Best way to overclock?

[Dreaper]

How should i go about overclocking is there a way i can do it without being in bios? also should i leave it at what i overclock or only overclock when i need it?

[LooneyJuice]

Uh oh, the Pandora's box, you've opened it.

 

Additionally, specs would be helpful. The more specific you are regarding your needs, the better people can assist.

EDIT: I checked profile.

[Dreaper]

1 minute ago, LooneyJuice said:

Uh oh, the Pandora's box, you've opened it.

 

Additionally, specs would be helpful. The more specific you are regarding your needs, the better people can assist.

EDIT: I checked profile.

EDIT: I JUST CHANGED MY PROFILE 

[DocSwag]

Bios is usually the best way, there are some utilities out there that you can use though (Ryzen master is pretty good if you're using Ryzen, on the Intel side there's the Intel extreme utility or whatever it's called).

[Dreaper]

Just now, DocSwag said:

Bios is usually the best way, there are some utilities out there that you can use though (Ryzen master is pretty good if you're using Ryzen, on the Intel side there's the Intel extreme utility or whatever it's called).

Got it. What about just leaving the overclocking how it is? should i put it to default when im not using anything crazy?

[LooneyJuice]

Doh!

 

Also, the only proper way to do things is through the BIOS, when it comes to CPU overclocks. And yes, usually a thermally safe overclock is totally fine to maintain 24/7 as long as power saving features are enabled and the CPU throttles down at idle, reducing voltage and strain on it. Now, is it methodology you're really after, or just "BIOS vs OS/Software"?

[DocSwag]

1 minute ago, Dreaper said:

Got it. What about just leaving the overclocking how it is? should i put it to default when im not using anything crazy?

Na, not worth doing imo unless you wanna keep the CPU for 10 years. Just keep voltages reasonable and it'll be fine.

[Dreaper]

1 minute ago, LooneyJuice said:

Doh!

 

Also, the only proper way to do things is through the BIOS, when it comes to CPU overclocks. And yes, usually a thermally safe overclock is totally fine to maintain 24/7 as long as power saving features are enabled and the CPU throttles down at idle, reducing voltage and strain on it. Now, is it methodology you're really after, or just "BIOS vs OS/Software"?

i did not understand 90% of what you just said about voltage and stuff

[LooneyJuice]

5 minutes ago, Dreaper said:

i did not understand 90% of what you just said about voltage and stuff

A stable Overclock which you can maintain at a reasonable temperature under max stress is an Overclock you can maintain 24/7 no problem. Now, all CPUs have so-called C-states, or lower power states which they use when you're not doing anything, which drop the frequency and the voltage, so your chip isn't being cooked all the time. Works wonders for Overclocked CPU longevity as well. That stuff is on by default though, so if you just want to play around, you don't have to mess with much of that stuff. 

 

Other than that, the most bulletproof way of overclocking is via BIOS, as you set and forget (after testing of course) without having to load up additional software.

[Dreaper]

Just now, LooneyJuice said:

A stable Overclock which you can maintain at a reasonable temperature under max stress is an Overclock you can maintain 24/7 no problem. Now, all CPUs have so-called C-states, or lower power states which they use when you're not doing anything, which drop the frequency and the voltage, so your chip isn't being cooked all the time. Works wonders for Overclocked CPU longevity as well. That stuff is on by default though, so if you just want to play around, you don't have to mess with much of that stuff. 

 

Other than that, the most bullet-proof way of overclocking is via BIOS, as you set and forget (after testing of course) without having to load up additional software.

I basically just want to Overclock my cpu to about 4ghz best way to do that? of course with reasonable temps

[LooneyJuice]

Well, if you want a step-by-step guide, I'd suggest looking up a tutorial for your board, or a similar bios/CPU combo, as controls tend to be board-specific. But generally, especially for quick and dirty overclocks, you just go to your bios and find "CPU Core Ratio/Multiplier" or something similar, and dial in the ratio you want (40 for 4GHz). You run a stress test (Aida 64, prime 95 or a CPU-intensive game) and check temps and stability for a few hours. If you're satisfied, but wish to make the chip run cooler in the process, you can also find Core Voltage adjustment, and by leaving it on "Offset mode" (that's what it's called in most cases), you can start adding negative voltage offset to cut down on the voltage you pump into the chip. You'll have to do some trial and error though as there may be a point of instability where your system may crash (Blue Screen) or flat out won't boot, so you can't go too low.

 

Now, I don't know how comfortable you are doing this stuff, which is why I recommend finding a related video guide for your board + CPU combo. Usually video authors address things more specific to your case if you're looking for more granular detail.