Overclocking

[KingKian]

Is it safe to do so?
Wont it decrease the lifespan of the CPU?

To find out what is overclocking, click below.
http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-overclocking.htm

 

[LeeJend]

Safe for CPU and MB yes. Risky for graphics cards.

If you keep the CPU temperature below 50 deg C maximum there is not a significant risk to the CPU life.

Do not expect to get more than 10% speed increase. Some people get lucky but 10% is a typical improvement.

Your MB must support overclocking.
-FSB clock speed adjustment in small increments. (1% or 1 mHz steps)
-AGP/PCI slot and memory clock speeds must be independent of the FSB speed.
-Room for a bigger fan is desireable.

Power supply must have enough extra power.

Good case cooling is necessary.

 

[ElementalDragon]

didn't really have to post the "what is overclocking" link.... i'm pretty sure at least 80% of the members here know what it is, and probably at least half of them overclock (me being one of them.... cept not as of yet on my new Athlon 64).

but as Lee said..... it's more safe overclocking your CPU than it is your video card. if you OC your CPU too much.... it'll either POST, start to boot into windows, and restart right away..... show artifacts in windows and everything else (that does also happen with the CPU right? not just the video card?)..... or, if you don't have enough cooling, throttle down after getting into windows, and possibly restart then too (i've had it happen once cause i didn't turn the CPU fan speed up on my P4). there may be more bad happenings... like your CPU completely frying.... but that's only if you do an EXTREME Overclock and don't have enough cooling (and in that video's case.... heavily overclock... and take the CPU fan off completely).

It's worse for your video card because there pretty much isn't a point where it says "OK, i can't take anymore" and restarts the computer. it just basically shows more artifacts as it get's hotter, basically until it ceases to function (unless i'm wrong on that.....)

If you want suggestions as to possibly how far you should OC, and to find out easily if your system CAN be overclocked, just post your specs.

 

[KingKian]

Thanks~

I have tried.
It dont seem any faster to me.
When i played online game, lag get worse.
My CPU temp quite high, but it never auto restart com yet.
My tower got LCD Panel showing CPU temp and Fan speed.

 

[mlakrid]

Safe for CPU and MB yes. Risky for graphics cards.
Do not expect to get more than 10% speed increase. Some people get lucky but 10% is a typical improvement.

Your MB must support overclocking.
-FSB clock speed adjustment in small increments. (1% or 1 mHz steps)
-AGP/PCI slot and memory clock speeds must be independent of the FSB speed.
-Room for a bigger fan is desireable.

Power supply must have enough extra power.

Good case cooling is necessary.

I agree with everything except only expect 10%... I got over 20% on my first attempt at overclocking on my first machine which was a Cryrix 6x86...

I have routinely achieved 20% and I have seen people with little to no expirience OC a P4 by as much as 30%...

THink about it a 3.0 Ghz machine OC'd by 10% is only a 300 Mhz increase for a 3.0 Ghz machine.... there have been some machines OC'd to over 5Ghz (STABLE) with a good water-cooling setup...

30% is only up to 3.9 Ghz.. that is very easily attainable on air-cooling by simply making sure you use a push - pull config to evacuate as much warm air as possible....

just my $ .02...

 

[ElementalDragon]

yeah. if you remember, my P4 2.4C was the only processor yet that i've overclocked, and that thing got up to 3.0 easy, ran perfectly, on air cooling. think that's what..... a bit over a 30% speed increase?

 

[mlakrid]

yeah. if you remember, my P4 2.4C was the only processor yet that i've overclocked, and that thing got up to 3.0 easy, ran perfectly, on air cooling. think that's what..... a bit over a 30% speed increase?

just under 30% but yea still good... 720 Mhz would have been a ful 30%

 

[ElementalDragon]

i actually could have gotten it up there if i wanted to. i think the highest OC i could get on it without having to up the voltage was like.... 3.19ghz or somethin