I'm mining the x11 algorithm with my GTX 970 I have it set to only use 58% of the power with EVGA PrecisionX.
I wanted to try to lower the GPU utilization in order to save the wear and tear on my card as this is my main PC
Is there any way to lower the GPU utilization with ccminer?
or is utilization even the issue that I'm trying to correct if I want to save the life of the card?
Thanks in advance.
A GPU is a solid state device. No moving parts, no mechanics, therefore no wear and tear. As long as you keep to the default voltage and don't allow it to overheat it will last exactly the same amount of time running at 50% as it will running at 100%
100% wrong.
The hotter ANY electronic device runs, the shorter it's lifetime (on average) will be.
Running it at 100% WILL make it run hotter.
This is WHY manufacturers will VOID YOUR GUARENTEE if they can prove or have reasonable reason to believe you have overclocked a GPU (or CPU or any other device that has a clock that can be adjusted in it) - it puts quite a bit more heat stress on the components which shortens their lifetimes to quite a bit less than designed for.
No. A maximum temperature is built into the design of any IC. Running at 100% load will stay under that designed for temperature. Only going over this temp will result in heat damage. Overclocking and overvolting could do this - but in reality most IC's reduce power automatically to prevent it.
What CAN happen, is that a card might containsub-standard components (capacitors etc) that simply aren't specified to the level they need to be. (THIS is what manufacturers do to keep costs down)