Overclocking and Overvolting

[Ebenezer]

hi,

What do you mean by the terms overclocking and overvolting ? Are they similar or different ?
Can somebody provide me the information and details regarding same....

Thank You

[Omari]

Overclocking - Overclocking is the process of turning up the processor clock or multiplier value of a processor unit on the motherboard, attempting to get the highest possible clock and multiplier value without compromising system stability. Modern processors are often multiplier locked, preventing a user from just changing the bus multiplier and introducing negligible additional heat to the system. Only the actual processor clock value can be changed on these CPUs, generally having a wider effect on system heat and stability.

Overvolting - Overvolting is a necessary evil for modern processors, and is generally used to attempt to stabilize an overclocked processor that is proving to be unstable. The voltage tolerances for microprocessors today are reasonably wide, around 10% or more. Increasing the voltage values gives the processor more juice to ensure that its logic gates are handling decisions reliably. A significant side effect of overvolting is heat emission.

[Viceman]

Overclocking is the process of running a computer component at a higher clock rate (more clock cycles per second) than it was designed for or was specified by the manufacturer, usually practiced by personal computer enthusiasts seeking an increase in the performance of their computers.

Some of them purchase low-end computer components which they then overclock to higher speeds, or overclock high-end components to attain levels of performance beyond the specified values.
Others overclock outdated components to keep pace with new system requirements, rather than purchasing new hardware.

Users who overclock their components mainly focus their efforts on processors, video cards, motherboard chipsets, and Random Access Memory (RAM).
It is done through manipulating the CPU multiplier and the motherboard's front side bus (FSB) speed until a maximum stable operating frequency is reached, although with the introduction of Intel's new X58 chipset and the Core i7 Processor, the Front Side Bus has been replaced with the QPI (Quick Path Interconnect); often this is called the Baseclock (BCLK). While the idea is simple, variation in the electrical and physical characteristics of computing systems complicates the process. CPU multipliers, bus dividers, voltages, thermal loads, cooling techniques and several other factors can affect it.

[JAMES_911]

To understand Overvolting, it is very important to know Dynamic voltage scaling....... since Overvolting is just a part/type of Dynamic voltage scaling.

Dynamic voltage scaling - is a power management technique in computer architecture, where the voltage used in a component is increased or decreased, depending upon circumstances.
Dynamic voltage scaling to increase voltage is known as overvolting.
Dynamic voltage scaling to decrease voltage is known as undervolting.

Undervolting is done in order to conserve power, particularly in laptops and other mobile devices, where energy comes from a battery and thus is limited. Overvolting is done in order to increase computer performance.

[lorenz]

Reducing the voltage supplied to the CPU below the manufacturer's recommended minimum setting can result in system instability. As a result, to sustain system stability, sometimes overvolting becomes necessary and important.