Vito Cassisi – Tech Blog Delving into technology

Debunking overclocking FUD

The naysayers have it wrong. Or do they?

We're finally in a day and age where overclocking is no longer regarded as a forbidden dark-art. In the days of yore, companies such as Intel would strongly oppose overclocking. Many dodgy hardware vendors would swap clock crystals, muck around with jumper settings, and pull all sorts of finicky pin modifications to up the power of low end CPUs. Then they'd sell the systems as high end configurations, with misleading model numbers and clock speed specifications, to trick users into thinking their system is of a higher calibre.

If these companies had advertised such practises, instead of claiming that their systems contained higher end components, then perhaps the negative  perception of overclocking wouldn't have developed so strongly. Of course, it's not just bad practises that give the process a tarnished reputation. There's also the concern for stability and longevity of a system which has been exposed to enthusiastic persons and their BIOS wielding ways. If precautions aren't taken, it doesn't take much to completely kill a system. Likewise, taking to a motherboard with an unusually sharp screwdriver, to install RAM modules, often has the same effect.

I've created a list of common myths and misconceptions regarding the process of overclocking, all of which have been debunked. Enjoy!

1. Overclocking is silly. If the chip was able to perform better, the manufacturer would have set it at that speed in the first place!
This isn't true. Manufacturers often create several models of CPUs which are all based on the one architecture. The only difference between them is the clock speed. Batches are tested for stability and are assigned into performance bins. CPUs which remain stable at higher clock speeds are put into the higher bins, whilst the lower performing chips are put into lower performance bins. Fortunately for the end consumer, the lower end CPUs don't necessarily mean they're only capable of their advertised speed - it just means they can't be pushed as far as the higher models. Manufacturers play it safe and heavily underclock their processors to guarantee that they all work flawlessly. In addition to this, when there's significantly more demand for lower-end processors (which is typically the case), higher binned CPUs are often used to help replenish stock.
After a while, the manufacturer will iron out flaws in the manufacturing process, and create a higher abundance of high-grade CPUs. This is typically represented as a new 'revision' or 'stepping' of the CPU. These new revisions create even more headroom for overclockers. It's not uncommon for manufacturers to then release 'new' CPUs which are the same old models (of a newer revision) with higher clock speeds. Basically, they're selling overclocked versions of their existing processors.

2. Overclocking will cause your computer to crash unexpectedly due to instability.
This ultimately depends on how lazy the overclocker is. An overclocker who actively checks for instability using tools such as OCCT and Prime95 will be able to determine if their PC is stable. On the other hand, novice overclockers may go off the principle that if it boots and plays games, it works. To put this into perspective, you could use the analogy of a programmer. A good programmer will not be satisfied simply because their program compiles. The program will need to pass a series of extensive tests to ensure that the program functions as expected. Likewise, a programmer whom is satisfied with a program that merely compiles, and does trivial tests, is likely to have a program that crashes with little effort.
To put it simply, to say that overclocking causes instability is incorrect. Overclocking doesn't cause instability, ignorance causes instability.

3. Overclocking makes your system overheat.
It is true that overclocking can significantly increase the heat produced by processing components. For this reason, overclockers are encouraged to run temperature monitoring programs during stress testing to determine how hot their components get under load. These programs include, but are not limited to, Core Temp, Real Temp and SpeedFan. As long as the temperature doesn't exceed the manufacturers threshold, there is nothing to worry about.
For those who wish to overclock extensively, there's an abundance of aftermarket coolers available to keep temperatures as low as possible.

4. Overclocking reduces the longevity of components.
Depending on how far the component has been pushed, this can be the case. However, if voltages and temperature are kept within reasonable bounds, the reduced longevity will be so minor that the owner will have long replaced the overclocked part before it fails. Most people replace their PC within 2-5 years of purchase. An overclocked processor will typically outlast this time frame.

5. Overclocking is too complex, one mistake and your PC goes BANG!
Perhaps a few years ago, this concern would be valid. These days, motherboards have inbuilt protection for issues such as overheating and excessive voltages. That being said, if a user is silly enough to ignore warnings, there's a good chance they can cause irreparable damage. Nonetheless, those who take the process seriously should have no concerns whatsoever. A lot of overclocking is common sense, and there are many good guides on the Internet.

6. Overclocking provides little performance increase for time and effort taken.
Not necessarily true - this depends on the end users needs. If the end user does a lot of CPU intensive tasks (such as video encoding/editing, gaming, audio processing etc.) a significant clock speed boost does wonders. Tasks such as boot-up, responsiveness, and program execution also benefit from an overclocked system.
Those who take pride in the speed of their systems may overclock to enhance their performance in benchmarks such as SuperPI and 3DMark. That being said, if a user is satisfied with the speed of their system, the time taken to produce a stable overclock may well be too much effort.

7. Overclocking costs more in aftermarket cooling than it's worth.
This one isn't true, unless you go overboard. A high performance heatsink and fan will cost approximately $100AUD. This may sound like a lot, but when you look at the benefits, it becomes clear that it more than pays for itself. For example, the Core i7 920 CPU costs about $350AUD, whilst the next model up, the 940 goes for approximately $800AUD. The difference? 300MHz. For $100, you can get a 920 to 4GHz+. There is no Intel Core i7 CPU on the market that offers such a clock speed. And if there was, it'd be over $1000AUD without question. I think that's proof enough that aftermarket coolers are a good investment.

To summarise, overclocking is a great way to get more from your system without spending a fortune on high model components. On the other hand, unless you want/need the performance, there's no real need to practise such 'dark arts'. Is overclocking dangerous or pointless? No, not by a long shot. It's a great way to tune a system, and a valid method of learning more about how your system works at a lower level.

Have any comments or queries? Comment below!