If your CPU isn’t on the list and doesn’t have a K or X suffix in its name, overclocking may not be possible. Typically, you can only overclock the Intel K and X series CPUs.īelow are several recent unlocked Intel processors primed for overclocking. You can overclock the most recent Ryzen CPUs from AMD. Which processors you can overclock is an area where AMD and Intel differ significantly. If it does, determine its theoretical maximums with a little research. Identify your CPUīefore you start overclocking the CPU, figure out what you have - the chip may not even support overclocking in the first place. If you’re concerned, check the warranty before trying. Motherboard manufacturers may or may not cover overclocking. AMD and Intel typically don’t cover overclocking, though they would be hard-pressed to prove overclocking killed your CPU - unless you pushed way too much voltage through the chip. But even if you can, we caution against it for your first overclocking venture.įinally, overclocking your CPU can void its warranty.

Few allow it, and fewer still possess the thermal headroom to make it viable. If you want to overclock a laptop CPU, you’re probably out of luck. That said, most moderate overclocks won’t impact the lifespan on your processor in any meaningful way. After all, increased power and heat will degrade most PC components faster. You’re operating outside of the limits of your CPU when overclocking, which could lower its lifespan. That doesn’t necessarily mean you can’t overclock, but your potential overclocking headroom is much lower than using a more advanced air or liquid cooling system in your PC. Both factors can lead to problems if you’re using the stock cooler supplied with the CPU. The chip runs hotter and uses more power. When you overclock a processor, a couple of things happen. You might want to also ask yourself if you should overclock your CPU, too. And if you aren’t sure which processor to get, check out our guide on AMD Vs. Remember though, CPU overclocking is only half the battle for maximizing your PC’s performance you can also overclock memory, too. In this guide, we’ll run you through the basics for how to overclock your Intel and AMD CPU. Fitbit Versa 3Īlthough overclocking may seem scary, the reality is that it’s not too difficult and it doesn’t pose much of a risk if you know what you’re doing.

Quick cpu tutorial