Why is overclocking so popular and why do manufacturers make motherboards just for overclocking etc? I really don't get the point of it. I understand that it makes your CPU run faster. But why would consumer want to overclock his CPU to maximum, if you can see the results and benchmarks online. What is the gain with overclocking besides having CPU run faster? I watched some videos of Corsair and Intel overclocking Is it to get CPU dependant software function as fast as possible?
Why do people overclock?
- Thread starter damstas
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Sakkura
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- Aug 22, 2011
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Yeah, it makes software run faster. It makes CPU-heavy games like Crysis 3 smoother. It's not much fun to play a slideshow. Today, you have to pay extra for the privilege of overclocking, so you mostly just get what you pay for. It wasn't always like that; in the past, you could grab a cheap CPU and overclock it to match much more expensive CPUs.
luckiest charm
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Your last sentence .. @ OP.
Another reason is that overclocking guys don't want to see how fast their CPU / GPU should perform, they want to see how fast their CPU / GPU 'can' perform. They hit the limits to get as much FPS in games or as much similar performance in other tasks.
I have stock CPU and don't see the need to overclock, or it could be I want to overclock but my motherboard doesn't support it and I can not afford another mobo as of now.
Another reason is that overclocking guys don't want to see how fast their CPU / GPU should perform, they want to see how fast their CPU / GPU 'can' perform. They hit the limits to get as much FPS in games or as much similar performance in other tasks.
I have stock CPU and don't see the need to overclock, or it could be I want to overclock but my motherboard doesn't support it and I can not afford another mobo as of now.
Personal reasons.
Some people really enjoy the "my PC is faster than yours, and we use the same parts" concept.
Personally, I got started about 10 years ago on a 36cap Pentium4 (amazing CPU).
It's essentially free performance that you can take advantage of. The components of our modern computers are 'rated' to run at certain speeds. However, they are capable of running at higher speeds. The way you get there is often through adding slightly more power (on the level of 0.1 V), but you end up generating more heat as a result. We all pay more money for a good cooler so that we can deal with that heat more effectively.
I have an i7-3770k. When I installed the chip, it would sit at 1.6GHz during normal activity, and it would ramp up to 3.9GHz on its own if I booted up a game or something along those lines. I added 0.2V of power, and I now run the same CPU at 4.8GHz. That's a really big gain in speed.
What is that speed used for? Maybe 5-10fps in a game. My GTX 690 is overclocked slightly, and that seems to be worth another 5fps or so. Most of the time, that gain is "bonus" fps that you don't actually need (i.e., anything over 60). However, take a newer game that makes intense demands of hardware (e.g., Crysis 3), and that bonus can allow you smooth fps with very high (i.e., pretty) settings. Normally, without the overclock, those same components might have to run at lower (i.e., less pretty) settings to achieve a stable framerate.
Say you and I have the same components (see signature)... If you don't overclock yours, and I overclock mine, when we both go to play Crysis 3, I will be able to have higher graphics settings, smoother framerates, or both. CPU speed and performance plays a large role in multiplayer games, due to the load on the CPU to handle that much data. With an overclocked CPU, you can achieve that extra performance boost so that you might have less latency (lag). Less latency gives you a distinct advantage over your competitors when it comes to trying shooting virtual bullets at each other.
Some people really enjoy the "my PC is faster than yours, and we use the same parts" concept.
Personally, I got started about 10 years ago on a 36cap Pentium4 (amazing CPU).
It's essentially free performance that you can take advantage of. The components of our modern computers are 'rated' to run at certain speeds. However, they are capable of running at higher speeds. The way you get there is often through adding slightly more power (on the level of 0.1 V), but you end up generating more heat as a result. We all pay more money for a good cooler so that we can deal with that heat more effectively.
I have an i7-3770k. When I installed the chip, it would sit at 1.6GHz during normal activity, and it would ramp up to 3.9GHz on its own if I booted up a game or something along those lines. I added 0.2V of power, and I now run the same CPU at 4.8GHz. That's a really big gain in speed.
What is that speed used for? Maybe 5-10fps in a game. My GTX 690 is overclocked slightly, and that seems to be worth another 5fps or so. Most of the time, that gain is "bonus" fps that you don't actually need (i.e., anything over 60). However, take a newer game that makes intense demands of hardware (e.g., Crysis 3), and that bonus can allow you smooth fps with very high (i.e., pretty) settings. Normally, without the overclock, those same components might have to run at lower (i.e., less pretty) settings to achieve a stable framerate.
Say you and I have the same components (see signature)... If you don't overclock yours, and I overclock mine, when we both go to play Crysis 3, I will be able to have higher graphics settings, smoother framerates, or both. CPU speed and performance plays a large role in multiplayer games, due to the load on the CPU to handle that much data. With an overclocked CPU, you can achieve that extra performance boost so that you might have less latency (lag). Less latency gives you a distinct advantage over your competitors when it comes to trying shooting virtual bullets at each other.
spike15_mk
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manofchalk
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Because better performance, that simple really. Why not push our chips to its potential?
And some enjoy overclocking for overclockings sake, its a skill once you get past a certain point.
And some enjoy overclocking for overclockings sake, its a skill once you get past a certain point.
assasin32
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Because we can.
Thats my reason, I can overclock so I do so. Yes I get a bit more performance out of it, but with the time invested in it I can much easier spend that time making money so I can buy the better component from the get go. But it is still not the same as overclocking myself. It is kind of like the car guy who tinkers on his car despite it working perfectly fine just to see if they can make it better. Same story.
Thats my reason, I can overclock so I do so. Yes I get a bit more performance out of it, but with the time invested in it I can much easier spend that time making money so I can buy the better component from the get go. But it is still not the same as overclocking myself. It is kind of like the car guy who tinkers on his car despite it working perfectly fine just to see if they can make it better. Same story.
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