Step 1:
– Buy an overclock-able CPU such as the Intel Pentium G3258
– Buy a good motherboard (e.g. Asus H97M-PLUS)
Step 2 (optional):
– Update the bios:
– In the case of the MOBO cited above, download the latest bios: https://www.asus.com/us/Motherboards/H97MPLUS/HelpDesk_BIOS/
– Enter the bios and flash it with the latest firmware
Step 3:
– Adjust the CPU clock speed and its corresponding core voltage
In the case of Asus: enter the BIOS > press F7 for Advanced Configuration > Ai Tweaker > set ‘CPU Ratio Unlock’ = Enabled, CPU Core Ratio = Sync All Cores, Core Ratio Limit = 44, CPU Core Voltage = Manual Mode, CPU Core Voltage Override = 1.333 (this value may vary, dependent on various MOBOs) > press F10 to save and exit
Step 4:
– Stress test CPU
– Download CPU-Z and install it
– Run CPU-Z as Administrator > click on Bench > Bench CPU > observe whether system would crash
Step 5:
– Reiterate the process between ‘Step 3’ and ‘Step 4’ by adjusting the core ratio (clock speed) and voltage until system stability is achieved.
– The objective is to achieve the optimal CPU speed without crashing the computer during high-stress usage. In the case of G3258, 4.4 Ghz can easily be achieved with moderate overclocking and normal system fan cooling. Higher clock speeds and voltages may require liquid cooling.