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Overclocking the components within your computer can be a lot of fun, but you really need to realize the ramifications of your actions along with the benefits that you stand to gain. Don’t take this article to mean that you shouldn’t overclock your computer, just that you should completely grasp what the end results can be.

Cons of Overclocking:

• It will void your warranty:

  • What you’re doing to your system is modifying it to operate differently then it was initially intended to. Once you’ve overclocked the component, you will no longer be able to take advantage of the warranty that the manufacturer has offered.

• Added stress on your components:

  • Your components where tested to operate at their defaults for an extended period of time. By pushing their limits, you’re increasing the stress that is being applied to it. This will result and a shorter life span of the component when compared to an unmodified version.

• Increased heat output:

  • We’ve already discussed that overclocking your components involves increasing the voltage that is sent through them. The more current, the higher the heat output, and the greater the risk of heat related damage. Heat issues will also cost you as you’ll have to purchase various cooling devices to obtain your goal.

• Efficiency is not increased:

  • Just because you’ve managed to overclock your CPU, doesn’t mean that it’s as efficient as a more expensive chip that operates by default at that speed. No matter what you do overclocking wise, the instruction set for the CPU will still remain at what it was mean to, limiting your efficiency gain.

• It’s not always an easy task:

  • Overclocking can be very frustrating. Even if you’re patient you risk frying components or winding up with a computer that just won’t turn on for some unknown reason. Unfortunately, if you’ve hit the point of frustration and want to give up, the only easy option is to buy new components as your warranty is now voided.

Pros of Overclocking:

• Increased speed:

  • You may not get the same efficiency as the CPU $200 more expensive then the one you bought, but you’ll definitely see a jump in performance over the default speeds that it currently operates at.

• You’ll save money:

  • Instead of buying new components as the biggest and best come out, overclocking allows you to take advantage of the components you already have that may have a little bit of age to them. Overclocking lets your current components hold their own for longer then they would at stock specifications.

• In-depth system knowledge:

  • Whether you have previous experience with computers or this is the first time you’ve opened one up, you’ll gain a good grasp on how your system operates and what you may need to do to troubleshoot any issues.

• Showing Off:

  • Unless you’re reading up on this site to understand what you’re friend or someone you paid will be doing to your computer, you’ll have full bragging rights. While you may not be able to convince your boss that you deserve employee of the month for overclocking, you’ll be able to proudly display your rig at the next LAN party.

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Make sure to check out our other posts on Overclocking Software and Video Card Overclocking

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