Hardware Reference
In-Depth Information
BIOS that supports more processors. You can also use the BIOSAgentPlus website ( ht-
tp://biosagentplus.com ) to scan your computer, determine if a BIOS update is available, and
download it.
Upgrading the processor can, in some cases, double the performance of a system.
However, if you already have the fastest processor that will fit a particular socket, you
need to consider other alternatives. In that case, you really should look into a complete
motherboard change, which would let you upgrade to one of the latest processors at the
same time. If your chassis design is not proprietary and your system uses an industry-
standard ATX motherboard design, I normally recommend changing the motherboard and
processortogetherratherthantryingtofindanupgradeprocessorthatwillworkwithyour
existing board. Keep in mind that new memory might also be necessary.
Overclocking
Another form of processor upgrade is to set the processor speed to run faster than the rat-
ingonthechip;thisiscalledoverclocking.Inmanycases,youcangetawaywithacertain
amount of overclocking, because Intel, AMD, and others often build safety margins into
their ratings. So, a chip rated for, say, 3GHz might in fact run at 3.5GHz or more but in-
stead be down-rated to allow for a greater margin of reliability. By overclocking, you are
using this margin and running the chip closer to its true maximum speed. I don't normally
recommend overclocking for a novice, but if you are comfortable playing with your sys-
tem settings, and you can afford and are capable of dealing with potential consequences,
overclocking might enable you to get another 10%-20% or more performance from your
system.
Overclocking is usually applied to the processor, but it can also be applied to other com-
ponents in the system, including memory, video cards, bus speeds, and more.
When chips run faster, they run hotter, so cooling upgrades and modifications usually go
hand-in-hand with overclocking. Systems that run cool tend to be more stable and more
reliable, so even if you don't overclock your system, ensuring that it runs cool is essential
for trouble-free operation. Many systems are not properly designed or configured for op-
timal cooling even at their standard speeds, much less when overclocked.
Overclocking PCs dates all the way back to the original 4.77MHz IBM PC and 6MHz
AT systems of the early 1980s. In fact, IBM made overclocking the AT easy because the
quartz crystal that controlled the speed of the processor was socketed. You could obtain a
faster replacement crystal forabout a dollar and easily plug it in. The first several editions
of this topic covered how to perform this modification in detail, resulting in a system that
was up to 1.5 times faster than it started out. Modern systems allow overclocking without
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