Pros: Most things work much faster from higher clock speeds.
Overclocking pushes the CPU to run at a higher clock speed than it
came. Specific performance improvements include, but are not limed
to:Improved gaming performance, faster overall performance, faster
load times, more responsive computer, not harmful if done properly.
Cons: Some cons are unavoidable, even if done properly, such as:
More heat, more fan noise and signifacantly increased power usage,
while others are only an issue if done incorrectly, such as: System
instability, reduced component life, self destruction from
overheating, complete CPU and/or motherboard failiure from
overvolting too much, power supply faliure from starting by
overclocking WAAAAAAY too high, power supply faliure can destroy
the entire computer. 95% of all store bought computers can not be
overclocked. The first step in overclocking is to clean ALL the
dust out of at least the fans, vents, CPU heatsink(the metal thing
with copper pipes and fins) and off the motherboard. It would be
better to clean the dust out of everything though. After that,
start the computer and press the correct key. When you first hit
the power button, you will see something like"Press F2 To Enter
Setup". Quickly press that key. If you get a screen with lots of
text, you are in the right place. If not, try again. You must press
the key on the first screen after you turn it on. Now, use the
arrow keys to enter the part that says"CPU Clock Speed" or similar.
You usually go higher with the +\- or arrow keys. Go up by about
20%. For example, if it was at 2.4GHz, go up to 3GHz. Now go to
"Save And Exit". Once it starts up, download a CPU stress test
program such as Prime 95. Let it run on the harshest setting it has
for at least 30 minutes. If it shut down or their was an error in
the middle, go back to Setup and turn the CPU voltage up by 0.5
volts and try again. If it worked, go back to Setup and turn the
clock speed up by 0.3GHz. Stress test again. If it fails, turn up
the voltage and try again. If it passes, turn up the clock speed by
0.2GHz and retest. When it becomes unstable and more voltage does
not help, turn it down by 0.1GHz and retry. If it is stable, turn
the voltage down by 0.2 volts and retest. Turn down the voltage
until it is unstable. Then up just enough to keep it stable. You
want just enough voltage for it to be stable. Now you can try
overclocking by 0.1GHz. If it is stable, keep going until it is
unstable. After turning it down by 0.1GHz, leave the stress test
running for at least 3 hours. Leave it at that if it is stable. If
not, go down and retest. Once it is stable, turn down the voltage
as much as possible for it to still be stable. You will not cause
damage if you follow these steps carefully. It takes patience and
time, but is worth it in the end.
