Is it possible to overclock. How to overclock the processor, a few simple ways. Overclocking with dedicated apps

The processor is one of the most expensive components in a computer. The price of modern CPUs can exceed the cost of all other components of a complete computer, especially when it comes to server models.

When the user is faced with the task of slightly increasing the performance of the central processor, for example, for a more stable frame rate in a particular game, one can not replace the CPU, but overclock it. Overclocking, also called overlocking, is amenable to Intel and AMD processors.

Overclocking allows you to increase the clock frequency of the processor, which increases the number of instructions that the chip executes per second, that is, increases the performance of the CPU. Within the framework of this article, the option of software overclocking of Intel and AMD processors will be considered, but it is also possible to overlock by replacing the BIOS.

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Is it safe to overclock the processor

The essence of overclocking the processor and video card is the same - the user, by replacing the original software "at a low level", increases performance. If you look at this issue from the technical side, it simply increases the voltage on the key components of the board, which allows you to achieve an increase in power.

Almost every processor in the "native" software works only at 50-60% of its maximum power. Accordingly, it can be overclocked by bringing this figure closer to 100%. But it is worth remembering that overclocking the processor is accompanied by:

With proper overclocking, the risk of "burning" the processor is minimal. It is important to understand that the possibilities specific model CPUs are not limitless, and it will not work to increase performance by 50-100%. It is recommended to overclock no more than 15%.

Please note: By overclocking the processor, the performance of the RAM is also increased, which may adversely affect it.

Preparing to overclock the processor

Before you start overclocking the processor, it does not hurt to read the information on the forums on the Internet from "experienced" specialists in a particular CPU model. The fact is that some processors, for example, the basic i3, i5 and i7 series from Intel, are poorly suited for overclocking, and it is better not to increase their power by more than 5-8%. At the same time, the line of K-processors of the i-series from Intel, on the contrary, is designed for overclocking, and the performance of such CPUs can be increased by 15-20% without any special risks.

It is also important to know the potential for overclocking so that there are no missed cycles. With a strong increase in performance and signs of overheating, in order to reduce the temperature, the processor may begin to skip cycles. In a similar way, he will protect himself from failure, but the quality of his work will be much lower than before overclocking.

  • Update the BIOS of the motherboard;
  • Test the stability of the processor in normal mode. To do this, you need to install and use a diagnostic application, for example, S
  • Determine the processor clock speed using the CPU-Z utility.

When the preparation is completed, you can start overclocking the processor.

Please note: Methods for overclocking processors for desktop computers and laptops do not differ from each other. Despite this, when overlocking the CPU on laptops, you must be extra careful not to raise the system bus frequency on the motherboard to high values.

How to overclock an intel processor

Overlocking Intel processors can be done with several applications, each with its own pros and cons. Some of the programs are not suitable for certain processor models, others are not recommended for amateurs, and they are suitable for professionals. Below are three of the most popular overclocking software for Intel processors, among which at least one should be suitable for your CPU model and motherboard.

Important: To overclock an Intel processor, you need to know the model of the clock generator of the motherboard installed in the computer. The easiest way to determine it is to disassemble the system unit (or laptop) and examine the inscriptions on the motherboard. Some experts argue that when overclocking, you can use the brute-force method, choosing all the available clock generator options in the program until the correct one is found. We strongly do not recommend acting in this way, you must take care in advance to determine the model of the clock generator.

Overclocking an Intel processor with CPUFSB

One of the most common and convenient programs for overlocking a processor is CPUFSB. It is compatible with almost all modern CPUs from Intel, including support for overclocking i-series processors, that is, Intel Core i5, i7 and others. When overclocking the CPU, the CPUFSB application acts on the clock generator by raising the system bus reference frequency. Among the advantages of the application, one can also highlight the presence of the Russian language, and the disadvantages include its cost, since the program is not officially distributed for free.

To overclock the processor using the CPUFSB utility, you must:


Please note: After rebooting the computer, the set overlock values ​​will be reset. To prevent this from happening, you can set the value of the overclocked frequency in the "Set CPUFSB at the next startup" column. Due to this, the application will automatically raise the frequency by a predetermined amount at startup. If you need to keep the processor overclocked all the time, you can put the CPUFSB program into autoload.

Overclocking an Intel processor with SetFSB

The principle of operation of the SetFSB application is identical to that used in CPUFSB. The program also increases the system bus reference frequency by influencing the clock generator, which causes an increase in processor performance. Unlike CPUFSB, the SetFSB program does not have Russian language support. The utility is distributed for a fee on the developer's website.

Before starting overlocking using the SetFSB program, you need to look at the application developers website for a list of motherboards with which it works. If the board used on the computer is not in the list, then the application will not work.

Worth noting: Unlike CPUFSB, the SetFSB application works well with relatively old processor models - Intel Core Two Duo. If you plan to overclock just such a CPU, you should give it preference over competitors.

To overclock the processor with the SetFSB program, you must:


As in the case of the CPUFSB program, the overclocking results will be reset after the computer is restarted.

Overclocking an Intel processor with SoftFSB

SoftFSB is a well-established free program that allows you to easily overclock your CPU. This utility has one significant drawback - developers stopped supporting it in the mid-2000s. As a result, the program can only work with relatively old Intel motherboards and processors. It is often used by system administrators in enterprises where computers have not changed for decades, and the requirements for their performance are growing even from standard applications.

SoftFSB works on the same principle as SetFSB, as well as CPUFSB, that is, by influencing the clock generator. Processor overclocking in the application is performed according to the following algorithm:

The principle of operation of the three most popular applications for overclocking Intel processors of different generations is described above. Dozens of programs designed for CPU overlocking work in a similar way.

How to overclock an AMD processor

As in the situation with overclocking a video card based on an AMD chip, you can use standard software from the manufacturer to overlock the processor. This allows you to bring the risk of chip burnout closer to zero. In this case, there are two options - use the Catalyst Control Center program, which is installed along with the drivers on the computer, or download a special application for processor overlocking - AMD Overdrive from the official AMD website.

Please note: Although overclocking software is provided by the chip manufacturer, AMD will void any warranty if overlocked. This is stated when the Overdrive function is activated, which is responsible for overclocking the processor.

To overclock an AMD processor using the Catalyst Control Center program, you must:


As you can see, the Catalyst Control Center application does everything for the user, depriving him of the ability to control the process, which not everyone will like. The AMD Overdrive application allows you to participate in more detail in overclocking an AMD processor.

Have you ever wondered how to get more laptop performance without buying a new processor? It turns out that this is possible. Consider whether it is possible to overclock the processor on a laptop.

What it is

Overclocking - the process of increasing the frequency and voltage of the processor to get more speed. The increase in frequency occurs to values ​​at which the PC works stably.

Overclocking increases heat dissipation, power consumption and noise. The working resource of components is reduced.

Is it possible to overclock the processor

Notebook manufacturers make sure that the user does not need to overclock the CPU. The exception is the special lines of models that are created with a free multiplier (multiplication factor, on the basis of which the frequency is calculated). They are created specifically for enthusiasts. For example, Intel releases the K series line for such purposes.
Manufacturers do not recommend overclocking laptops. What is the reason? Consider the positive and negative sides this process.
The advantage is obvious - getting a more powerful processor without spending money on a new one.
Negative sides:

  1. Energy consumption increases, which leads to a decrease in the duration of the laptop battery charge;
  2. The temperature rises, which leads to overheating;
  3. Service life is reduced.

Where is it used

Actual when working in heavy applications. For example, Photoshop. Modern browsers actively use the processor when loading "heavy" pages.

how to overclock via bios

Follow the sequence of these steps:

Do not overclock the CPU more than 10% of its nominal frequency.

An attentive reader will think about how to find out if it is possible to overclock the processor. This is done in Bios. Look carefully, if you do not have partitions related to overclocking (described in paragraph 2), then the laptop cannot be overclocked.

If after the above steps, a blue screen appears or the system becomes unstable, this indicates that the overclocking threshold has been exceeded. Go to Bios and lower the values.

After completion of work, use special check the temperature. No more than 90 degrees is recommended. Otherwise, lower the multiplier.

Is it necessary to do this

The manufacturer made it so that overclocking was unnecessary for the user. Namely, the frequency automatically decreases when the system is idle, and grows when performing resource-intensive tasks.
Is it worth it to overclock the processor on an old PC? It is equipped with hardware that is not suitable for this purpose, so the performance gain will be, but small. But even if it accelerates well, it will not reach the level of performance of new models. According to statistics, every two years the performance of computer components (, CPU) doubles. And you will spend your time at the risk of getting an unstable system or its complete failure.

Conclusion

Overclocking the processor is possible, but it is hardly worth it, especially if you do not have knowledge in this industry. With the right approach, you will get a performance increase of 15-20 percent, but at the same time, the CPU's life will be significantly reduced, and its operating temperature will increase. Sometimes laptop components fail. Even if it is under warranty, it will not be repaired for free since it has been overclocked.

When you buy a laptop, based on its cost, you expect good performance. And still it's not enough. But you can increase the processing speed of the central processing unit (CPU) from that declared by the manufacturer. Therefore, the question arises: how to overclock the processor on a laptop in order to get more efficient work for the same money. There are several available and safe options which we will cover in this article.

Let's start with the question "why"

It seems that the laptop is only 3 years old and it has never failed when performing any tasks (play a new shooter, watch the latest video rentals, transcode videos).

But now it can not cope with half the needs. What will you have to do - change your laptop? But you can try to "revive" your electronic friend by overclocking the processor. Performance will increase slightly. If you do everything right, the results will please. In addition to increasing the clock frequency, memory starts to work faster, and as a result, the speed of applications increases slightly.

But overclocking a laptop processor is half the battle. You have to pay for everything in this life:

  • Performance will increase, but power consumption will also increase at the same time. This means that battery life will inevitably decrease.
  • In addition, now the laptop will heat up much more. You will have to think about the cooling system or, at least, do not block the special slots from the bottom and side.
  • CPU life is likely to decrease.

Windows also improves performance

Overclocking the processor in a laptop is a bit difficult, but possible. Mobile device manufacturers, of course, thought about protection and took care in advance to ensure the best performance at maximum frequency, when you need to speed up work. When the processor is idle, the frequency automatically drops. But you can improve performance without harming the laptop using system tools by changing the power mode.

To do this, the Windows operating system has a software tool - " Power supply". You can find it by going to Control Panel. The figure below shows the window that will appear in Windows 7 or 8.1.

You need to go to the section Power supply» and select « High performance».

This is how you can "overclock" the laptop processor without the risk of breaking something. The performance gain will be immediately noticeable.

Overclocking via BIOS

In some models, it is possible to overclock the laptop processor with standard tools from the BIOS. To get into this system, you need to turn on the laptop and press a certain key on the keyboard. A hint of which button to press will be visible for several seconds on the monitor screen. For example, on the screen of the hp monitor, the inscription shown in the figure below will appear.

After this condition is met, the initial menu will appear, which will indicate the key that you need to press to get into the BIOS.

Consider the sequence of actions that must be performed to overclock the processor:


Be warned that most often manufacturers block the CPU to prevent the user from changing the clock speed on their own.

Overclocking with dedicated apps

For relatively old laptops, it is possible to overclock the processor using a small program paired with the program Prime95.

Further implementation of any overclocking method is associated with the risk of damaging the laptop. All actions must be performed with extreme caution, in small steps.

You need to understand that the maximum possible to achieve a slight increase in the frequency of the processor - within 10-15%. A further increase is possible if the cooling system is prepared and the power supply of the chip is changed. Since during acceleration, along with an increase in frequency, heat generation also increases. By the way, modern processors have a two-level overheating protection system. If the temperature threshold is exceeded, the processor automatically forcibly lowers the frequency and voltage, which leads to a decrease in heat generation. If the temperature does not fall below 95–110º, the laptop either turns off or freezes.

CPU-Z program

Before overclocking, you need data about the chip installed in the laptop. This utility will help CPU-Z. This information is required for the program.

SetFSB utility

Deliberately designed for fast and easy CPU overclocking. With its support, you can safely change the frequency of the system bus without rebooting operating system, bypassing the BIOS.

The program has an interface that is quite understandable for work, and the entire overclocking process takes place by step-by-step movement of just ONE slider.

If this laptop is supported by the program, the chip frequency data will be visible in the lower right corner.

The sequence of actions is extremely simple: increase the bus clock frequency in small steps and test it with the program Prime95.

Prime95

A small utility that can measure the performance of a computer. The measurement process is based on performing calculations of Mersenne primes. This action uses all the capabilities of the laptop.

Optionally, you can check both the RAM and the processor itself. While the program is running, you must be prepared for the fact that the computer will noticeably slow down.

The frequency increase is made in small steps until a freeze occurs. After the performance has been saved, Prime95 testing must be terminated and exited from the CPU setup program.

Conclusion

If everything went well, you can stop there. But this is not the whole complex of works. Performance depends not only on the frequency of the processor, but also on the frequency of the memory. It can also be increased by selecting the necessary timings. Tips from friends and Internet searches will help you set up your laptop. Overclocking without pre-training can do harm. For game lovers, the next step is overclocking the graphics card. The main thing is that all actions are thoroughly thought out, and then the efforts will not be in vain.

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