Dangers of Overclocking

When we speak of overclocking with regard to a computer, we are talking about boosting the performance of the machine so that it can function faster and more effectively than expected by the manufacturer.

The process is something that should only be undertaken by an experienced individual who is well versed in these matters, because with all said and done, it is something that can pose serious dangers and risks too.

The benefits of overclocking include pushing the machine's performance and speed, and this helps the users achieve a configuration that they did not expect, it helps them to save money and it gives them the option to use more hardware peripherals than expected, but along with this, there are several problems that need to be taken into consideration as well.

It is possible to overclock the processor, the GPU, the RAM and other peripherals as well, so it is only natural that there will be certain repercussions of doing so. Moderate overclocking is something that almost every machine can handle, but when this process is pushed to the limit, the machine comes under severe threats from a variety of problems.

This is especially true in cases where people overclock machines that are old and have been used extensively for many years. Such machines are unable to handle the strain of being overclocked and running beyond expectations, and there are several disadvantages that will arise as a result of that.

Here are the disadvantages that every computer owner who is planning to carry out this process, should be well aware of.

• The biggest risk of overclocking is hardware overheating. Since these devices are not built to function at higher-than-recommended cycle speeds, they do tend to get extremely hot since all their components are working in hyper-drive.

This is something that will affect any electronic device, so the user must be completely prepared for this. Using the machine in a room with low temperature is the best possible solution to this problem.

• As hardware devices are overclocked, their power requirements also go up. This is something that can result in serious circuit damage since the components are designed to handle a fixed amount of voltage which should not be surpassed. This can cause the CPU to become very unstable, and this could inadvertently lead to fire hazards as well.

• Since the system becomes very unstable when overclocked, other risks like loss of data, corruption of files on the system and system crashes also come to the fore and can cause serious issues. With all of this known, you should remember to make an informed decision when you are overclocking your CPU and are actually carrying out the procedure.

In spite of all this though, the risk of fires and burned circuit boards is lesser today, because manufacturers are increasingly making machines that handle cooling more effectively. However, this does not mean that these risks are completely evaded, because sooner or later the computer will go into a state where the heat generated will be more than normal.

Some people even use other materials like liquid nitrogen and other fluids to achieve the same, and needless to say, this is something that should be avoided because it will ultimately affect the internal components of the computer.

Computer manufacturers say that they have no issues with such things, because what a computer owner does with his machine in the privacy of his home is entirely his business.

But, a very real problem arises when sellers start selling overclocked machines and claim that their configurations are higher than what they actually are. This actually amounts to fraud, and such sellers can be sent to jail for such practices.

Overclocking a computer is something that only a computer enthusiast will undertake, especially because the process is a complicated one. Such people are well aware of the disadvantages and they are well prepared for the same as well, but in their opinion, the benefits of doing so are totally worth the risk that they are taking.