GPU Overclocking

      Overclocking the graphics card is usually the first thing gamers think of when their hardware begins turning obsolete, and with good reason, as overclocking the graphics card usually results in the most noticeable increases in performance as far as PC game playing is concerned. Modern graphics cards carry the load of a games geometry, textures, and physics (basically all of the eye candy), and are easily overclocked. Certain companies have even started releasing cards meant to be overclocked, and have even gone so far as to extend their warranties to cover any damage caused by overclocking.

      Overclocking of graphics cards can easily be performed though various GPU control panel software that is widely available on the internet (RivaTuner comes to mind). Also, the risk of permanently damaging a card is relatively low, as many modern graphics cards have safety measures in place that will shut the system down if temperatures rise too high, and really, the absolute worst thing that can happen is frying the card, in which case a replacement can be purchased (a minor setback).

      The software used varies, but they all work by allowing the user to change a few key settings. There is a setting for the core clock, which controls the speed of the graphics processor, the shader clock, which controls the part of the GPU that deals specifically with shaders (an aspect of graphics processing that is beyond the scope of this text), and the memory clock, which controls the speed of the graphics card’s onboard memory. Basically the process involves increasing the settings in small increments and testing until errors start to occur, at which point the overclocking peak has been found.