Beginners Guide to Overclocking for Performance … and Value!

Since PCs were first introduced, enterprising users have sought methods to get more performance. Some may recall fondly how pushing an 8MHz 286 to 12MHz usually required no hardware modifications (though a $3 heatsink was sometimes helpful). For many of todays overclocking aficionados, therein began the journey in which enthusiasts continually tried to outdo each other on the performance front, while budget-limited hobbyists tried to find adequate performance in lesser components.

Since entering the mainstream, overclocking has gained both fame and infamy. While easy overclocking of mainstream parts has allowed ordinary users to become overclocking novices, some vendors also adopted overclocking, in some cases pushing cheap parts to their breaking points solely for promotional purposes, often prompting community backlash. Today, popular appeal has lead enthusiasts and engineers to throw considerable resources at the effort -- such that overclocking for bragging rights now seems the primary raison detre. Hence the general sentiment of many outside observers: Why pay $300 for the flashy equipment necessary to make a $150 processor perform like a $450 processor, but with less longevity?

Of course, many have forgotten that extreme overclocking exhibitions aside, theres still great value to be found in pushing hardware beyond its rated speed. For those new to overclocking, we present a brief tutorial on the basic concepts and tools you need to know to get the job done cheaply.