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Overclocking involves changing hardware settings to make a computer run faster than the manufacturer’s estimate. It can refer to CPU or motherboard bus speed. Overclocking can improve performance but may damage components and void warranties.
Overclocking involves changing the hardware settings of your computer system to run faster than the manufacturer’s estimate. This can refer to motherboard bus speed, CPU speed, or both. Also called boost or speed margin, the practice has become very popular, especially among gamers and modders.
CPU Overclocking: In general, CPU chips are tested by the manufacturer to see at what speed they fail. They are then evaluated at a rate one step slower than this. Since the tests are quite harsh, the idea is that it might be possible to push the CPU a little faster than its rating while maintaining system stability. Sometimes, when manufacturers are low on supplies, they package the fastest GHz chips as the slowest ones; overclockers perceive it as a boon.
The results of overclocking the CPU alone must be balanced against the rest of the system specifications, i.e. the bus speed of the motherboard, memory, etc. For example, a 20% increase in processor speed does not usually translate into a 20% overall improvement. The CPU may run faster than the rest of the system, operating in a “hurry up and wait” environment. Therefore, the increase could provide a good improvement on the benchmark but a small difference in the real world.
An unsuccessful overclock can lead to an unstable system at best and, at worst, damage to the CPU. Although the latter is less common, it does happen. The pressure also shortens the life of the processor by an undetectable amount, as it forces the chip to work harder and at hotter temperatures. Cooling fans and a good heat sink become even more important here.
System Bus Overclocking: Correctly changing the motherboard bus speed can create a dramatic improvement to the entire system because all components will run faster. Since processor effectiveness is aided by bus speed, an improvement here can also take full advantage of the CPU. However, overclocking the system bus is risky because it means pushing every component on the motherboard.
Some people mistakenly believe that if a motherboard offers variable bus speed options, they must be supported and therefore safe to use. The problem is that the installed components may not be tested or rated for the increased bus speed. Changing this setting affects the CPU (unless you adjust the clock multiplier), chipset, memory bus, system cache, system memory, onboard IDE hard drive controllers, PCI I/O bus and all peripherals. All components must be able to handle the change for the system to function properly without hardware failure. Manufacturer warranties do not cover problems created by overclocking.
While pushing a system might start fine, several months down the road as components are aged through use and temperature changes, instability can arise. This is more likely to occur when the overclocking was already on the verge of what the system could handle. When problems arise, even a program crash, you can no longer assume that the crash is due to a software glitch. Troubleshooting an overclocked system can be an exercise in frustration. Variables increase exponentially, and the ability to rule out potentials is made more difficult as hardware may act in unpredictable ways.
While overclocking is a hob for some, and in many, if not most cases, turns out to be nothing more than a benign self-upgrade, it may be worth considering if you want to risk potential fallout for what it usually is. a relatively marginal improvement. If your system is fine and you don’t need the change, it’s probably safer to give it up, all things considered. On the other hand if you want to know more, there are various sites dedicated to overclocking.
