Overclocking is the method of configuring a component inside your PC, usually the processor, to run faster than what's set by the manufacturer. It's a good way to take a less capable CPU and achieve better results in games, running software, and general computing. But with higher clock speeds offered by AMD and Intel for the latest Core and Ryzen processors, is overclocking even worth it in 2024? The latest and best CPUs are designed to run at higher temperatures to process as many instructions per second, so is there any room for manual overclocking?

Not every processor is built the same and not all CPUs support manual overclocking. It's easy to check whether your chip supports this feature by confirming whether it's "unlocked." This essentially allows the processor to run at any speeds not factored in by the manufacturer. Locked processors can only hit pre-configured speeds. Every AMD Ryzen processor can be overclocked whereas Intel chips need to have a K suffix. The Intel Core i5-14600 cannot be overclocked, but the Intel Core i5-14600K can.

Modern processors are seriously quick

The latest chips can run at up to 6.2 GHz!

The technology industry went through a phase in the early 2010s where cores and threads meant everything. AMD was rolling out processors with numerous cores and a hefty power draw to ensure everything ran smoothly. Things settled down and today we're looking at some very powerful processors. Thanks to the improvement in manufacturing processes, it has been possible for both AMD and Intel to create CPUs with many cores without sucking up too much power. But as well as increasing the number of cores, both companies have also been increasing clock speeds.

The Intel Core i9-14900KS is the flagship Rocket Lake Refresh processor and it's a monster. This CPU has 24 physical cores (a combination of P-cores and E-cores) and can hit speeds of 6.2 GHz, which was usually reserved for serious overclockers. Hitting 6.0 GHz with stock settings was a feat but now Intel has smashed the ceiling with the best bins from the silicon. This also provides little headroom to push the 14900KS harder without serious CPU cooling. An AIO liquid cooler with a 360mm radiator can just barely tame the CPU at stock settings, so pushing it harder is out of the question.

Firing up Cinebench in our review of the 14900Ks saw it thermally throttle almost immediately, reducing power and clock speeds to bring temperatures down ... to below 100C. AMD and Intel are running their processors to maximize performance, but this also means the chips are now designed to hit high temperatures and remain there. It would be possible to get more out of the 14900KS from Intel, but we'd need to consider "delidding" the processor, using a custom open-loop liquid cooling solution, and praying to the overclocking Gods.

Better performance (usually) comes at a price

ABSOLUTE ... POWER

The faster a processor runs, the more power it will require, and the more waste heat will be generated. This is the same for manufacturers and chip owners. If you're planning to push your CPU harder to achieve 100 MHz or a few above its stock limits, you should bear in mind the additional load this will put on your power supply and CPU cooling. Efficiency goes out the window when manually setting CPU overclocks, which should allow you to see just how far you can push this particular processor. Power can then be adjusted to improve efficiency as much as possible.

But even with a stable overclock applied, your CPU will be drawing additional power, producing more heat, and will likely run hotter overall. Heat is the primary enemy of components. The cooler a piece of hardware runs, the longer it should last. Although AMD and Intel state their processors should run well up to 100C, it's still recommended to have them run cooler than this limit. In the grand scheme of things, are you gaining much more out of boosting your CPU above its stock settings? For games, per-core clocks are important, but instructions-per-clock (IPC) improvements can have more of an impact.

Getting 100 Mhz out of your CPU won't have a huge effect on in-game performance, especially if it's a more GPU-intensive PC title. Even at stock settings, modern chips are more than good enough for even the more demanding games with heavy AI calculations. But if your GPU is stuck waiting for the processor to keep up, pushing your chip a little harder could provide a few more stable frames per second. Pushing the AMD Ryzen 9 7900X above its limit and getting an additional 150 MHz out of the chip (5.85 GHz) provided at best a few more frames in busy sectors playing X4: Foundations. It's nothing to write home about and isn't worth the additional heat and power loads.

Should you still overclock your CPU?

There's no right or wrong answer here. While it may not be as effective as before, overclocking components can be a way to squeeze as much performance out of your system as possible. Just bear in mind that the additional thermal load can prove massive for coolers already struggling to keep a CPU cool under intense loads. Even enthusiasts with liquid nitrogen typically run a processor hard in short bursts for competitions, not sustained loads for gaming and creative usage.

I've stopped overclocking my CPU and since switching to the AMD Ryzen 7 8700G, I've only made an effort to have the system memory run faster to provide the GPU with more throughput. Depending on your system configuration, you could yield some positive results from overclocking, but if you're already using flagship hardware, such as the Nvidia GeForce RTX 4090 and Core i9-14900KS, I would recommend sticking with stock settings, unless you're ready to get your hands dirty.