For Intel’s latest unlocked processors, that’s either socket LGA-1151 (K series) or LGA-2066 (X series).
Oh, and this goes without saying, but I’ll say it anyway: you need a motherboard with a socket that’s compatible with your CPU choice. Enthusiast and gaming motherboards from ASUS, Gigabyte, EVGA, and MSI are good choices in this regard. You can also often find Newegg reviews that discuss a motherboard’s overclocking settings, and the quality thereof.
They’re a little pricier than more pedestrian models, but they have access to UEFI/BIOS updates and manufacturer software specifically designed to make overclocking easy. If you’re in a position to choose, look for an enthusiast or “gaming” motherboard. Technically, any motherboard should be able to overclock its processor, but some are designed specifically for the process and some aren’t. Next, you’ll want to make sure your motherboard is up to snuff. Motherboard Enthusiast and “gamer” motherboards tend to include UEFI software designed for easy overclocking. This is why it’s incredibly important to go through the long, arduous process yourself instead of just plugging in someone else’s settings-no two processors will overclock the exact same. Don’t be upset if your specific CPU and setup as a whole can’t hit the same overclocking performance as someone reporting their results online. Even if two CPUs have the same model number and should theoretically be identical, it’s entirely possible that they’ll overclock differently. I should also mention a concept known among enthusiasts as the “silicon lottery.” The microarchitecture of modern CPUs is incredibly complex, as is the fabrication process.
This policy is controversial among PC hardware enthusiasts. Also, Intel really doesn’t want you to do it-to the point that they’ve actually issued software updates that closed previously-found loopholes enabling it. It’s just harder, and it’ll probably need some support from your motherboard manufacturer. Is it possible to overclock a non-K Intel processor? Sometimes. If you’ve already bought or built your PC, you may not be in a position to do this, of course, but it doesn’t hurt to know your hardware’s limitations all the same. Step One: Pick the Right Hardwareīefore you start overclocking, you’ll want to make sure you have the right hardware. That said, make sure and read up on the process for your specific hardware before starting your overclock attempt. But the general steps should apply to most of the desktops sold or assembled in the last few years. Since our test rig uses an Intel processor and motherboard, and Intel is still far and away the leader in consumer-grade desktop systems (being installed in over 80% of systems), this guide will cover the overclock process for late-model Core unlocked (K-series) CPUs. That being said, it’s easier now than it’s ever been. And as a hobbyist activity, the process and its tools are almost constantly in flux. Overclocking, the act of boosting your CPU’s core clock beyond its factory setting, has been around for almost as long as personal computers have. If that statement stirs a bit of tech-flavored longing in your soul, you might want to look into overclocking your processor. But it could always be a little bit faster. Unbelievably fast, at least compared to the PC you had ten or twenty years ago.