The Basics of Overclocking – DIY in 5 Ep 158

Опубликовано 5 ноября 2021, 17:00

Overclocking can be dangerous if done incorrectly but really awesome if done right! Overclocking is a catch-all term adjusting of the standard specs on memory modules, CPUs and GPUs to get better performance.

What is Overlocking?
For PC enthusiasts and overclocking aficionados, it’s an art form and has its own subculture. Overclockers compete for work records and bragging rights by tweaking voltage, latency and frequency, and use custom cooling apparatus and liquid nitrogen to keep the components from melting under the extreme heat produced. But those are the big leagues. Since there is a delicate balance between pushing your components to their limits and causing damage how can you safely overclock to get better performance without going too far?

The Origins of Overclocking
In the mid-2000s, Intel, AMD and NVidia came up with methods to allow simple overclocking through the use of profiles programmed onto the DIMM which defined clock speed, voltage and latencies. An ecosystem of checks and balances developed between the component manufacturers, motherboard manufacturers and memory companies to provide a stable landscape for users. This made it safer and easier than ever before to push the performance of your components without having to manually tune settings.

Intel XMP
Intel’s solution to memory overclocking on their platforms is called XMP - or Extreme Memory Profile - and it supports preset overclock settings programmed into the DIMMs at the factory. In the case of DDR3 and DDR4 each DIMM will have two overclocking profiles - one is aggressive and the other is slightly less aggressive. For DDR5 up to 5 profiles are available, with three set at the factory and two available for users to create their own. This is a great solution if you’ are working on an Intel platform and can easily be enabled within the BIOS or through Intel’s Extreme Tuning Utility, XTU, which can be downloaded from Intel’s website.

Intel’s XTU Tool
XTU can provide all the tools you might need for overclocking your other components as well - benchmarking, modifying settings, and testing system stability. Monitoring both power consumption and heat are critical to a successful overclock. Especially when adjusting settings manually and not going through pre-set profiles like we discussed earlier, you’ll want to know your components upper temperature limits and stay well below them or else risk damaging your components. Most gaming motherboard manufacturers also feature utilities like the XTU to customize memory timings and monitor system stability.

Cooling
Things to note whenever you are attempting any overclocking, you’ll want to make sure you have a robust cooling solution in place - higher performance means higher temps and you’ll need to be able to counter that. Also, while certainly less risky than it used to be and even supported by major component manufacturers, overclocking is done at your own risk and may void your warranty or compromise stability. That being said, for those who like to push the limits, it’s incredibly exciting and rewarding when done correctly.

DIY Build or Buy Pre-built?
Most overclockers build their own systems which allows them to select components based on their budget and performance needs. However, if you’re not comfortable building your own rig, big PC manufacturers also make gaming systems, but overlocking on big name PCs can be challenging, as many prevent you from adjusting memory timings or engaging profiles. Especially challenging is overlocking on gaming laptops where raising voltage can increase the heat and more quickly drain the battery.

Kingston Plug N Play Overclocking
Kingston pioneered a solution to this problem with their Plug N Play concept. Featured on the FURY Beast and Impact product lines, kits that feature Plug N Play automatically overclock with presets that are configured by engineers at the factory, no profile selection required.

If you have any overclocking stories of your own to share, we’d love to hear about them in the comments.