does overclocking really pay off

[SG1_Lud]

It can make BIG difference.

For good or for bad... if you know what you are doing, is worth it. If not, better stay out.

To do a proper OC needs a lot of reading and understanding... be prepared once you know the minimum stuff for a good amount of tests in your system until you can assure is perfect stable.

To resume in a few lines how one should approach their first OC:

* OC is not only about going up some Mhz in your CPU or GPU speeds. You have to know your system very well and play with many variables in the BIOS, like clock speeds of several components and voltages. The best way to accomplish a succesful overclocking is to join a forum of overclockers of your motherboard.

* Simply because you were able to start windows in a system with a new clock, dont think you're done. You have to assure the stability of the system full loaded (that involves days or weeks of testing), or you risk data corruption and lot of problems and you will complain about the software or the OS, when the blame is yours.

* never, never install anything in a OC state. Switch to normal clocks for installs or risk data corruption very hard to track down.

You see, nothing difficult for us hardcore simmers that like CEM and so... but you have to take it seriously and then it pays off. Let's say you invest a good amount of time in learning, but once you get the skill, you benefit from it forever.

BTW, some stock clocks machines have faults that the average user never notice, until he/she stresses the system enough to show its ugly face, normally in the middle of something... that's why it also pays off to become an advanced user and know how to to test thoroughly even your stock system before doing anything serious whith it.

S!