Computer hardware tuning

thumb|upright=1.5|A computer BIOS on an ABIT NF7-S [[motherboard with an overclocked AMD Athlon XP CPU, running at 2,442 MHz]] In computing, overclocking is the practice of increasing the clock rate of a semiconductor device, such as a processor, beyond its rated speed, potentially increasing its performance. Overclocked devices, however, may have shorter lifespans, become unstable and unreliable, and in extreme cases, be permanently damaged. Many manufacturers do not cover damage from overclocking in their warranties, while some allow it inside a predefined safety margin.

short length of conductor used to close, open or bypass part of an electronic circuit

'''AMD Cool'n'Quiet''' is a CPU dynamic frequency scaling and power saving technology introduced by AMD with its Athlon XP processor line. It works by reducing the processor's clock rate and voltage when the processor is idle. The aim of this technology is to reduce overall power consumption and lower heat generation, allowing for slower (thus quieter) cooling fan operation. The objectives of cooler and quieter result in the name Cool'n'Quiet. The technology is similar to Intel's SpeedStep and AMD's own PowerNow!, which were developed with the aim of increasing laptop battery life by reducing

Enhanced SpeedStep is a series of dynamic frequency scaling technologies (codenamed Geyserville and including SpeedStep, SpeedStep II, and SpeedStep III) built into some Intel's microprocessors that allow the clock speed of the processor to be dynamically changed (to different P-states) by software. This allows the processor to meet the instantaneous performance needs of the operation being performed, while minimizing power draw and heat generation. EIST (SpeedStep III) was introduced in several Prescott 6 series in the first quarter of 2005, namely the Pentium 4 660. Intel Speed Shift Technol

overclocking technology by Intel

alt=PSOne OneChip installation|thumb|A modchip, the blue circuit board, attached to a PlayStation (console)|PlayStation mainboard A modchip (short for modification chip) is a small electronic device used to alter or disable artificial restrictions of computers or entertainment devices. Modchips are mainly used in video game consoles, but also in some DVD or Blu-ray players. They introduce various modifications to its host system's function, including the circumvention of region coding, digital rights management, and copy protection checks for the purpose of using media intended for other marke

__NOTOC__ AMD PowerNow! was AMD's dynamic frequency scaling and power saving technology targeted at mobile and embedded microprocessors. It allows for the core voltage and frequency to be controlled on-the-fly by the host operating system, or BIOS for embedded systems. PowerNow! was introduced with AMD's embedded processors using their K6 architecture, with the goal to combat the ever-increasing power demands and heat output with microprocessors at the time.

Modding (from "modifying") is the act of modifying hardware, software, or anything else to perform a function not originally intended by the designer, or to achieve bespoke specification or appearance. The term is often used in reference to video game modding, particularly in regard to creating new or altered content and sharing that via the web. It may be applied to the overclocking of computers in order to increase the frequency at which the CPU operates. Case modding is a popular activity amongst many computer enthusiasts which involves the customization of a computer case or the installati

Underclocking, also known as downclocking, is modifying a computer or electronic circuit's timing settings to run at a lower clock rate than is specified. Underclocking is used to reduce a computer's power consumption, increase battery life, reduce heat emission, and it may also increase the system's stability, lifespan/reliability and compatibility. Underclocking may be implemented by the factory, but many computers and components may be underclocked by the end user. Underclocking is the opposite of overclocking.

customization of a computer case

microprocessor brand by Intel

power management technique in computer architecture, where the voltage used in a component is increased or decreased, depending upon circumstances

technique in computer architecture whereby the frequency of a microprocessor can be automatically adjusted "on the fly", either to conserve power or to reduce the amount of generated heat

technology to dynamically overclock processor developed by Advanced Micro Devices

a feature of some electrical appliances

RivaTuner is a freeware overclocking and hardware monitoring program that was first developed by Alexey Nicolaychuk in 1997 for the Nvidia video cards. It was a pioneering application that influenced (and in some cases was integrated into) the design of subsequent freeware graphics card overclocking and monitoring utilities. It supports Nvidia GPUs from the Riva TNT to the GeForce 700 series, and has limited support for the ATI/AMD Radeon series of video cards from the Radeon 8500 and above.