How to Overclock a PC

Overclocking a CPU is the process of increasing the clock speed that the CPU operates at. Overclocking has traditionally been the domain of the strictly nerdy, but hardware manufacturers have made the process much simpler over the years. Overclocking can give your computer significant performance improvements although it can do the opposite and possibly damage your hardware if it is done incorrectly.
If you want to maximize the performance of a computer, then you should overclock its CPU. By overclocking your CPU, you're essentially increasing the CPU's clock speed in small increments and testing the stability of your computer and making sure that the temperature of the CPU does not get too high after each time the clock speed is increased, then stopping once your computer becomes unstable or the CPU gets too hot. If your CPU gets too hot, you need to decrease the clock speed to one where it ran at a healthy temperature and leave it at that, and if your CPU doesn't get too hot but your computer becomes unstable, then you can either increase the amount of power given to the CPU in order for it to run stable at that clock speed or decrease the clock speed to the last stable speed and do nothing else. If you decide to continue overclocking the CPU by adding more power, you need to make sure that the temperature does not rise, as increasing the amount of power given to the CPU will increase the amount of heat that it produces. Giving the CPU too much power or running it at an unhealthy temperature for long periods of time can damage it. To learn how to overclock your CPU, scroll down to Step 1.
Getting Ready
Understand the basics of overclocking. Overclocking is the process of increasing the clock speeds and voltage of your CPU to improve performance. It is a great way to get the most power out of a powerful machine or unlock a little more power out of a budget or old computer.

• Overclocking can damage your components, especially if the hardware is not designed for it or you push the voltages too high. You should only overclock if you are OK with the possibility of destroying your hardware.
• No two systems will overclock the same, even if they have the exact same hardware. This is because overclocking is greatly affected by small variances in the manufacturing process. Don't base your expectations solely on the results you read online for the hardware you have.
• If you are primarily looking to increase video game performance, you may want to consider overclocking your graphics card instead, as you will likely see better results.
• Laptops are not very good candidates for overclocking, as their cooling capabilities are limited. You will get much larger performance increases on a desktop computer where you can control temperatures better.
• Download the necessary tools. You will need a few benchmarking and stress test tools in order to properly test your overclocking results. These programs test the performance of your processor as well as its ability to maintain that performance over time.
• CPU-Z - This is a simple monitor program that will allow you to quickly see your clock speed and voltage in Windows. It doesn't perform any actions, but it's an easy-to-use monitor to help ensure everything is working correctly.
• Prime95 - This is a free benchmarking program that is widely used for stress testing. This is designed to be run for long periods.
• LinX - Another stress testing program. This one is lighter than Prime95 and is good for testing in between each change.
• Check your motherboard and processor. Different motherboards and processors will have different capabilities when it comes to overclocking. There are also slight differences when it comes to overclocking AMD versus Intel, but the general process is the same. The biggest thing you will be looking for is whether or not your multiplier is unlocked. If the multiplier is locked, you will only be able to adjust the clock speed, which usually yields fewer results.
• Many motherboards are designed for overclocking, and thus, should give you full access to the overclocking controls. Check your computer's documentation to determine your motherboard's capabilities.
• Some processors are more inclined to successful overclocking than others. For example, the "K" line of Intel i7s are designed specifically to be overclocked (e.g. Intel i7-2700K). You can find your processor model by pressing ⊞ Win+Pauseand looking in the System section.
• Run a baseline stress test. Before you begin overclocking, you'll want to run a stress test using your base settings. This will give you a baseline to compare against as you start overclocking, and will also show if there are any problems with the base in the settings that need to be addressed before overclocking makes them worse.
• Be sure to check your temperature levels during the stress test. If your temperatures are above 70 °C (158 °F), you will likely not be able to get much out of overclocking before your temperatures become unsafe. You may need to apply a new thermal paste or install a new heatsink.
• If your system is crashing during the baseline stress test, then there is likely an issue with the hardware that needs to be sorted out before you begin overclocking.Check your memory to see if there are any errors.