The Hardware Factor

Your hardware plays the biggest role in overclocking the system but there is a software factor too that we'll get to after we introduce the four main hardware factors.

We'll break down the four pieces of hardware that play a major role in overclocking:

• CPU

• RAM

• CPU Cooling

• Motherboard/chipset

CPU

The CPU you run in your system can make a major difference the limitations of overclocking. For a period, AMD processors were unlocked and required no physical modifications to unlock the multiplier. Overclocking of AMD chips also depends on what core they have, earlier Palomino cores don't overclock as well as the later "B" cores and subsequent Barton cores. More experienced overclockers also look for processors with specific core ids; processors produced from a certain week / batch usually have similar overclocking characteristics. Back in the days of the Celeron 300A overclocking craze, most of the highly overclockable processors came from Malaysia while the ones that did not work as well came from other locales. Enthusiasts tend to keep an eye out for trends like this. Many messageboards track how well processors of a certain week overclock. For people who buy computer equipment regularly and get to know the staff at the store, it is worthwhile to ask them to check the CPU core codes as the more knowledgeable employees will tend to know which ones enthusiasts prefer.

RAM

Quality of RAM plays an important role in overclocking because of its symbiotic relationship to the front side bus (FSB). Setting your FSB so that it is synchronous generally means better performance but for pure overclocking this may not be the best approach as the limit of your RAM might get exceeded. For example if your RAM is 3200 DDR that runs at 200Mhz and your increase your FSB to 210MHz your system automatically tells the RAM to run at 210MHz. If you are running cheaper RAM the overclocking potential for your RAM is generally more limited than quality brand name RAM (such as OCZ, Corsair, Kingston, Mushkin to name a few). There are several things that can be done to help out with overclocking most of which revolves changing the FSB:Memory ratio, however this can potentially negate any gains you might get from anything you may get from a processor overclock. The best bet is to buy the best RAM you can afford.

CPU Cooling

Often to successfully overclock a CPU you have to add extra voltage to the processor. The more voltage you add the more heat the CPU generates and the more important it is to have a good cooling system. The most common and economical solution is air cooling using a fan and heat sink, but for the hardcore overclocker water cooling is a more expensive option. For those that want to get very fancy, peltiers are also a viable solution. A combination of methods work also as in an actively cooled water cooling solution. Aluminum is a common component in cheap heat sinks and water blocks but on higher end units copper is more prevalent due to it's ability to remove heat faster by having a better heat conductivity constant. Most of the newer processors that come with a heatsink/fan feature some copper, usually a copper slug embedded in aluminum.

Motherboard/Chipset

One of the most critical components of overclocking a systems is the motherboard manufacturer and the chipset provided on the motherboard. The chipset will control important variables related to overclocking and more importantly will determine if the chipset itself can withstand increased frequencies. It doesn't matter how good your RAM is or what CPU you own if your chipset lacks the ability to take extra frequency or lacks certain features your overclocking is going to be limited. The subject of motherboards will be explored more thoroughly in the upcoming Software Page as it is the BIOS that exposes a lot of the motherboard features.