Which Is The Better Method?

Unfortunately, there is no clear-cut choice. Each of the methods I will be detailing in this guide has its advantages and disadvantages.

The resistor mod is enticing because you can adjust the voltage easily. However, it's not easy to perform since it requires soldering of components on the graphics card. There is a real risk of damaging the card, especially if you have very little experience at soldering surface-mounted components.

There is a risk that you may accidentally adjust the variable resistor, reducing its resistance; while installing new hardware or messing around in the computer case. This may result in a very high GPU voltage that can kill the card when you start up the computer.

How about the pencil trick? It is favoured by many because it is easy to do and relatively safer than the resistor mod.

However, it is a very tedious process when it comes to getting the desired voltage. You will need to spend a lot of time drawing lines and testing them to get to the voltage you desire. It may not sound like much now but it will involve a lot of plugging and unplugging of your graphics card.

It is entirely up to you to choose which is most suitable for you and your card. If you follow our instructions and attempt them with caution, volt modding your card should not be a problem.

Notes

However, there are a few things you need to take note before you even consider those mods.

Please note again this guide is only meant for Radeon 9600 Pro/XT cards that use ATI's reference PCB board layout. If your Radeon 9600 Pro/XT is not using a PCB based on the ATI reference design, the voltage regulators on your card may be different. This guide will not work for your card.

In addition, you should never attempt this mod with stock cooling. Please upgrade your card's cooler and add ramsinks to the memory chips if you are modding the memory voltage as well.

Needless to say, take your time when you are modding. You must attempt this mod carefully or you may end up with a dead card!