Overclocking your PC: what you need to know for someone who has never done it (Topic)

Each component of the PC operates at a specific clock rate, as specified by the manufacturer. Increasing the frequency in order to speed up your computer is overclocking.

You can overclock almost any piece of hardware - not only by increasing the numbers in the BIOS, but also by replacing some radio components on the board. But most often, when they talk about overclocking, they mean classic overclocking of the processor and video card, a little less often - overclocking the RAM.

The clock frequency is measured in hertz: the more hertz, the more powerful the device. For example, Intel i5 1.4Ghz and Intel i5 2.7Ghz processors differ in clock speed. Even though they are both called Intel i5, the speed at which they perform the same operation will be different. You don't have to buy an expensive processor to get high performance. In some cases, you can buy a cheaper model and overclock it a little. But how appropriate is it?

What does overclocking give?

Nobody refuses to work on a smart computer that responds to commands with lightning speed. If your PC is very old and slow, and there is no opportunity to buy powerful components, overclocking makes sense. After that, you can comfortably work in the programs you need.

But usually no overclocking is required to work with text and light applications. More often the computer is overclocked when using heavy editors in order to speed up the rendering. If your PC can handle simple tasks normally, but slows down in Photoshop, after overclocking you will only notice a difference when you launch the latter.

The GPU is easier to overclock than the central one. When overclocking the CPU, you will have to deal with the BIOS settings, and to speed up the GPU, you will need a special utility like EVGA Precision X or MSI Afterburner. The results of all changes can be observed in real time.

What are the consequences of overclocking?

First of all, strong overclocking can cause your PC to overheat. In his work, glitches will begin to surface, artifacts appear, and instead of quickly coping with the operation, the computer will behave in exactly the opposite way - slow down and freeze. In severe cases, components can completely fail. To avoid these problems, manufacturers introduce special protection: if the overclocking threshold is exceeded, the computer simply does not start. In this case, the type and power of the cooling system must be taken into account, since any overclocking will inevitably lead to an increase in heat generated and throttling (forced frequency reset).

If you decide to go into overclocking, you will have to purchase a couple of additional coolers or a water cooling system in advance. A massive system is expensive, but it does an excellent job of removing excess heat. This measure is much more efficient than regular fans.

If you have never overclocked a processor before, you will surely get lost in numerous BIOS settings. Excessive enthusiasm for overclocking seriously reduces the resource of components, and long-term operation entails premature failure of the equipment.

It is possible to overclock nothing and is unnecessary

Perhaps there is no need for overclocking, and the problem of slow PC operation is the excessive clutter of the system with unnecessary software. Uninstall unnecessary programs, clean the hard drive from junk files, reinstall the system after formatting the drive. Modern software needs a lot of RAM: add a couple GB of RAM and try putting an SSD instead of a slowed down HDD. This will greatly increase system performance and responsiveness. These steps will help you improve the performance of your old PC without the need for risky overclocking.

Should you overclock weak hardware?

When building your own PC, start by defining your tasks and choosing the right processor for them. Unfortunately, some people deliberately buy weak hardware in order to overclock it later. This is wrong: overclocking shouldn't be the way to get a fast computer for a minimum of money. It is only justified if you want to squeeze a little more out of your car, but it is dangerous and unwise to keep it constantly working at the limit.

The Topic of Article: Overclocking your PC: what you need to know for someone who has never done it.
Author: Jake Pinkman