Unlocked CPUs

[Guest riley mclinn]

What are unlocked CPU's 

[typographie]

The primary way to overclock is by changing the CPU's clock speed multiplier. So for a 3.5 GHz processor, that might be 100 MHz base clock * a multiplier of 35 = 3500 MHz. Pushing the multiplier to 40 gives you a 4.0 GHz overclock.

 

A "locked" CPU is one where the multiplier is a set value that the user cannot change, which makes overclocking practically impossible.

[minibois]

CPU with an unlocked multiplier, meaning they can overclock using that. (what is typically seen as overclocking).

On the Intel side it's the CPU's with a K behind it typically (but you also have X series CPU's that are unlocked). On the AMD side it's not cut and clear by the name which are and are not unlocked.

[Mohenjo]

to put it more simply - Unlocked cpus you can overclock with z170 branded board 

                              - Locked cpus you cannot overclock. 

[SeanAngelo]

43 minutes ago, riley mclinn said:

What are unlocked CPU's 

cpus that you can overclock with a Zxx/Zxxx motherboard, you can also overclock on X99.