The best programs for overclocking an Intel processor. Preparing for overclocking or bringing to mind

Overclocking a computer will be relevant for those who do not have the opportunity to upgrade or purchase new equipment. With proper overclocking of the processor, overall performance can increase by an average of 10%, to a maximum of 20%. However, it is important to remember that overclocking may not always produce tangible results. For example, if your computer has 1 GB of RAM installed, then simply increasing it to 2 GB can give a more noticeable increase. Therefore, real growth can only be determined experimentally. Below we will tell you how to properly overclock, but first about precautions.

Precautionary measures

Attention! Overclocking a processor can damage the processor. If you do not have overclocking skills, we strongly do not recommend overclocking yourself. Before you begin, read the specifications of your processor, and also visit thematic forums dedicated to overclocking.

Below we have compiled tips to help you overclock safely:

1) If you are a beginner, only increase the processor frequency. It is better not to change the core supply voltage.

2)Increase the frequency gradually, by 100-150 MHz. This will avoid critical errors and processor overheating.

3) After each promotion, perform system testing. This includes stability testing and continuous temperature monitoring. The temperature must be monitored throughout the entire overclocking process! If you exceed the permissible frequency, the protection will work and the settings will be reset. As the CPU frequency increases, its heat dissipation also increases. Prolonged exposure to critical temperatures can damage the processor crystal.

4) If you also decide to increase the core supply voltage, then you should do this with the very minimum possible step(usually 0.05V). Wherein maximum limit should not exceed 0.3 volts, since increasing the voltage is more dangerous for your CPU than increasing the frequency.

5)Overclocking should be stopped after the first failed stability test or when exceeding permissible temperature. For example, there is a processor with a frequency of 2.6 GHz. Its stable operation was observed at a frequency of 3.5 GHz. At 3.6 GHz the first glitches appeared. In this case, overclocking stops and the last stable frequency is set, that is, 3.5 GHz.

Note: If your computer is stable at maximum frequency, but the CPU is overheating, you might want to consider adding additional cooling or about replacing an existing one.

Note 2: Laptops are not very good candidates for overclocking as their cooling capabilities are quite limited. In this case, it would be more advisable to replace components with more powerful ones.

Now we can move directly to overclocking.

CPU overclocking

Step 1. Download the necessary utilities. You will need benchmarking and stress testing software to properly evaluate the results of overclocking. It is also worth downloading programs that allow you to control the temperature of the processor crystal. Below we have provided a list of such programs:

CPU-Z is simple program monitor that will allow you to quickly see the current clock frequency and tension.

Prime95 is free program benchmarking, which is widely used for stress testing. It is designed to run long-term stress tests.

LinX is another stress testing program. A very convenient and flexible program for stress testing the processor. This program loads the CPU at 100%. Therefore, sometimes it may seem like your computer is frozen. Best suited for stability testing.

CoreTemp is a free program that allows you to monitor the temperature of the CPU die in real time. Can be used on permanent basis along with the CoreTemp gadget. It also displays in real time the current processor frequency, FSB bus and its multiplier.

Before you start overclocking, run a basic stress test. This will give you a baseline for comparison and will also show you if there are any stability issues.

Step 2. Check your motherboard and processor. Different boards and processors have different capabilities when it comes to overclocking. The first thing to look at is whether your multiplier is unlocked. If the multiplier is blocked, then overclocking will most likely not be possible.

Step 3. Open BIOS. It is through it that your system will be overclocked. To launch it, press the “Del” key in the first seconds of starting the computer (when the POST screen appears).

Note: Depending on the computer model, the BIOS entry keys may vary. Basic ones: “F10”, “F2”, “F12” and “Esc”.

Step 4. The tabs may differ in new and old BIOS versions. Typically, older computers have BIOS versions of AMI (American Megatrend Inc.) and Phoenix AWARD.

In Phoenix AWARD, open the "Frequency / Voltage Control" tab. This menu may be called differently, for example, “overclock”.

In AMI BIOS this tab is called “Advanced” - “JumperFree Condiguration” or “AT Overclock”.

New computers come pre-installed with a UEFI BIOS version with full graphical interface. To find the overclocking menu, go to advanced mode and look for the “AI Tweaker” or “Extreme Tweaker” tab.

Step 5. Reduce memory bus speed. This is necessary in order to avoid memory errors. This option may be called “Memory Multiplier” or “Frequency DDR”. Switch the option to the lowest possible mode.

Step 6. Increase the base frequency by 10%. This corresponds to approximately 100-150 MHz. It is also referred to as bus speed (FSB) and is the base speed of your processor. Typically it is more low speed(100, 133, 200 MHz or more), which is multiplied by a multiplier, thereby reaching the full core frequency. For example, if the base frequency is 100 MHz and the multiplier is 16, the clock speed will be 1.6 GHz. Most processors can handle a 10% jump without issue. A 10% increase in frequency will correspond to an FSB frequency of 110 MHz and a clock speed of 1.76 GHz.

Step 7 Run the operating system and then stress test. For example, open LinX and run it for a few loops. At the same time, open the temperature monitor. If there are no problems, you can move on. If the stability test fails or a sudden increase in temperature is observed, then you should stop overclocking and reset the settings to default. Don't let your processor reach 85°C (185°F).

Step 8 Continue steps 5 and 7 until the system becomes unstable. Run a stress test every time you raise the frequency. Instability will most likely be caused due to the processor not receiving enough power.

Increasing frequency through a multiplier

If your motherboard has an unlocked multiplier, then overclocking can be done using it. Before you start increasing the multiplier, reset the base frequency. This will help you make more precise frequency adjustments.

Note: Using a lower base frequency and a high multiplier makes the system more stable, a higher base frequency with a low multiplier gives a greater performance boost. Here you need to experimentally find a middle ground.

Step 1. Reset the base frequency to default.

Step 2. Increase the multiplier. Once you have lowered the base frequency, start raising it in minimal increments (usually 0.5). The multiplier may be called "CPU Ratio", "CPU Multiplier" or something like that.

Step 3. Run the stress test and temperature monitor exactly as in the previous section (step 7).

Step 4. Continue increasing the multiplier until the first crashes appear. Now you have the settings at which your computer runs reliably. While your temperatures are still within safe limits, you can start adjusting voltage levels to continue further overclocking.

Increasing core voltage

Step 1. Increase the processor core supply voltage. This item may appear as "CPU Voltage" or "VCore". Increasing the voltage beyond safe limits can damage not only the processor, but also the motherboard. Therefore, increase it in increments of 0.025 or the smallest possible for your motherboard. Excessive voltage surges can damage components. And let us remind you once again: do not increase the voltage higher than 0.3 volts!

Step 2. Run a stress test after the first promotion. Since you left your system in an unstable state with a previous overclock, it is possible that the instability will disappear. If your system is stable, make sure that temperatures are still at an acceptable level. If the system is still unstable, try reducing either the multiplier or the base clock speed.

Step 3. Once you have managed to stabilize the system by increasing the voltage, you can return to increasing either the base frequency or the multiplier (same as in the previous paragraphs). Your goal is to get maximum performance from minimum voltage. This will require a lot of trial and error.

Step 4. Repeat the cycle until you reach maximum voltage or maximum temperature. Eventually you will reach a point where you can no longer achieve any productivity gains. This is the limit of your motherboard and processor, and it is likely that you will not be able to get past this point.

Each processor is designed for a certain nominal frequency. This frequency is indicated on its surface and is indicated in price lists and other documentation. For example, the PentiumII-300 must operate at an external frequency of 300 MHz. But, as practice shows, you can achieve more from a processor. The fact is that the frequency at which the microprocessor will operate is set motherboard, so it becomes possible to increase it relative to the value specified on the processor. This is called overclocking.

Why do you need processor overclocking?

Yes, in general, there’s nothing special about it. By overclocking your processor, you can increase the performance of your system by 10 percent. In addition, you can improve your opinion of yourself in the eyes of your friends. And of course, learn some information about the structure of the computer. However, by exceeding the nominal processor clock frequency, the system loses reliability. However, in most cases this will be completely unnoticeable. So the main thing is the idea of ​​saving money by buying one processor and using it as another, faster one.

Why is overclocking possible?

In order to understand the theory of overclocking, it is necessary to understand how processors are manufactured and tested. Models created within the same technological framework (for example, 0.25 microns, voltage 3.3 V) are produced on the same production line. Then some samples of the series are randomly tested. Testing takes place under extreme (voltage and temperature) conditions. Based on these tests, the processor is marked with the nominal frequency for which the processor is designed. Considering that the frequency is taken with a certain margin of safety, and that not all crystals have been tested, we can predict with a high degree of probability that most products have a power margin of 10-15%, or even more, in frequency. In addition, additional overclocking resources can be obtained by providing the processor with good cooling, since the manufacturer tests its products under very harsh temperature conditions.

Almost all motherboards for Pentium processors and Pentium II are designed to work not with one type of crystal, but with several. That is, they provide the user with the opportunity to indicate which processor is installed on them. The choice of its clock frequency is carried out by multiplying the external frequency (the one at which the system bus and RAM of the PC operate) by one of the fixed multipliers (these multipliers are usually multiples of 0.5 and are in the range of 1.5 - 4). The method for setting a particular multiplication and external frequency is always indicated in the manual for the motherboard and sometimes on the board itself. The ability to select the external frequency and multiplication factor of the internal processor frequency gives rise to the possibility of passing off the processor as a faster one.

Overclocking can be done in two ways. Firstly, it is possible to increase the external frequency multiplier of the processor (for example, from 2.5 to 3), since in this case only the speed of the processor itself increases, and the speed of the system bus (memory) and other devices does not increase. However, this method, although reliable (failures can only be expected from the processor), does not provide a large increase in the performance of the entire system as a whole. Besides, in Lately The leading manufacturer of PC processors, Intel, decided to block this possibility by fixing the multiplication on its crystals.

The second method is to increase the external frequency without changing the ratio or both (for example, from 60 to 66 MHz). The fact is that the performance of such computer components as the second level cache, RAM and PCI buses and ISA (and therefore all expansion cards). Currently, almost all motherboards support external frequencies of 50, 55, 60, 66, 75 and 83 MHz. However, when experimenting with an external frequency, you should remember that the risk of encountering system failures increases sharply, since not only the processor is overclocked, but also all other system components. Therefore, when overclocking the system in this way, you should be confident in the quality of the components (this especially applies to RAM modules).

Relabeling processors

However, it is unfair to think that only end users in Russia are so smart. Many Chinese, and even our, offices specialize in relabeling crystals. That is, when checking the overclockability of processors, they destroy the old one and apply a higher clock frequency to it. In order to remark a processor, it is enough to destroy (scrape off) the top layer of paint on its case and apply new marks corresponding to the older model. Having bought such a crystal, a person unwittingly overclocks it, and if the computer then works flawlessly, he may not even know that his processor is sawn.

It is almost impossible to protect yourself from purchasing such a microprocessor. However, you can buy processors in a box or lower models in the same technology series (for example, Intel Pentium 166 MMX). There are only indirect signs for determining whether a processor is sawn - an uneven surface, mismatch of markings on the upper and lower sides of the crystal body, poorly applied markings.

The danger of overclocking

The question that many people ask when overclocking is whether the processor or other system components will burn out. It is impossible to answer this question unequivocally. However, cases of processor combustion are extremely rare. Statistics show this. Only in approximately 0.1% of cases are irreversible problems possible. Cyrix/IBM processors, which burn most often, are especially dangerous in this sense. In addition, if the motherboard is equipped not with a switching power supply (distinguished by the presence of a toroidal coil on the board), but with a linear power supply, then the motherboard may be damaged when overclocking Cyrix and AMD processors due to high current consumption. When the external frequency increases, and, consequently, the PCI bus frequency, data loss on the hard drive is possible, but HDD at the same time remains operational. In any case, most of the problems described can be solved. This is discussed below.

How to overclock a processor

1. First you need to determine what to strive for. That is, decide for yourself what you will change - the external frequency or the multiplication factor. Keep in mind that it will almost always be possible to increase the frequency by one step, and increasing the frequency multiplier will give a smaller effect than with the same increase in the external frequency. In addition, new Intel processors, to prevent overclocking and relabeling, have the ability to set only nominal coefficients for frequency multiplication. Therefore, in this case, only manipulation of the external frequency is possible.
2. Learn how the jumpers are set on your motherboard for the values ​​you choose. Many motherboard manufacturers do not document external frequencies above 66 MHz, because such frequencies are not documented for Intel chipsets, on which the vast majority of motherboards are built. You can see undocumented jumper settings for your motherboard. And yet, multiplication by 3.5 is set in the same way as 1.5. Therefore, if the manual for your motherboard does not indicate multiplication by 3.5, you can safely use the setting for the multiplier of 1.5
3. Turn off the computer and reinstall the jumpers in accordance with step 2
4. Turn on your computer. If the system does not start (black screen), it means that you have overclocked the processor and the computer will not work in this configuration.
5. If the computer starts and boots, then you need to check the stability of its operation. This check is performed by starting a multitasking operating system (Windows 95/NT) and running applications that require active work with memory, since data transfer operations heat up the crystal the most. As an example, we can offer the simultaneous launch of a pkzip archiver, viewing an mpeg file, and running a couple of copies of the Quake game, continuously switching between them. Fifteen minutes stable operation in this mode it is quite enough to draw a conclusion about the stability of the system.
6. If the computer starts but does not boot (hangs after displaying the table with the system configuration), then you can fight for its stable operation. This behavior is most likely caused by the inability normal operation hard drive, memory or ISA cards. How to overcome such problems is written below.
7. At unstable work operating system and applications, the root of the problem most likely lies in insufficient cooling of the crystal. Sometimes, however, such effects are observed when the level of the logic signal is insufficient. This problem is solved on motherboards equipped with the ability to select the processor supply voltage by increasing it by 0.1-0.2 V. However, in this case, you need to think even more about cooling. Cooling issues are discussed below.

CPU cooling

One of the most important tasks faced when overclocking a processor is its cooling. Overheating of the processor can be considered the main circumstance preventing overclocking. In 90 percent of cases, when an overclocked system starts up, but after a while it starts to crash and freezes or crashes when running applications that heavily load the processor, the reason should be sought precisely in processor overheating.

Therefore, it is worth getting a good radiator with a fan that provides the best heat dissipation. The better the whole area is ventilated system unit, the more stable the computer will work. By the way, ATX form factor from this point of view it is much better, since PC cases and motherboards, made in accordance with this form factor, are very well ventilated due to the well-placed components. However, a regular Baby AT case can be equipped with an additional fan.

How to choose the right fan? When choosing a radiator, you should pay attention to the height and structure of the iron part itself (the higher the radiator, and the more protrusions on it, the better), and the height of the fan (the higher, the better, usually 20 or 30 mm). It is also worth considering that it is preferable to use fans that work “for exhaust” (i.e., driving the air flow upward, away from the radiator).

Secondly, when purchasing, it is very important to pay attention to the way the radiator is attached to the processor. There are several types of fasteners.

However, in the best case, the heatsink is attached to the processor using a curved metal bracket that clings to special protrusions at the Socket 7 (Pentium) and Socket 8 (Pentium Pro) connectors. This method should be considered the most acceptable, since the curved bracket presses the radiator well against the processor, leaving virtually no space for air cushions. But even with other radiator mounting schemes, good results can be achieved. The best mount is one that minimizes the air gap between the processor and the heatsink. This can be achieved both by increasing the pressing force on the radiator surface and by grinding the contacting planes.

It should be noted that the Pentium II solves the problem of attaching the radiator to the processor much better, however, some (especially early) models are supplied only with passive radiators (without a fan). Users of Pentium II processors may be advised to attach the fan to the radiator themselves.

However, no matter how firmly you place the heatsink on the processor, small air gaps will still remain between the surface of the heatsink and the top of the processor. And air, which has very low thermal conductivity, greatly interferes with the heat exchange between the processor and the radiator. These layers are usually eliminated by using heat-conducting paste KPT-8, made on the basis of beryllium oxide (BeO), it conducts heat well, is chemically low-active and is used in the nuclear industry as a neutron reflector. The paste is placed in a thin layer between the processor and the radiator, providing better thermal conductivity.

Main problems

In unstable operation at frequencies of 75 and 83 MHz the following were noted:

• HDD Quantum Fireball, Fireball TM, Fireball ST (the problem is solved by using a cable of no more than 10-15 centimeters)
• SVGA on the ET6000 chip - mainly due to chip overheating.
• SoundBlasters - old releases - problem solved by increasing IO Recovery

In addition, the following problems are possible:

• Unsustainable work. This problem can be solved by changing the timing characteristics of your memory modules (SIMM/DIMM) in the setup. For example, increase wait state cycles.
• Unstable operation of the disk subsystem. Either the operating system does not load at all, or messages like “Missing operation system” are displayed, when creating archives they are created with errors, when copying files are copied with errors, the CD-ROM drive is not recognized by the operating system. In this case, try to shorten the cables of the IDE devices, or if this does not help, try to force the PIO-mode of your HDD and CD-ROM drives one step lower.
• Unstable operation of ISA devices. Set the setup to a larger ratio for dividing the ISA bus clock frequency and the I/O recovery delay.

useful links

• Additional information on overclocking and optimizing PC performance can be found on our partner website www.sysopt.com

Overclocking is a forced increase in the processor clock frequency above the nominal one. Let us immediately explain what these concepts mean.

A clock cycle is a conditional, very short time period during which the processor executes a certain number of instructions program code.

And the clock frequency is the number of clock cycles in 1 second.

Increasing the clock frequency is directly proportional to the speed of program execution, that is, it works faster than an unoverclocked one.

In short, overclocking allows you to extend the “active life” of the processor when its standard performance no longer meets the user’s requirements.

It allows you to increase the speed of your computer without spending money on buying new equipment.

Important! The negative aspects of overclocking are an increase in computer power consumption, sometimes quite noticeable, an increase in heat generation and accelerated wear of devices due to operation in abnormal mode. You should also know that when you overclock a processor, you also overclock it. RAM.

What should you do before overclocking?

Each processor has its own overclocking potential - a clock frequency limit, exceeding which leads to inoperability of the device.

Most processors such as intel core i3, i5, i7 can only be safely overclocked by 5-15% of the original level, and some even less.

The desire to squeeze the maximum possible clock frequency does not always pay off, since when a certain heating threshold is reached, the processor begins to skip clock cycles in order to lower the temperature.

It follows from this that for stable operation of an overclocked system, good cooling is necessary.

In addition, given the increased power consumption, it may be necessary to replace the power supply with a more powerful one.

Immediately before overclocking, you need to do three things:

• Upgrade your computer to latest version.
• Make sure that the installation is in good working order and reliable.
• Find out the initial clock frequency of your processor (look in the BIOS or through special utilities, for example, CPU-Z).

Also useful before overclocking test the processor for stability at maximum load. For example, using the S&M utility.

After this, it’s time to begin the “sacrament.”

Review of programs for overclocking Intel processors

SetFSB

SetFSB is an easy-to-use utility that allows you to overclock the processor on the fly by simply moving the slider.

After making changes, it does not require restarting the computer.

The program is suitable for overclocking both older processor models like Intel Core 2 duo and modern ones.

However, it does not support all motherboards, and this is an absolute necessity, since overclocking is carried out by increasing the reference frequency of the system bus.

That is, it affects the clock generator (PLL chip or, as it is called, a clocker) located on the motherboard.

You can find out whether your board is included in the list of supported ones on the program website.

Advice! To avoid processor failure, working with SetFSB is recommended only for experienced users who understand what they are doing and know about possible consequences. In addition, an untrained user is unlikely to be able to correctly determine the model of his clock generator, which must be specified manually.

So, to overclock the processor using SetFSB, you need:

• Select from the “Clock Generator” list the model of the clocker installed on your motherboard.
• Click the “Get FSB” button. After this, the SetFSB window will display current frequency system bus (FSB) and processor.
• Carefully move the slider in the center of the window in small steps. After each slider movement, it is necessary to monitor the processor temperature. For example, using the Core Temp program.
• Having selected the optimal position of the slider, you need to press the Set FSB button.

The advantage (and for some, the disadvantage) of the SetFSB utility is that the settings made in it will only be valid until the computer is rebooted. After restarting, they will have to be installed again.

If you don’t want to do this every time, the utility can be placed in startup.

CPUFSB

CPUFSB is the next program in our review for overclocking Intel core i5, i7 and other processors, which can be downloaded from the developer’s website.

If you are familiar with the CPUCool utility - comprehensive tools monitoring and overclocking of the processor, then know that CPUFSB is a dedicated overclocking module.

Supports many motherboards based on Intel, VIA, AMD, ALI and SIS chipsets.

Unlike SetFSB, CPUFSB has a Russian translation, so it is much easier to understand how to handle it.

The principle of operation of these two programs is the same: increasing the reference frequency of the system bus.

Operating procedure:

• Select the manufacturer and type of your motherboard from the list.
• Select the brand and model of the PLL (clock oscillator) chip.
• Click “Take frequency” to display the current frequency of the system bus and processor in the program.
• It is also necessary to increase the frequency in small steps, while controlling the processor temperature. After selecting the optimal setting, click “Set Frequency”.

CPUFSB allows you to set the FSB bus frequency the next time you start the program and when you exit. The current settings are also saved until the computer is restarted.

Every second user has at least once thought about how to increase the performance of a laptop. Because of this, the device will work faster with many games and applications. The most common option is to overclock the processor and increase its clock speed. But how complicated is this procedure, often referred to as “overclocking”? Is it safe to overclock a laptop chipset? Which unpleasant consequences should I be afraid? Finally, how can you increase the processor power on your laptop yourself? You will find answers to these and many other questions in this article.

Both Intel and AMD processors are amenable to the overclocking procedure or, more simply put, “overclocking”. After all, many of them operate at only 60-70% of their maximum power. This fact allows you to overclock many CPUs, bringing the figure closer to 100%. However, how effective and safe is all this?

Therefore, first you should decide how useful it is to overclock the processor on a laptop. In addition, we need to talk about the negative consequences that may appear after increasing the power of the chipset.

Let's start with the positives. Perhaps there is only one of him. But quite significant. After all, without spending a single ruble, you can get more powerful processor. But there are a little more disadvantages:

• energy consumption will increase;
• The battery charge will be consumed faster;
• the device will become hotter;
• the service life of the processor itself will decrease.

It is worth noting that overclocking the processor on a laptop is not only risky, but also not an easy task. This is due to the fact that on laptops the performance gain is always small. You also often have to deal with overheating. Compact dimensions all the “internals”, close proximity of components to each other and a miniature cooling system only contribute to this. As a result, many laptop models heat up so much even in the initial stages of overclocking that they constantly turn off and freeze.

Therefore, before you start overclocking your laptop processor, seriously evaluate the pros and cons. It may be safer and more reliable to simply save money to buy more powerful laptop. If you nevertheless decide to increase the processor performance, then remember that the maximum increase in power that you will receive is 10-15%. No other way. It's no longer safe.

If you need to increase CPU performance significantly, then all this can only be achieved by special means with modernization of cooling and power systems!

Step-by-step instructions on how to overclock the processor on a laptop using Windows

You now know all the pros and cons. It's time to talk about how to overclock the processor on a laptop. To do this, you will need to go into the BIOS.

However, before overclocking the processor, do the following:

1. Clean your laptop from various “garbage”. That is, delete unnecessary files from the device's hard drive.
2. Optimize windows. For example, remove from startup unnecessary applications or turn off services you don't use.
3. Eliminate system errors.
4. Update your drivers.
5. Check your laptop for viruses. And the best way is to use several programs.

The fact is that many people start overclocking the processor on a laptop. But in fact, the device slows down and freezes for trivial reasons - the operating system is not configured properly, malicious software interferes with the operation of the computer, etc. So first we eliminate all errors, remove unnecessary files and viruses, speed up the CPU performance by installing fresh drivers etc. Once you have finished with this, you can proceed to the procedure for overclocking the processor.

The simplest and safe way– change the power supply mode. This overclocking option works on any laptop from any manufacturer - Asus, Lenovo, Acer, HP, Samsung, Dell, etc. For example, let's look at the whole process on a device running Windows 10:

1. Through “Start” we go to the “System” section.
2. On the left, select “Power and sleep mode”.
3. Next, click on “ Extra options nutrition." The corresponding button will be on the right.
4. Now in the window that appears, expand the “Show additional schemes” menu.
5. Set the marker to “High Performance” mode.

Overclocking the processor on a laptop via BIOS

You can also overclock your laptop's processor through the BIOS. This is done in different ways. However, we recommend starting with a fixed frequency. For this:

1. Let's go to BIOS menu. How to do it? For example, on an Asus laptop, you need to press the F2 key when booting. If you have a laptop from another manufacturer, then try clicking on Esc, F6, F8, F12, Delete when turning it on.
2. We are looking for the Power BIOS Features section.
3. Next we are interested in the AGP/PCI Clock tab, in which we set the value to 66/33 MHz.
4. Then we find the HyperTransport Frequency parameter and slightly reduce its frequency. Up to about 400 or 600.
5. We save all changes. Press F10. .

After these manipulations, the laptop should show higher performance. You can also increase the system bus parameters. This is done again through the BIOS:

1. In the POWER BIOS Features (or Advanced Chipset Features or simply Advanced) section, select the CPU Clock tab. It may be called differently. For example, Clock Ratio, CPU Bus or CPU Ratio.
2. We increase the value displayed here by 10 units.
3. We save the changes by pressing the F10 button. Reboot the laptop.
4. Now you need to test the laptop. The Everest program is suitable, through which we monitor the temperature of the central processor. It is important not to allow it to exceed 70-90 °C (depending on the CPU model). If the value is higher, then go into the BIOS again and lower the FSB frequency.
5. If the laptop shows stable performance, you can increase the value by another 10 MHz. And so on until it starts to get very hot or blue screen, freezes, or other problems that indicate the overclocking threshold has been exceeded.

How to overclock a laptop processor using a utility?

Overclocking is a complex process. Therefore, some manufacturers produce special software with which you can easily increase the power of your laptop. True, some users may have difficulties here too. Therefore, we will tell you in detail how to overclock a laptop processor using the SetFSB utility.

1. First of all, download the SetFSB program from the Internet.
2. The next step is to determine the PLL chip on the laptop processor. It is precisely this that generates the frequency for various components. How to find out which chip is on your device? Take advantage search engine and try to find the specifications of the motherboard installed on your laptop. Among various information a PLL chip may also be specified. Naturally, you can remove back cover and look directly at the markings of the microcircuit.
3. Run SetFSB. In the “Control” section of the “Clock Generator” window, select your PLL chip model.
4. Click the Get FSB button. After which, information about various frequencies and the current processor frequency (Current CPU Frequency) will appear in the main window.
5. Check the box next to Ultra. Move the central slider located below to the right. Literally at 10-20 MHz. Click the SetFSB button.
6. Next we test the laptop. You can use some program for this. For example, Preime95. If the laptop has passed all the “tests” with dignity, then we return to the SetFSB utility and increase the frequency by another 10-15 MHz.
7. And so on until the laptop starts to freeze or reboot. This will mean that you have found the performance threshold. On the contrary, you will have to “roll back” and reduce the frequency by 10-15 MHz.

For reference! Some processors, for example, the popular Intel core i3, i5 and i7, are difficult to overclock. The fact is that the manufacturer has already configured them for maximum performance. All that can be achieved with custom overclocking is a 5-8% increase in power.

There are many other programs for overclocking the CPU. For example, for AMD chipsets these are AI Booster and AMD OverDrive. For laptops with an Intel processor, we can recommend Intel Desktop Control Center.

By overclocking your processor, you risk permanently damaging it. Be careful and attentive. The site administration is not responsible for your actions after reading this article.

Helper utilities for overclocking the processor

First of all, in order to overclock your processor, you will need a small set of utilities that will help you monitor the health of your system and its stability, as well as the temperature of the processor. Below we list a list of utilities and programs and briefly describe what they are responsible for.

CPU-Z– small, but very useful utility, which will show all the main technical information your central processor. Useful for monitoring frequencies and voltages. Free.

CoreTemp- another one free utility, is somewhat similar to CPU-Z, but does not delve so deeply into technical indicators, but displays the temperature of the processor cores and their load.

Speccy– shows detailed technical information not only about the processor, but also about the entire computer as a whole. There is also temperature information different components systems.

LinX is a free program that we will need to test the stability of the system after each stage of increasing processor performance. It is one of the best programs for stress tests. It loads the processor at 100%, so don’t be alarmed, sometimes it may seem like the computer is frozen.

CPU overclocking

Before learning how to overclock a processor, I strongly recommend that you stress test your computer in an unoverclocked state (for example, with a program FurMark). This is necessary in order to determine the approximate potential for overclocking and generally check the system for errors.

If in an unoverclocked state the test produces any errors or the temperature during testing is prohibitively high, then it is better to end your “overclocking” at this point.

If everything works stably and then we can continue. And it’s better to note for yourself the key characteristics of an unoverclocked system, such as minimum processor temperature, maximum processor temperature, voltage, etc. Better yet, take a screenshot of the screen or take a photo on your phone so that you have it at hand just in case. detailed information. This is necessary to analyze deviations of indicators from nominal values. Not critically important, but very useful and inquisitive.

In general, there are two ways to overclock a processor - manually through the BIOS and using special programs. These methods are equally easy to use, but there are people who are afraid to get into the BIOS, so we will tell you how to overclock the processor using both methods.

Do not forget also that overclocking the processor may be hampered by insufficient power supply power. When buying a computer, it is better to buy a power supply with a small power reserve. This will allow you to painlessly upgrade your hardware, and also, as in today’s topic, will provide an opportunity for overclocking.

Overclocking the processor via BIOS

First of all, I will tell you how to overclock a processor through BIOS. On our website we have already repeatedly told how it is possible. It depends on the manufacturer of your computer's motherboard. When you turn on (or restart) your computer, even before the operating system starts loading, you need to click key to login BIOS settings. You can find out which key to press from the prompt when you turn on the computer or in the instructions (documentation) of your motherboard. Most often these are the keys: Del, F2 or F8, but there may be others.

Once you are in the BIOS, you need to go to the Advanced tab. Next, I will tell you using my computer as an example, but everything should be very similar for you. Although, of course, there will be differences. This is due to different BIOS versions and different available settings for the processor. Perhaps this tab will be called, for example, CPU Configuration or something else. You need to wander through the BIOS and understand which section is responsible for setting up the central processor.

OverclockTunner by default it is in position Auto. Move it to position Manual in order for you to have access to additional manual settings processor operation.

After this, please note that you will have the FSB Frequency item, in which you can adjust the base frequency of the processor bus. Essentially, this frequency multiplied by the processor multiplier (CPU Ratio) gives us the full operating frequency of your processor. That is, you can increase the frequency either by increasing the bus frequency or by increasing the multiplier value.

What is better to increase, the bus frequency or the multiplier?

A very relevant question for beginners. Let's start with the fact that not all processors will allow you to increase the multiplier value. There are processors with a locked multiplier, and others with an unlocked one. For Intel processors, processors with an unlocked multiplier can be identified by the suffix “ K" or " X" at the end of the processor name, as well as the series Extreme Edition, and for AMD - by the suffix “ FX"and for the Black Edition series. But it's best to look carefully detailed characteristics, because there are always exceptions. Please note that everything has an open multiplier.

If possible It is best to overclock the processor by increasing the multiplier value. This will be safer for the system. But overclocking the processor by increasing the bus frequency is highly not recommended, especially for overclocking beginners. Why? Because by changing this indicator, you not only overclock the central processor, but also affect the characteristics of other computer components, and often these changes can get out of control and harm your computer. But if you are aware of your actions, then everything is in your hands.

Stages of overclocking a processor via BIOS

In principle, there is nothing complicated about this. But everything needs to be done slowly and carefully. So, for example, if you are planning to overclock your processor to the maximum, then you should not increase the processor frequency by 500 MHz at once, increase it gradually, first by 150 MHz, conduct a stress test, make sure that everything works stably. Then raise the frequency by another 150-100 MHz and so on. Towards the end it is better to reduce the step to 25-50 MHz.

When you reach a frequency at which the computer cannot cope with the stress test, go into the BIOS and return the frequencies to the last successful stage. For example, at a frequency of 3700 MHz the computer passed the stress test successfully, but at a frequency of 3750 MHz it has already “failed” the test, which means it is at its maximum possible frequency operation will be 3700 MHz.

Of course, you can still go through various specific tests and identify the “weak link” (power supply or cooling system), but why do we need these extremes, right?

Overclocking the processor with special programs

In general, I would recommend overclocking the processor manually in the BIOS, but if the BIOS environment is alien to you, then you can use special programs to overclock the processor. There are many such programs. Some of them are more suitable for INTEL processors, while others are more suitable for AMD processors. Although the principle of operation is almost identical. So let's find out how to overclock a processor using special programs.

Utility SetFSB designed to overclock the processor on the bus. This is clear from the name. The developers are proud that SetFSB is lightweight and performs all its functions perfectly.

IMPORTANT INFORMATION!!! I downloaded the program from the “official website” and from the SOFTPORTAL portal. The contents of the archives vary greatly. If on the soft portal the archive weighs less than 200 KB and, in addition to the utility, has instructions for its use, then on the “official website” in the archive there is another archive, which contains a suspicious .exe file weighing more than 5 MB and there are no additional instructions. On startup Windows file says that the license has been verified, but the license belongs to some Ukrainian shipbuilding company, judging by the name “SUDNOBUDUVANNYA TA REMONT, TOV”. I decided to cancel the installation.

Download the program from the SOFTPORTAL website, and not from the official one. Apparently the official website is fake.

So, before entering the program, it is strongly recommended to check the list of motherboards that this utility works with. This list is in the file setfsb.txt. If you find your motherboard, continue. If not, then you are taking a huge risk by continuing to use this utility.

When you run SetFSB, you will need to enter a temporary ID in the required field. Just retype the name of the small window in the field in it. Why is this? The creators assume that if you have not read the instructions, then you will not be able to go beyond this window and will go read the instructions to find out what needs to be entered into it, and at the same time read other useful information that can prevent damage to your processor (and motherboard).

Next comes the hardest part - you need to choose your parameter Clock Generator. To find out, you need to disassemble the computer and carefully examine the motherboard in search of a chip with a name starting with the letters “ ICS" There may be other letters, but these are found in 95% of cases.

When you do this, click on the Get FSB button and your sliders will be unlocked. And you will need to move the first slider quite a bit to the right, each time pressing the SET FSB button, so that the example = thread changed parameters. And you will have to do this until you reach the desired processor frequency characteristics. If you overdo it, the computer will freeze and you will have to start all over again.

Overclocking a CPU Using CPUFSB

Utility CPUFSB Not much different in functionality from the SetFSB just discussed. However, there is something to praise her for. The first and quite significant plus is that the utility is completely Russified, which is very convenient, you will agree. The program is more tailored for Intel processors, but it can also be applied to AMD processors.

To overclock the processor in the CPUFSB program, you will need to sequentially:

1. Provide the necessary information about your motherboard and the type of clock generator (Clock Generator).
2. Then click on “ Take frequency».
3. Move the slider to the right to change the processor frequency.
4. At the end, click on " Set frequency».

There is nothing complicated. You can understand the settings intuitively even without prompts.

Other programs for overclocking the processor

We examined in more or less detail the most frequently used programs that are used to overclock the processor. However, the list of programs does not end there. But we will not describe them in detail, because the principle of their operation is similar to the previous ones. Here is a small list of programs for overclocking the processor, which you can use if the first ones did not suit you or you could not download them.

1. Over Drive
2. ClockGen
3. ThrottleStop
4. SoftFSB
5. CPUCool

Conclusion

Now you know how to overclock a processor, and maybe you’ve even already tried to do it yourself while reading the article. I hope everything went well for you and without any unpleasant consequences. Remember the golden rule - Better a bird in the hand than a pie in the sky! Therefore, do not overdo it with overclocking, otherwise you will have to buy new processor, and maybe even the motherboard.

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