Computer Overclocking Science Fair Projects

Project Title

Increased Computer Performance through Overclocking

Purpose

Computers are an essential element of life today. Computer performance can be increased through a process known as overclocking, providing results once only obtainable through purchasing new components. The exhibitors intend to prove that overclocking is an effective way to increase the performance of one's computer.

Procedure

To begin, the exhibitors placed an overclocking strip on the back of the processor to unlock the multiplier. Then, through changing the multiplier and FSB in the BIOS, the exhibitors were able to increase the performance of the computer. Testing then took place, using programs such as Prime95, PCMark, Sisoft Sandra, and PiCalc. Because the exhibitors were able to decrease the multiplier, they were able to increase the FSB beyond normal limitations and increase performance even more.

Conclusion

The exhibitors found that through decreasing the multiplier and increasing the FSB, performance increased with each repetition. Scores increased with each series of tests, validating our original hypothesis. The testing proved that overclocking is an efficient way to increase computer performance while still promoting system stability.