Getting speed on the Cheap!!
Oct 02 '00
Overclocking is a word that has slowly made it's way out of the techie circle and more into the mainstream. In computing lingo, it generally means taking something that is rated for a certain speed and making it go a little faster.
Why overclock a CPU or other processor if it will destroy the warranty? One may ask. Simple, you can get the performance of a faster CPU for less money. Taking a 650Mhz CPU and making it run at 866Mhz is a good example. The 650Mhz might run you $180.00, while the 866Mhz would run you about $350.00. Even after buying a better heatsink and fan, you still pocket more money which can then in turn be used to buy more RAM or any other part.
The darling of the overclocking world used to be the Celeron 300A. It was a 300Mhz CPU that would go as fast as an 450Mhz Pentium II, and in some cases, much faster. One of the current kings seems to be the Pentium 3 650E, along with the 600E and 700Mhz. With a little extra voltage (which can be dangerous) and a higher Front Side Bus you can gain easy speed. By setting the FSB from 100Mhz to 133Mhz a 600 would go to 800, a 650 to 866, and a 700 to 933. Easy speed if you are cautious.
Both Intel and AMD processors are able to overclock pretty easily. Video Cards can also be overclocked hepling to improve gameplay.
Don't expect to take a 300Mhz CPU and make it run at 800Mhz though, you will very likely smell some silicon burning.
Some thoughts to think about
Pros: Easy, faster speed. Improved capabilities. Faster applications.
Cons: Shorter CPU life. Dead parts. Program Errors.
Overclocking is not without it's drawbacks, although it can be very worthwhile if you give a shot.
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Jandar
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