Overclocking

If you are not quite sure what overclocking is, then imagine a fast car..........then imagine it with a turbo bolted on! Many processors in today’s market will go significantly faster then they state simply by overclocking them. It is not unheard of to see as much as 100% performance increase, meaning a 2.5GHz processor will run at a massive 5GHz!!! Ok granted, these are processors cooled with liquid nitrogen but it is a good indication of what can be done.

Not everyone is going to want their nice new PC overclocked, but the extra performance at very little cost makes the overclocking option hard to resist. The art of overclocking is second nature at UK Gaming Computers, we make sure we get the best of that extra performance out of a processor without compromise to the PCs stability. Typical overclocks that leave our workshop vary from 5% right upto 60%. Each processor clocks differently, so we cannot guarantee a certain percentage increase, although if we end up with a poor overclock we will normally try another processor.

Overclocked processors get hot so to get the best out of your overclock, upgrade the processor cooler and the case. Other factors such as fan upgrades, cable braiding and cable management play an important role too. Motherboards also play an important role, but since we already use motherboards that are built with overclocking in mind, you don’t need to worry.

Overclocking increases build time but we still stay within our build time scales, we like to double check the stability of our overclocked machines so a 4 day build may end up being 5 days. We also honour the processor warranty with overclocked processors.

A moderate overclock is a simple overclock that does not involve generating too much extra heat. It allows us to carry out an overclock even on the stock specification. Percentage increases are not guaranteed as every processor is different, but a typical moderate overclock will yield anywhere between a 5% and 40% perfomance increase.

An Extreme overclock is a complex method that will generate much more extra heat, but will yield a much higher increase in performance. When selecting an extreme overclock for your PC you must make sure your cooling options are sufficient. An upgraded processor cooler is a must, and the other factors such as the case, the case fans, cable management and cable braiding will all help towards turning that £100 processor into the same spec as a £600 one! A typical performance increase from an extreme overclock is anywhere between 5% and 60%.