Why do you overclock?

[Zapper]

We are tinkerers by nature, if you have to ask why, you aren't one of us. We don't need a reason to turn a know other than to se what will happen.

Tinker : Attempt to repair or improve something in a casual or desultory way, often to no useful effect.

 

No useful effect describes it well .

It's not like I'm totally unaware of computers, and I used to overclock just to be able to post on forums "Q6600@4GHz" and things like that. But I was wondering if other people were able to find a real use to overclocking, and from what I've heard in this thread, a few guys know what they are doing, can find real use in OCing. Others do it just for fun, just to see how far they can push it. It's fine by me, that's why I opened this thread in the first place.

But if I have to waste time for fun, I'd rather build a medi center out of a raspberry pi, or develop a program that checks my movie database. I guess I'm more of a software guy after all (even if I majored in Electronics? )

[Jumper118]

for fun. i actually like overclocking more than gaming.

[A/C]

Tinker : Attempt to repair or improve something in a casual or desultory way, often to no useful effect.

 

No useful effect describes it well .

It's not like I'm totally unaware of computers, and I used to overclock just to be able to post on forums "Q6600@4GHz" and things like that. But I was wondering if other people were able to find a real use to overclocking, and from what I've heard in this thread, a few guys know what they are doing, can find real use in OCing. Others do it just for fun, just to see how far they can push it. It's fine by me, that's why I opened this thread in the first place.

But if I have to waste time for fun, I'd rather build a medi center out of a raspberry pi, or develop a program that checks my movie database. I guess I'm more of a software guy after all (even if I majored in Electronics? )

 

 

Like I said you'wouldn't understand. But when push comes to shove, and the PC won't post, it's our kind to the rescue.

[RadSalacan]

"Is it necessary for me to drink my own urine?  No.  But it's sterile and I like the taste."

[dasr1985]

The performance gains from overclocking varies from application to application. For some people like those that work with video encoding on a regular basis the performance gain can be noticeable but most of those programs have a higher performance gain when you increase the number of cores.The amount that is gained depends not only on the clock speed but the architecture of the CPU along with whether or not that program is optimized for more threads; most programs that deal with video encoding normally utilize more cores than say a game would. So when it comes down to programs like that the gain from overclocking will be noticeable but not as much as if you where to use a CPU with more cores at a lower clock speed versus a CPU with less cores and a higher clock speed. The CPU with the higher amount of cores will finish the job faster.

 

Games, for now at least, normally work with fewer cores. A higher clock speed will increase the fps that can be attained.

 

Also, overclocking is something that is done for the fun of it. It is something that people like to do just to see how far their own chip can be pushed beyond the original factory specs. This assumes that you are using similar CPU's with the same architecture like if you were to take a i3 versus an i7 of the same generation and a run a game. The fps would be similar. However, if the game would take advantage of more cores than you would see higher fps on the game that could utilize more of the cores.

 

Sometimes it just comes down to the games themselves and how they are coded. One game might rely much less on the CPU and will perform better with a graphics card that is more powerful and another might perform better if a more powerful cpu is being used with the same graphics card.

 

Overclocking is something that doesn't necessarily have to be done but you will find improved performance but you have to consider what application this is going to be for.

 

Plus its fun

 

And that's all I have to say about that

[ltguy]

I will piss off a lot of people here, but what kind of performence gain does it provide in real life application?

How much more FPS does it give you, compared to, let's say a driver update?

How much time do you save in video encoding or something like that?

 

I'm curious, I have never been too much a fan of overclocking, since it often gave me such a little performence gain.

I mean,with a 800$ pc, I can play any game on ultra and 1080p with a decent amount of FPS, why would I overclock?

I'm gonna throw the BS flag. Unless your video cards is $400 dollar of that build you're not runing every game on ultra. 

[TheRetiredSlave]

I overclock because I have a laptop and the GPU isn't as powerful as I'd like (laptop gaming... ea fistbump). It has a good enough cooling system to handle the extra speed, and the extra performance can be the difference between a bad FPS drop and a smooth 60 FPS... 

 

Also, like others have said, it's just kind of fun to ask the question "how far can I push this?"..

[Zapper]

I'm gonna throw the BS flag. Unless your video cards is $400 dollar of that build you're not runing every game on ultra. 

 

Well I paid (in euros)

170 for I5

180 for 660Ti

60 for 8gb ram

60 for corsaire 600w psu

80 for MSI mb

60 for Antec case 

80 for Vertex 4 ssd

------

690euros

 

You are right on 2 things though

first, I'm bad in math, it makes 900$ not 800 x)

second, I might not max games like metro last light on ultra. But there are not many games that demanding.

And I'm pretty sure an overclocking would not change much. I might try it if I need it, as I said before, this was not an anti-overclocking thread. I was just asking why people overclock, what kind of actual* benefits does it provide.

 

--

* Saying more performance or free performance doesn't really answer my question

[DrainDoc]

Why do you overclock?

 

Because We Can!!

[jj509]

If you're asking me personally, its because I enjoy it and like knowing i have a faster pc then anyone else I personally know. I've held the fastest pc of anyone I know trophy since 2007. Mainly just bragging rights and in general the entire pc is faster. Not just games or benchmarks.

 

I spent close to 18 hours trying to find the lowest vcore my system could handle at 4.3Ghz then stability testing to prevent my room turning into a toaster oven. In the end is my room any less warmer. Maybe by 1c but damn did I have fun doing it.

[dasr1985]

I'll reply again, overclocking is not necessary for every application out there, especially gaming.  Also, I own 2X MSI PE 660Ti's, you can't run ULTRA on alot of things with just one of them especially if you value anti-aliasing.  I guess if all you play is WoW, Dota2, or League of Legends you could say you run everything on ULTRA.

 

I forgot to add orignally, BUT OVERCLOCKING IS FUN!!!!! :D :D :D

[teeejay]

Nowadays I enjoy tweaking my HW more, than playing PC games. 

[Wats]

It is fun. Yeah we get great benchmark scores, our games run a bit better and render times are lower. But mostly it is for fun. 

 

 

recreational activity

[eshbop]

For the sake of it/for fun.

 

I wasted money on an i7 so may as well hammer the thing, even though I have absolutely no need.

[ttam]

I spent all this money on the high end parts, the complete water cooling setup to just leave it stock? Nah.