How to Overclock CPU

CPU overclocking is the process of increasing the clock speed of the CPU. Originally only for gamers and computer hardware believers, over time, with support from hardware manufacturers, the above process has become much simpler. While it can greatly improve your computer’s performance when done right, overclocking can hurt your hardware. Be careful when doing this, make sure the CPU doesn’t become too hot, and the speed and performance of your computer will be greatly increased.

Table of Contents

Ready

{“smallUrl”:”https://www.wikihow.com/images_en/thumb/a/a0/Overclock-a-PC-Step-1.jpg/v4-728px-Overclock-a-PC-Step-1. jpg”,”bigUrl”:”https://www.wikihow.com/images/thumb/a/a0/Overclock-a-PC-Step-1.jpg/v4-728px-Overclock-a-PC-Step- 1.jpg”,”smallWidth”:460,”smallHeight”:345,”bigWidth”:728,”bigHeight”:546,”licensing”:”<div class=”mw-parser-output”></div> “}

Learn the basics of overclocking. Overclocking is the process of increasing the clock and voltage to improve CPU performance. This is a great way to get the most out of a powerful new machine or give an old/cheap PC a little boost.

Overclocking can damage parts of your computer, especially when the hardware isn’t designed for overclocking or the voltage is pushed too high. You should only proceed with overclocking if you accept the risk of damage.
With overclocking, no two machines are the same, even with the same hardware. That’s because overclocking is heavily influenced by very small variances in production. Don’t just rely on online research on hardware to base your expectations.
If you just want to boost gaming performance, you should consider overclocking the graphics card instead of the CPU for better results.
With limited cooling, laptops are not ideal overclockers. Instead of getting a significant improvement in performance like on a desktop computer, where you can better control the temperature, with a laptop, it is more likely that the device will overheat, even the CPU might burn out.

{“smallUrl”:”https://www.wikihow.com/images_en/thumb/6/6d/Overclock-a-PC-Step-2.jpg/v4-728px-Overclock-a-PC-Step-2. jpg”,”bigUrl”:”https://www.wikihow.com/images/thumb/6/6d/Overclock-a-PC-Step-2.jpg/v4-728px-Overclock-a-PC-Step- 2.jpg”,”smallWidth”:460,”smallHeight”:345,”bigWidth”:728,”bigHeight”:546,”licensing”:”<div class=”mw-parser-output”></div> “}

Download the necessary tools. You need some benchmarking and endurance testing tools to check the overclock results. These programs test the processor’s performance and ability to maintain that performance over time.

CPU-Z – This is a simple monitoring program that allows you to quickly read clocks and voltages on Windows. Although it doesn’t perform any tasks, this easy-to-use monitoring program will help you make sure everything is still working in the right direction.
Prime95 – This is a widely used free assessment program for stress testing purposes and is designed to work for extended periods of time.
LinX – Another endurance testing program. Lighter than Prime95, LinX is suitable for testing after every adjustment.

{“smallUrl”:”https://www.wikihow.com/images_en/thumb/7/74/Overclock-a-PC-Step-3.jpg/v4-728px-Overclock-a-PC-Step-3. jpg”,”bigUrl”:”https://www.wikihow.com/images/thumb/7/74/Overclock-a-PC-Step-3.jpg/v4-728px-Overclock-a-PC-Step- 3.jpg”,”smallWidth”:460,”smallHeight”:345,”bigWidth”:728,”bigHeight”:546,”licensing”:”<div class=”mw-parser-output”></div> “}

Check the motherboard and processor. Each motherboard and processor has its own overclocking capabilities. Although there are some differences, but in general, the overclocking process at AMD and Intel is the same. The most important thing that you need to care about here is whether your multiplier is locked or not. If so, you can only adjust the clock speed and the results will be significantly limited.

Many motherboards are designed for overclocking and give you full control over the process. Refer to your computer’s technical documentation to determine the motherboard’s capabilities.
Some processors are easier to overclock than others. For example, the “K” series of Intel i7s are specifically designed for overclocking (eg Intel i7-2700K). You can determine the processor family by pressing ⊞ Win + Pause and looking in the System section.

{“smallUrl”:”https://www.wikihow.com/images_en/thumb/e/e6/Overclock-a-PC-Step-4.jpg/v4-728px-Overclock-a-PC-Step-4. jpg”,”bigUrl”:”https://www.wikihow.com/images/thumb/e/e6/Overclock-a-PC-Step-4.jpg/v4-728px-Overclock-a-PC-Step- 4.jpg”,”smallWidth”:460,”smallHeight”:345,”bigWidth”:728,”bigHeight”:546,”licensing”:”<div class=”mw-parser-output”></div> “}

Run a basic endurance test. Before you start overclocking, it’s a good idea to run a stress test against the base setup so you can compare overclocks and spot issues that need to be fixed in the basic setup before overclocking. impulses make them worse.

Don’t forget to check the heat level during the endurance test. If the temperature exceeds 70 °C, perhaps overclocking will not improve much before the temperature rises to unsafe levels. You will probably have to apply more thermal paste or install a new heatsink.
If the computer doesn’t pass the basic endurance test, it’s likely that the hardware has a problem that needs to be addressed first. Check the memory to see if there is something wrong with it.

Base clock speed increase

{“smallUrl”:”https://www.wikihow.com/images_en/thumb/9/95/Overclock-a-PC-Step-5.jpg/v4-728px-Overclock-a-PC-Step-5. jpg”,”bigUrl”:”https://www.wikihow.com/images/thumb/9/95/Overclock-a-PC-Step-5.jpg/v4-728px-Overclock-a-PC-Step- 5.jpg”,”smallWidth”:460,”smallHeight”:345,”bigWidth”:728,”bigHeight”:546,”licensing”:”<div class=”mw-parser-output”></div> “}

Open BIOS. Most changes will be made in the computer BIOS. You can access this configuration menu while the operating system loads, usually by holding down the Del key while the computer is booting. On some computers, it may be the F10 , F2 , and F12 keys.

No BIOS is the same as another. Different systems may have different menu names and sorting sequences. Don’t hesitate to browse through the system menu to find what you need. ^{[1] X Research Source}

{“smallUrl”:”https://www.wikihow.com/images_en/thumb/f/fc/Overclock-a-PC-Step-6.jpg/v4-728px-Overclock-a-PC-Step-6. jpg”,”bigUrl”:”https://www.wikihow.com/images/thumb/f/fc/Overclock-a-PC-Step-6.jpg/v4-728px-Overclock-a-PC-Step- 6.jpg”,”smallWidth”:460,”smallHeight”:345,”bigWidth”:728,”bigHeight”:546,”licensing”:”<div class=”mw-parser-output”></div> “}

Open “Frequency/Vptage Contrp”. This menu may have a different name, such as “Overclocking”. You will spend most of your time working on this menu, which allows you to adjust the CPU speed as well as the received voltage.

{“smallUrl”:”https://www.wikihow.com/images_en/thumb/3/31/Overclock-a-PC-Step-7.jpg/v4-728px-Overclock-a-PC-Step-7. jpg”,”bigUrl”:”https://www.wikihow.com/images/thumb/3/31/Overclock-a-PC-Step-7.jpg/v4-728px-Overclock-a-PC-Step- 7.jpg”,”smallWidth”:460,”smallHeight”:345,”bigWidth”:728,”bigHeight”:546,”licensing”:”<div class=”mw-parser-output”></div> “}

Reducing the connection speed between the northbridge and memory is also known as “Memory Multiplier”, “DDR Memory Frequency” or “Memory Ratio”. miss). In order for the memory to not cause errors, before continuing, you should lower this parameter to the lowest level. ^{[2] X Research Source}

If you can’t find this option, try pressing Ctrl + Alt + F1 on the main BIOS menu.

{“smallUrl”:”https://www.wikihow.com/images_en/thumb/1/16/Overclock-a-PC-Step-8.jpg/v4-728px-Overclock-a-PC-Step-8. jpg”,”bigUrl”:”https://www.wikihow.com/images/thumb/1/16/Overclock-a-PC-Step-8.jpg/v4-728px-Overclock-a-PC-Step- 8.jpg”,”smallWidth”:460,”smallHeight”:345,”bigWidth”:728,”bigHeight”:546,”licensing”:”<div class=”mw-parser-output”></div> “}

Increases base speed by 10%. The base speed of the processor, the base clock, is also known as the front side bus or bus speed. That is usually the lower speed multiplied many times to reach the total core speed. Most processors are fine with a 10% boost right off the bat. For example, with a base speed of 100 MHz, a multiplier of 16, the clock speed would be 1.6 GHz. Increasing by 10%, the base speed will be 110 MHz, and the clock speed will be 1.76 GHz.

{“smallUrl”:”https://www.wikihow.com/images_en/thumb/8/8a/Overclock-a-PC-Step-9.jpg/v4-728px-Overclock-a-PC-Step-9. jpg”,”bigUrl”:”https://www.wikihow.com/images/thumb/8/8a/Overclock-a-PC-Step-9.jpg/v4-728px-Overclock-a-PC-Step- 9.jpg”,”smallWidth”:460,”smallHeight”:345,”bigWidth”:728,”bigHeight”:546,”licensing”:”<div class=”mw-parser-output”></div> “}

Run the endurance test. After the first 10% increase, reboot the computer into the operating system. Start LinX and run a few laps. If there are no problems, everything is ready to proceed. If the system is unstable, overclocking is probably not going anywhere and you should return the system to default settings.

{“smallUrl”:”https://www.wikihow.com/images_en/thumb/f/f9/Overclock-a-PC-Step-10.jpg/v4-728px-Overclock-a-PC-Step-10. jpg”,”bigUrl”:”https://www.wikihow.com/images/thumb/f/f9/Overclock-a-PC-Step-10.jpg/v4-728px-Overclock-a-PC-Step- 10.jpg”,”smallWidth”:460,”smallHeight”:345,”bigWidth”:728,”bigHeight”:546,”licensing”:”<div class=”mw-parser-output”></div> “}

Raise the base speed until the system becomes unstable. Instead of 10% each time, after one success, reduce the boost by 5-10 MHz to find the optimal speed more easily. Test the calibration after each adjustment until the threshold of instability is reached. This instability usually comes from the processor not receiving enough power from the power supply.

If the motherboard does not allow multiplier adjustment, you can skip to section 4. If adjustable, continue to the next section to get more in overclocking. Don’t forget to write down your current settings in case you want to restore them.

Increase multiplier

{“smallUrl”:”https://www.wikihow.com/images_en/thumb/3/31/Overclock-a-PC-Step-11.jpg/v4-728px-Overclock-a-PC-Step-11. jpg”,”bigUrl”:”https://www.wikihow.com/images/thumb/3/31/Overclock-a-PC-Step-11.jpg/v4-728px-Overclock-a-PC-Step- 11.jpg”,”smallWidth”:460,”smallHeight”:345,”bigWidth”:728,”bigHeight”:546,”licensing”:”<div class=”mw-parser-output”></div> “}

Lower base speed. Before increasing the multiplier, you should lower the base speed a bit. As a result, the multiplier will increase more accurately. Lower base speed and higher multiplier make the system more stable. The higher base speed and lower multiplier result in higher performance. Our goal here is to find the perfect balance between these two options.

Increase voltage

{“smallUrl”:”https://www.wikihow.com/images_en/thumb/8/88/Overclock-a-PC-Step-16.jpg/v4-728px-Overclock-a-PC-Step-16. jpg”,”bigUrl”:”https://www.wikihow.com/images/thumb/8/88/Overclock-a-PC-Step-16.jpg/v4-728px-Overclock-a-PC-Step- 16.jpg”,”smallWidth”:460,”smallHeight”:345,”bigWidth”:728,”bigHeight”:546,”licensing”:”<div class=”mw-parser-output”></div> “}

Increase CPU core voltage or “Vcore Vptage”. Increasing the voltage above the safe limit can quickly damage your equipment. Therefore, this is the most difficult and dangerous part of the overclocking process. Different CPUs and motherboards handle voltage lifts differently. Keep a close eye on the CPU temperature during this process.

With core voltage, lift 0.025 each time. Lifting more will result in the risk of overshoot and damage to the equipment.

{“smallUrl”:”https://www.wikihow.com/images_en/thumb/8/8c/Overclock-a-PC-Step-17.jpg/v4-728px-Overclock-a-PC-Step-17. jpg”,”bigUrl”:”https://www.wikihow.com/images/thumb/8/8c/Overclock-a-PC-Step-17.jpg/v4-728px-Overclock-a-PC-Step- 17.jpg”,”smallWidth”:460,”smallHeight”:345,”bigWidth”:728,”bigHeight”:546,”licensing”:”<div class=”mw-parser-output”></div> “}

Run the endurance test. Run a stress test immediately after the first lift. Since the system has been unstable since the previous installment, you should expect it to be stable this time around. If the system is stable, you also need to make sure the temperature stays within an acceptable range. If the system is still unstable, try lowering the base speed or multiplier.

{“smallUrl”:”https://www.wikihow.com/images_en/thumb/e/e3/Overclock-a-PC-Step-18.jpg/v4-728px-Overclock-a-PC-Step-18. jpg”,”bigUrl”:”https://www.wikihow.com/images/thumb/e/e3/Overclock-a-PC-Step-18.jpg/v4-728px-Overclock-a-PC-Step- 18.jpg”,”smallWidth”:460,”smallHeight”:345,”bigWidth”:728,”bigHeight”:546,”licensing”:”<div class=”mw-parser-output”></div> “}

Go back to base speed or multiplier. After stabilizing the system through voltage boosting, depending on what you want to overclock, you can now continue to increase the base speed or multiplier. Lift in small increments and run the endurance test until the system becomes unstable again.

Since the voltage setting raises the temperature the most, the goal here would be to maximize the base speed and multiplier setup to get the most performance out of the lowest possible voltage. To do that, you will have to try many times with many different levels of coordination.

{“smallUrl”:”https://www.wikihow.com/images_en/thumb/2/20/Overclock-a-PC-Step-19.jpg/v4-728px-Overclock-a-PC-Step-19. jpg”,”bigUrl”:”https://www.wikihow.com/images/thumb/2/20/Overclock-a-PC-Step-19.jpg/v4-728px-Overclock-a-PC-Step- 19.jpg”,”smallWidth”:460,”smallHeight”:345,”bigWidth”:728,”bigHeight”:546,”licensing”:”<div class=”mw-parser-output”></div> “}

Repeat the above cycle until the maximum voltage or temperature threshold is reached. Then there comes a time when you can’t lift any more or the temperature approaches unsafe levels. That’s the limit of the motherboard and processor. Most likely the overclock will have to stop here. ^{[4] X Research Sources}

In general, you should not increase the voltage more than 0.4 from the original level. With a basic cooling system, this should only be 0.2.
If you hit the heat threshold before the voltage threshold, you may still be able to squeeze more out by improving your computer’s cooling system. You can install a high-powered fan/cooler or switch to a more expensive and efficient liquid cooling option.

Last Endurance Test

{“smallUrl”:”https://www.wikihow.com/images_en/thumb/f/fb/Overclock-a-PC-Step-20.jpg/v4-728px-Overclock-a-PC-Step-20. jpg”,”bigUrl”:”https://www.wikihow.com/images/thumb/f/fb/Overclock-a-PC-Step-20.jpg/v4-728px-Overclock-a-PC-Step- 20.jpg”,”smallWidth”:460,”smallHeight”:345,”bigWidth”:728,”bigHeight”:546,”licensing”:”<div class=”mw-parser-output”></div> “}

Return to the last safe setting. Lower the base speed/multiplier to the nearest safe setting. This will be your new processor speed, and if you’re lucky, it’ll be a significant improvement over the original speed. As long as everything boots up normally, you’re ready for the final test.

{“smallUrl”:”https://www.wikihow.com/images_en/thumb/3/37/Overclock-a-PC-Step-21.jpg/v4-728px-Overclock-a-PC-Step-21. jpg”,”bigUrl”:”https://www.wikihow.com/images/thumb/3/37/Overclock-a-PC-Step-21.jpg/v4-728px-Overclock-a-PC-Step- 21.jpg”,”smallWidth”:460,”smallHeight”:345,”bigWidth”:728,”bigHeight”:546,”licensing”:”<div class=”mw-parser-output”></div> “}

Speed up your memory. Increase the memory speed little by little, with the goal being the initial level. Take it slow and test your endurance after each lift. You will probably stop before it reaches its original level.

Use Memtest86 to conduct memory tests during this frequency boost.

{“smallUrl”:”https://www.wikihow.com/images_en/thumb/8/84/Overclock-a-PC-Step-22.jpg/v4-728px-Overclock-a-PC-Step-22. jpg”,”bigUrl”:”https://www.wikihow.com/images/thumb/8/84/Overclock-a-PC-Step-22.jpg/v4-728px-Overclock-a-PC-Step- 22.jpg”,”smallWidth”:460,”smallHeight”:345,”bigWidth”:728,”bigHeight”:546,”licensing”:”<div class=”mw-parser-output”></div> “}

Run the long endurance test. Open Prime95 and run the test for 12 hours. Although this may seem like a long time, our goal here is to ensure the long-term stability of the system, thereby getting good and reliable performance. than. If the system becomes unstable during this test or the temperature hits an unacceptable threshold, you will have to go back to the previous steps, re-adjusting the clock speed, multiplier, and voltage.

When opening Prime95, select “Just Stress Testing”. Click Options → Torture Test and set it to “Small FFT”.
Temperatures close to the maximum threshold are usually acceptable because Prime95 will challenge the computer more than any other program. In some cases, you should still lower the overclock a bit just to be safe. The running temperature should not exceed 60°C.

{“smallUrl”:”https://www.wikihow.com/images_en/thumb/0/05/Overclock-a-PC-Step-23.jpg/v4-728px-Overclock-a-PC-Step-23. jpg”,”bigUrl”:”https://www.wikihow.com/images/thumb/0/05/Overclock-a-PC-Step-23.jpg/v4-728px-Overclock-a-PC-Step- 23.jpg”,”smallWidth”:460,”smallHeight”:345,”bigWidth”:728,”bigHeight”:546,”licensing”:”<div class=”mw-parser-output”></div> “}

Do some reality checks. While a stress test program is great at ensuring system stability, you still need to make sure your computer can still handle the random occurrence of real-world scenarios. If you are a gamer, you can launch the heaviest game you have. If transcoding video, try with Bluray. Make sure everything is fine. Sometimes the results are more than that!

{“smallUrl”:”https://www.wikihow.com/images_en/thumb/6/63/Overclock-a-PC-Step-24.jpg/v4-728px-Overclock-a-PC-Step-24. jpg”,”bigUrl”:”https://www.wikihow.com/images/thumb/6/63/Overclock-a-PC-Step-24.jpg/v4-728px-Overclock-a-PC-Step- 24.jpg”,”smallWidth”:460,”smallHeight”:345,”bigWidth”:728,”bigHeight”:546,”licensing”:”<div class=”mw-parser-output”></div> “}

Go deeper. This guide only covers the tip of what you can do with overclocking. To learn more, you need to explore and experiment. Several communities specialize in overclocking and its various related parts, such as cooling. Overclockers.com, Overclock.net, and Tom’s Hardware are among the most popular. In case you want more details, those are all great places to start.

Warning

Depending on the manufacturer, overclocking may void the warranty. Some brands like EVGA and BFG still accept the warranty even if the user overclocks the device.
To truly overclock, you need a good cooling system.
When you overclock and increase the voltage, hardware life is reduced.
Most computers made by Dell (except XPS series), HP, Gateway, Acer, Apple and other prebuilt manufacturers are not overclockable because the option to change CPU voltage and FSB is not present in the bios.

Steps