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Asus Puts on an Overclocking Clinic at Blizzcon

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Overclocking is frequently justified as giving needed performance, but in a lot of cases, people do it just to see if they can. There's a bit of pride in taking a 2.4GHz processor and make it run at 4 GHz.

Others, though, are scared off. They fear frying their CPU and/or motherboard. So for both types, ASUS was here at Blizzcon showing off some very simple how-to steps for newbie and veteran alike.

The overclocker clinic is something they run at LAN events and shows like Blizzcon and Quakecon. At the table, they had three systems for overclocking: one air cooled; one water-cooled; and one using refrigeration.

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Thanks to BIOS profiles designed for overclocking, it's possible to download a profile, install it in your BIOS and set up an ideal overclocking configuration depending on what kind of cooling you have. People who had never overclocked in their lives were hitting 4GHz and even 5GHz speeds.

And if you screw it up, you can connect a laptop to the PC via the USB port to reset the BIOS. No more of that nonsense where you had to move a jumper on a hard-to-reach spot on the motherboard or remove the CMOS battery.

ASUS also showed off a series of laptops with Nvidia's 3D video technology, all of them running StarCraft 2 in 3D (special glasses needed, of course). This included the NX90Jq, due to ship this month, and the N73Jq-A2.

Other systems being shown off were the three-foot-tall Danger Den, with four video cards inside, and a clear plastic double case that had two systems inside.

14 Comments Comment from the forums
  • sudeshc
    Already knew that but still good to know that ASUS is creating awareness about overclocking. Some day we might see a blond overclocking on air to 5 GHz...........hehehehe
    Reply
  • So they let let some wow kiddies 'oc' some hand picked samples of cpu's ,probably with an unlocked multiplier (so that any toddler could do it) and holding their hand through it all.

    Fits with the recent 'everybody can be a winner and is a special snowflake' mantra that modern gaming crams down people's throats these days I guess.
    Reply
  • eddieroolz
    Making overclocking more accessible to ordinary people is something I support.
    Reply
  • Monkeyninja
    JoeAverageRandomNumberSo they let let some wow kiddies 'oc' some hand picked samples of cpu's ,probably with an unlocked multiplier (so that any toddler could do it) and holding their hand through it all.Fits with the recent 'everybody can be a winner and is a special snowflake' mantra that modern gaming crams down people's throats these days I guess.To answer everyones question, it was me who peed in his cherrio's this morning.
    Reply
  • N.Broekhuijsen
    JoeAverageRandomNumberSo they let let some wow kiddies 'oc' some hand picked samples of cpu's ,probably with an unlocked multiplier (so that any toddler could do it) and holding their hand through it all.Fits with the recent 'everybody can be a winner and is a special snowflake' mantra that modern gaming crams down people's throats these days I guess.Jeez no need to be so harsh! any bit more understanding that the general public can get about computers should be appreciated!

    And no need for hand picked CPU's, just grab some of the AMD chips, cheap and with unlocked multipliers!
    Reply
  • iamtheking123
    Can we get some more info on the refrigerated PC? Were they just using something lame like an all-in-one thermoelectric or did they actually put the computer inside of a refrigerator. If the later I'm wondering how they got around condensation frying everything.

    @xbeater, pretty sure no AMD chips can hit 5 ghz stable without being LN2 cooled. Intel chips are much more likely.
    Reply
  • ltbob
    iamtheking123Can we get some more info on the refrigerated PC? Were they just using something lame like an all-in-one thermoelectric or did they actually put the computer inside of a refrigerator. If the later I'm wondering how they got around condensation frying everything.@xbeater, pretty sure no AMD chips can hit 5 ghz stable without being LN2 cooled. Intel chips are much more likely.I think they used phase change :3 (well a fridge is phase change but what eva.. they didn't put it in a fridge if what your asking) :S
    Reply
  • ltbob
    I still like my asus board :D when it hangs due to overclocking all you have to do is reboot
    Reply
  • hoof_hearted
    Starcraft in 3D 8)
    Reply
  • N.Broekhuijsen
    ltbobI still like my asus board when it hangs due to overclocking all you have to do is rebootBest feature ever! It detects a failed overclock for you, and just sets everything back to stock!
    Reply