Overclocking is turning your processor in overdrive... to successfully over clock a processor, you stress it to its limits. While it sucks more energy out of the system, it also shortens the life of the processor but It makes your computer change from an average computer to a Super computer...
BTW, you would be insane to overclock a laptop if any of you are reading this with a laptop cause it will melt your whole computer cause of heat being produced (lack of fans).
Joey wrote ... It makes your computer change from an average computer to a Super computer...
Joey this is just plain wrong. You get marginal results at best from drastic changes when overclocking. Hardly going from average to super. Ten extra fps would a be a great yield from overclocking and that's hardly groundbreaking.
dies irae veniendum est LastFMSteam "...it smells like dust and moonlight." -Don Hertzfeldt
Yeah, overclocking is not a "make or break" type of deal, but you can definitely feel the difference when your system is at a strong overclock vs stock settings.
Also, the thing about reducing the life of your CPU. I find that for most gamers, you will update your CPU long, long before it fails "naturally". Hardware for desktop computers advances so fast that you have to upgrade almost every six months to stay on the bleeding edge of technology, and even the casual gamer will most likely upgrade at least the CPU or GPU before a full full two years.
Also, for those venturing deeper into the OC world, do make sure to have proper cooling on your CPU before doing so. Typically any third party heatsink will do the job, but you can put a few extra dollars down for one that is more quiet, and more efficient than others.
Stock coolers will typically handle a light overclock, but you WILL need that third party one if you're doing anything more.
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