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Overclocking is the practice of running a computer component at a higher clock speed than its factory settings to increase performance. This is most commonly done on the Central Processing Unit (CPU) and Graphics Processing Unit (GPU), often by manually adjusting the component's clock speed and voltage through the system's BIOS or specialized software. While it can make tasks like gaming and video editing faster, it also increases heat and power consumption, requiring careful monitoring and potentially better cooling to prevent instability or damage.

How it works

Clock speed: Components like the CPU operate at a specific clock speed, measured in GHz. Overclocking increases this speed to allow for more operations per second.

Voltage: Increasing the clock speed often requires a higher voltage (\(V_{core}\)) to maintain stability at the faster rate, which is why manufacturers often specify a safe voltage margin.

Multiplier: You can adjust the CPU's clock speed by changing the multiplier, which multiplies a base clock (BCLK) to get the final core frequency.

Cooling: Because overclocking generates more heat, effective cooling is crucial to prevent the component from overheating and shutting down or becoming damaged.