Overclocking simply means taking advantage of how CPU makers design and manufacture their chips by running a processor faster than the clock speed it's certified for. But doing it involves tweaking parameters in their CMOS setup program. It has been done forever, but it was risky, and could void your warranty.
Now, thanks to Elitegroup Computer Systems (ECS), from Taiwan, this can be done with a dial, like the one on your radio. Sumner Lemon reports from CeBIT 2003.
ECS, in Taipei, on Wednesday introduced its EZ-Buddie line of PCs, which let users overclock their CPUs by adjusting a dial located on the front of the PC case.
Expected to be available worldwide in May, the EZ-Buddie is based on either an Intel Pentium 4 processor, Intel Celeron, or AMD Athlon processor and will be priced starting from $700 to $800, depending on the exact configuration, said Frank Niessen, marketing director for ECS in Germany.
Overclocking can be a risky venture, and motherboard makers and CPU makers are quick to remind users that they will not take responsibility for attempting to run a CPU at a speed faster than that for which it has been rated. Promotional literature for the EZ-Buddie is no exception, warning, "Any CPU stressed beyond its limit is not guaranteed."
So is it riskless to buy one of these systems and play with the CPU speed? The company answers the question in its marketing literature.
EZ-Buddie's unique EZ-Watcher system control panel monitors CPU performance and allows even a general user with limited knowledge of BIOS tweaking to adjust the CPU frequency to meet personal requirements by simply rotating the CPU Tuner. EZ-Watcher also provides clearly visible gauges that constantly monitor CPU temperature, system temperature, mainboard operation, memory, hard drive and CD ROM drive to catches minor glitches before they become major problems.
With this kind of warning, would I like to use an EZ-Buddie? Yes. But would I buy one? Not sure.
Sources: Sumner Lemon, IDG News Service, March 13, 2003; Elitegroup Computer Systems, March 5, 2003
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