16 replies to this topic

[Phoenix Gray]

...what are the benefits to overclocking? What are the risks?

[Tesunie]

From my (limited) understanding: Benefits- Increased performance and speed. Risk- burning out your processor from overheating/damage to your computer.

(I could be wrong, but as far as my understanding goes...)

[Redshift2k5]

I'd try the hardware subforum http://mwomercs.com/...re-accessories/

[Just wanna play]

Thinking of it like revving up an engine, higher refresh rates will make it go faster but it will be hotter and won't be as efficient for the performance, BUT in a way you are getting a better cpu/gpu/ram for the same price, the main limit for how much over clocking one can do is temps, more you wanna oc the better a cooler you use

[Wintersdark]

Just wanna play, on 14 September 2014 - 06:40 PM, said:

Thinking of it like revving up an engine, higher refresh rates will make it go faster but it will be hotter and won't be as efficient for the performance, BUT in a way you are getting a better cpu/gpu/ram for the same price, the main limit for how much over clocking one can do is temps, more you wanna oc the better a cooler you use

Yeah. Generally speaking, the vast majority of systems can handle small to moderate overclocking without any issues on stock cooling. Better cooling allows for more headroom, but individual results vary depending on your particular hardware.

If you want to overclock, though, I really recommend some serious googling to learn more about it. Read some how-to guides (they're readily available and informative) ideally for your hardware. It's not hard to do, but you need to understand what you're doing first.

As to benefits and risks?

Done properly, you get a faster CPU/GPU for no extra money, and risk free. Done improperly (most likely when you start playing with voltages without sufficient knowledge) it's possible to damage your hardware. Generally speaking, entry level overclocking (that is, just increasing clock speeds moderately and such) will at worst lead to system instability.

When I go PC component shopping (I always build my own gaming rigs) I always shop with an eye to value vs. performance including overclocking headroom. For instance, I use a relatively average AMD 7850 (a roughly $200 midrange card when I bought it) right now. The thing is, the 7850 can be overclocked to well past 7870 speeds without any trouble at all, and with the stock cooling (though admittedly, the fans run faster and thus louder than at stock speeds). This effectively allowed me to buy a GPU that handily outperforms it's $250 big brother for a substantial savings.

But... If you're not willing to spend some time seriously learning - and more than what you'll find in this thread, or even on these forums at all - then it's best if you just don't bother, or only use the motherboard's automated tools to find a stable overclock setting for you. Because those are settings that, if modified improperly, can damage your hardware.

[Napoleon_Blownapart]

from what i have read 'turbo' types of OC dont work so well (cant remember why) software OC can be ok but the best way is in the bios gradually stepping up your multiplier and voltage..

i have a link to a post i bookmarked in case i try to OC

http://www.overclock...sus-motherboard

it says AMD but i think its how youd over clock intel too

[Alreech]

Phoenix Gray, on 14 September 2014 - 06:34 PM, said:

...what are the benefits to overclocking? What are the risks?

Benefits:
Increased minimum fps.

Risks:
Higher Risk of system crashes.

[Napoleon_Blownapart]

1st you should search your cpu specs some overclock well and some barely.i am afraid to with the limited knowledge i have.you have alot of reading to do before you even attempt to.

[Flapdrol]

As long as you stick to "safe" voltages the chances of damaging hardware are slim to none.

Doing it properly can take a lot of time though.

[MercJ]

Wintersdark, on 14 September 2014 - 07:02 PM, said:

Yeah. Generally speaking, the vast majority of systems can handle small to moderate overclocking without any issues on stock cooling. Better cooling allows for more headroom, but individual results vary depending on your particular hardware.

If you want to overclock, though, I really recommend some serious googling to learn more about it. Read some how-to guides (they're readily available and informative) ideally for your hardware. It's not hard to do, but you need to understand what you're doing first.

As to benefits and risks?

Done properly, you get a faster CPU/GPU for no extra money, and risk free. Done improperly (most likely when you start playing with voltages without sufficient knowledge) it's possible to damage your hardware. Generally speaking, entry level overclocking (that is, just increasing clock speeds moderately and such) will at worst lead to system instability.

When I go PC component shopping (I always build my own gaming rigs) I always shop with an eye to value vs. performance including overclocking headroom. For instance, I use a relatively average AMD 7850 (a roughly $200 midrange card when I bought it) right now. The thing is, the 7850 can be overclocked to well past 7870 speeds without any trouble at all, and with the stock cooling (though admittedly, the fans run faster and thus louder than at stock speeds). This effectively allowed me to buy a GPU that handily outperforms it's $250 big brother for a substantial savings.

But... If you're not willing to spend some time seriously learning - and more than what you'll find in this thread, or even on these forums at all - then it's best if you just don't bother, or only use the motherboard's automated tools to find a stable overclock setting for you. Because those are settings that, if modified improperly, can damage your hardware.

Quoted the entire thing, because this is an excellent answer and deserves to be repeated. I personally enjoy overclocking and finding the limits of components, but it really does take a lot of time and energy to do it correctly. Yes, you can usually just tweak a multiplier and get some extra performance, but to find a stable, maximum overclock takes a few iterations of testing (which takes time away from gaming ).

However, once you learn the basics, you can really unlock some new options. Random story time: I was just playing around with a Phenom II x2 555 this weekend. After being disappointed by the AM3+ FX chips' performance in MWO, I figured I'd swap in an old Phenom II that unlocks to a quad core and try some overclocking. Anecdotal evidence for sure, but I discovered a Phenom II with at least three cores, clocked to around 3.9/4.0 GHz gave a better experience in MWO than any FX CPU I've tried (although an 8320 @ 4.7 GHz was better MOST of the time, except for that frustrating stutter the FX chips seem to experience only in MWO ).

Anyway, point of that story is, that's a four year old (+?) CPU giving the same performance as the latest and greatest generation of AMD processors with a bit of an overclock.

But that's really only a valid scenario when you ALREADY have the components and cooling to make it worthwhile - for Mechwarrior Online, you'll get much better performance in much less time with far less headache if you just get a Core i5 and be done with it I'm really just trying to repeat what Wintersdark already said - there can be some great benefits, but if you aren't willing to put some time in to learn the process it may not be worth it.

(Don't let that stop you though! One of the best parts of PC gaming, in my opinion, is that you have more control over your hardware! Tinkering is half the fun for some of us )

[Tesunie]

MercJ, on 15 September 2014 - 07:37 AM, said:

Anyway, point of that story is, that's a four year old (+?) CPU giving the same performance as the latest and greatest generation of AMD processors with a bit of an overclock.

I had a dual core processor that was close to 7 years old (? Not sure of it's age) keep up with MWO almost as good as my new Quad Core AMD A10 processor, and didn't need to be overclocked. (New computer has had a lot of problems setting it up... but that's a different story.) I find it sad when my old dual core seems to out preform many quad core computers. (Trust me on this one, I looked everywhere for a quad core with more than 1 GHz... Current one runs at 3.70 GHz. Old Dual core range near 2.5 or something. Computer I originally got for Christmas was a quad core 1.00 GHz processor, a glorified word processor unit... Returned it to find a computer robust enough to play MWO again.)

[n r g]

Phoenix Gray, on 14 September 2014 - 06:34 PM, said:

...what are the benefits to overclocking? What are the risks?

I would go to http://overclock.net and be weary of the information you get here.

The benefits are obviously a faster computer, whether you notice the speed benefits or not, is another question. IMO, they are barely noticeable. Though, that's a subjective matter; other people may 'claim' they notice the speed benefits quite more. Placebo effect? Either way, by overclocking, the computer is faster, technically, so whether you notice it or not is somewhat irrelevant. Who doesn't want a faster computer?

Though, I will say, you tend to get more FPS out of overclocking the GPU for games, especially if you are a gamer. Obviously you can run the FPS counter and see if there is an increase or not after overclocking.

I pretty much overclock all my CPUs and GPUs at this point, just to get the most bang for buck. Yes, and it's very easy.

Edited by E N E R G Y, 15 September 2014 - 08:12 AM.

[Wintersdark]

E N E R G Y, on 15 September 2014 - 08:12 AM, said:

I would go to http://overclock.net and be weary of the information you get here.

The benefits are obviously a faster computer, whether you notice the speed benefits or not, is another question. IMO, they are barely noticeable. Though, that's a subjective matter; other people may 'claim' they notice the speed benefits quite more. Placebo effect? Either way, by overclocking, the computer is faster, technically, so whether you notice it or not is somewhat irrelevant. Who doesn't want a faster computer?

Though, I will say, you tend to get more FPS out of overclocking the GPU for games, especially if you are a gamer. Obviously you can run the FPS counter and see if there is an increase or not after overclocking.

I pretty much overclock all my CPUs and GPUs at this point, just to get the most bang for buck. Yes, and it's very easy.

Noticing the difference depends heavily on how much of an over clock you get, and whether or not that component is your bottleneck.

As you say the GPU is usually the way to go. In MWO, however, its a lot different. I assure you, my old Phenom II 965 BE at 4ghz is extremely noticeable vs. its stock 3.5.

Edited by Wintersdark, 15 September 2014 - 09:53 AM.

[Flapdrol]

Yeah, MWO is really dependant on very fast per-thread cpu performance.

How much an overclock will help you of course depends on what cpu you have, with an "old" i7-920 the gains can be spectacular as the stock speed is pretty low. If you run a 4770K the gains will be modest, as the turbo will often kick it to 3.9 during games like mwo and most people dont clock over 4.5 GHz if they do overclock.

[Summon3r]

make sure you arent using a stock cooler if you are going to OC...

[Shlkt]

System instability is the biggest risk (i.e. blue screen of death, data corruption, application crashes etc...) by likelihood.

Inside your CPU, not all logic paths are the same length. When transistor signals flip from 0 to 1 or vice versa there's some electrical "ringing" that goes on - basically the signals are bouncing back and forth between 0 and 1 until the signal stabilizes. Lengthier logic paths take longer to stabilize. When you overclock your CPU there's a risk that the longest logic paths will not have enough time to stabilize between clock cycles. Some operations will produce the correct answers, but other operations have a risk of producing a bit error (i.e. 0s produced instead of 1s). Bit errors can cause data corruption, system crashes, and all sorts of other fun stuff.

Heat is another risk which can cause system instability or hardware failure in extreme cases.

[Wintersdark]

Shlkt, on 15 September 2014 - 11:16 AM, said:

System instability is the biggest risk (i.e. blue screen of death, data corruption, application crashes etc...) by likelihood.

Inside your CPU, not all logic paths are the same length. When transistor signals flip from 0 to 1 or vice versa there's some electrical "ringing" that goes on - basically the signals are bouncing back and forth between 0 and 1 until the signal stabilizes. Lengthier logic paths take longer to stabilize. When you overclock your CPU there's a risk that the longest logic paths will not have enough time to stabilize between clock cycles. Some operations will produce the correct answers, but other operations have a risk of producing a bit error (i.e. 0s produced instead of 1s). Bit errors can cause data corruption, system crashes, and all sorts of other fun stuff.

Heat is another risk which can cause system instability or hardware failure in extreme cases.

Fortunately - and this is something you'll learn about when learning about Overclocking, OP - there are many options for stress testing your CPU. Typically, this is done with heavy math workloads that peg out your CPU and force full usage of all your cores, so errors can be found and identified while simultaneously testing to see if your current cooling solution is adequate for the heat load. There are similar tools for stress testing your GPU as well.

It's critical that you do these tests, to find out where the limits are for your hardware. It varies, not just from part type to part type, but from actual individual chip to chip. We may have the same CPU's, for example, but yours may well overclock way higher than mine with with stability. You basically make small increases, then test for an extended period of time (typically hours) until you fail a test, then turn everything back a couple steps.

(this for the OP, of course)