How to safely overclock your PC’s GPU and CPU

pcinvasion.com:

If you’re looking to get more performance out of your PC, you’ll want to consider overclocking some of your existing components such as your CPU and GPU. Overclocking typically involves increasing the speed at which your components run in order to get more performance without needing to purchase new hardware. While overclocking can provide noticeable bumps in performance at no extra cost aside from some additional power consumption, there are still a few things to keep in mind in order to safely overclock your PC.

By overclocking a component, you may void the warranty provided by its manufacturer by running it outside of the recommended specifications. Overclocking your PC also tends to generate more heat depending on how far you push your components. If your build doesn’t have proper cooling, this could reduce the lifespan of your components, or even damage them. The stock cooler that may have come with your CPU usually won’t be sufficient to safely overclock, so you may also want to consider investing in a decent aftermarket air cooler or liquid cooling for your PC build.

It is important to note that not all processors can be overclocked, and you’ll want to make sure your motherboard is up to the task as well. For Intel CPUs, you’ll need an unlocked “K” series or “X” series processor in order to change the clock settings of the CPU. As for AMD CPUs, all Ryzen processors are unlocked and can be easily overclocked. To overclock your CPU, you’ll first need to restart your PC and enter the BIOS menu (usually by pressing “Delete” or “F2” while booting).

Alternatively, you can use overclocking software such as Intel’s Extreme Tuning Utility or AMD’s Ryzen Master Utility. Those looking for a simple but powerful tool can also