A question on overclocking

[moondawg009]

Hi i just recently built my PC for playing games i've got

Intel Core i3-2120 Sandy Bridge 3.3GHz LGA 1155 65W Dual-Core Desktop Processor Intel HD Graphics 2000 BX80623I32120

radeon 6870 hd 1 gb

8gigs ddr3 ram

MSI Z68A-G43 (G3) LGA 1155 Intel Z68 SATA 6Gb/s USB 3.0 ATX Intel Motherboard

I don't really understand overclocking or how to do it, ive looked at alot of videos but they were less then helpfull. I want to know if i am able to overclock, how to do it, and if there is any risk involved.

Thanks.

 

[inzone]

The i3-2120 is a nice entry cpu for first time builders and it will give you a good foundation for your gaming system. Unfortunatly when it comes to Intel cpu's the ones that you can overclock have to have an unlocked multiplier and you can determine the models that have that if you see a K or X after the model number.
i7-3770K , i5-3570K , i7-980X , i7-3930K , I5-2500K , i7-2600K these are examples of unlocked cpus from Intel.
The XMP profile will give the ram a boost but for the most part it's not really noticeable.
What I would do if I were you is enjoy the computer that you just built and learn from it and then the next Pc that you build you can make sure that you get an unlocked cpu, in the meantime you can read up on overclocking and gain a knowledge base for later.