| Overclocking has been found to be the best way to | | | | successful overclock. Some of the cooling agents |
| get significant boost in the speed of your system at no | | | | used are forced convection (a fan blowing across a |
| cost at all.But what really is this thing known as | | | | surface), Liquid Cooling (liquid coolant carrying waste |
| 'overclocking'?It is the process of forcing the processor | | | | heat to a radiator, similar to an automobile engine), liquid |
| to run at a higher clock rate than its specification. | | | | nitrogen, dry ice, phase change cooling (as used in |
| Processor is made to run at certain frequencies (clock | | | | refrigerators), and submersion (placing the entire |
| rates). The higher this frequency, the more calculations | | | | computer in an inert fluid).To overclock the processor, |
| it can compute. Instead of buying a 3GHz processor, | | | | there are two settings that you must be aware of: the |
| you can now make a 2GHz processor runs at 3GHz. | | | | multiplier and the Front Side Bus (FSB). These two |
| In this case, you can save the time, effort and money | | | | settings, when multiplied together, produce the |
| to upgrade your system.PC enthusiasts usually | | | | frequency at which the CPU operates - for example, |
| overclock their computer to increase the performance. | | | | with a multiplier of 11 and a FSB of 200MHz, the CPU |
| Some of these enthusiasts purchase low-end | | | | is running at 2.2GHz. By adjusting the multiplier value |
| computer components so they can overclock to | | | | (usually an integer), higher speed can be achieved. It is |
| achieve performance of a high-end system. However, | | | | advisable to do this with small increment at a time. |
| if all you do on your computer is only word processing, | | | | Sudden huge increment will cause the system to be |
| email and simple tasks, overclocking will not give you | | | | unstable and might lead to its destruction. Bit by bit, you |
| noticeable performance boost. For gamers and those | | | | can push the system to its extreme. Remember to |
| who are doing computationally heavy tasks, | | | | increase its voltage as you do this. To test the |
| overclocking is the best way to transform your | | | | performance of the overclocked processor, you can |
| system from Daihatsu to Ferrari.There are some risks | | | | use free software such as Super-PI, Prime95, |
| involved in overclocking. Firstly, you will be voiding your | | | | SiSoftware Sandra and Memtest86For gaming |
| warranty. This is logical as you are making the chips to | | | | purpose, overclocking the video card usually shows a |
| run at a higher speed than its specification and there is | | | | better result than overclocking a processor. The |
| this possibility that it could break. Though the risk of the | | | | largest performance boost usually came from |
| chip breaking is small, the manufacturer will not want to | | | | overclocking the video card memory chips, so if you're |
| bear this risk. In addition, the manufacturer disapprove | | | | trying to keep the heat down and only want to |
| of any overclocking act as it means there is a lesser | | | | overclock the essentials, this is what you'll want to look |
| demand for the higher speed processor which could | | | | at.One application you can used to overclock the video |
| earn them much more profit. Just in case the | | | | card is PowerStrip (available from After installation, you |
| processor breaks, the whole system might be | | | | can select 'Performance Profiles' and then 'Configure' |
| destroyed. Therefore, overclock at your own risk.The | | | | from the menu. This is where you can see the Engine |
| main components used for overclocking are the | | | | clock and Memory clock. Slowly increase the Engine |
| processor and video card. The two things to consider | | | | clock in 5MHz increments and run the benchmark |
| when overclocking a component are the power | | | | application. When you start to see peculiar shape, this |
| supplied to the component and its cooling | | | | is its fastest possible speed. Move the slider back to its |
| ability.Overclocking is to ensure that it is supplied with | | | | previous successful overclock and that is the core |
| the proper amount of power for its new speed. | | | | frequency. Repeat the same step with the memory |
| Providing too much power could permanently damage | | | | clock. When this is done, your video card will be |
| a component. You have to find a balance.It is | | | | overclocked to its maximum. Before you run the |
| necessary to supply the proper amount of power to | | | | application, remember to provide enough cooling agent |
| the component for its new speed. However, providing | | | | to the video card as the overclocking process will bring |
| too much power could permanently damage the | | | | up its temperature a few notches.With the extra |
| component. You have to find the balance.With the | | | | speed boosts, surely you can do much more things |
| increase in speed, the heat generated will surely | | | | with your system. Hopefully this article has provided |
| increase. If too much heat is introduced to the system, | | | | you with an insight to the overclocking world. Welcome |
| it might destroy the functionality of the components, | | | | to the overclocking community and all the best to your |
| and in extreme cases, even causing them to catch | | | | overclocking endeavor. |
| fire. Therefore, sufficient cooling is paramount to a | | | | |