"Unlocked"

[crazysteve240]

What does it mean that a CPU is unlocked? I used to think it was related to how cell phones can be locked to carriers and they can be unlocked, but I am not sure anymore. 

[Oshino Shinobu]

It normally means it has an unlocked multiplier, which means it can be overclocked by adjusting the multiplier, using a motherboard that also supports overclocking. 

[stealth80]

So a CPU has 2x factors that affect it's overall speed (Ghz). The first is the BLCK/FSB This is the speed that is run for the management of Ram, PCIE lanes etc and is usually 100mhz. Then there is a multiplier. The multiplier basically does what it says on the tin and multiplies the FSB give you the total speed of the chip.

 

So a 3770K has 100Mhz FSB x 35 multiplier = 3500Mhz

 

A 4790k has a 100Mhz FSB x 40 Multiplier.

 

Intel chips also have the boost function meaning they boost the multiplier under stress to increase performance, 3770k boosts from 35 - 39 = 3.9Ghz, 4790k 40 - 44 = 4.4Ghz

 

Unlocked means you can go into the bios and increases the multiplier manually to achieve an overclock above that of the normal boost

[crazysteve240]

8 minutes ago, Oshino Shinobu said:

It normally means it has an unlocked multiplier, which means it can be overclocked by adjusting the multiplier, using a motherboard that also supports overclocking. 

 

So, is there a possibility of getting a locked processor with a locked multiplier? 

[Oshino Shinobu]

10 minutes ago, crazysteve240 said:

So, is there a possibility of getting a locked processor with a locked multiplier? 

Yes. For Intel, most of their unlocked CPUs will either have a K or and X at the end of the product name (eg. 6600K, 5960X) while the locked ones tend to not have a letter at the end, or will have something other than a K or an X (the 6600 is the locked version of the 6600K, for example). 

 

Not all Intel CPUs are locked if they don't have an X or a K though, there are some exceptions, typically one off models like the Pentium G3258 which has an unlocked multiplier. 

[NumLock21]

2 minutes ago, Oshino Shinobu said:

Yes. For Intel, most of their unlocked CPUs will either have a K or and X at the end of the product name (eg. 6600K, 5960X) while the locked ones tend to not have a letter at the end, or will have something other than a K or an X (the 6600 is the locked version of the 6600K, for example). 

 

Not all Intel CPUs are locked if they don't have an X or a K though, there are some exceptions, typically one off models like the Pentium G3258 which has an unlocked multiplier. 

And Broadwell, it uses the letter C, which is also unlocked