little 120 on the back will not be able to get all the hot air from those acx 970s other wise.

HOWARD70
Ive also found than in sli the overclocking ceiling is lower that when overclocking cards not in sli. When u get the artifacts from the 2nd card are they in sli or is the 2nd card the only card in the comp,if not I would try to overclock that card individually to c what the oc ceiling is for it and just bear in mind that the sli oc will be lower.
 On a side note w all that intake do u have the aio cooler on your cpu set up as exaust, if not I would suggest that u do so, that little 120 on the back will not be able to get all the hot air from those acx 970s other wise.

I tried overclocking just the 2nd card alone and I still get the artifacts when I go past +250MHz, my high performance cpu fans is in the pull configuration and the case fans can go to 2,500rpm, also the ASIC for the 2nd GPU is 67.1% and my 1st GPU is 72.5%....hmm maybe that's why the 2nd GPU can't overclock as easily as the first one