Why The Lucky Stiff

One man's journey to be more just a lucky stiff

Informative

What is Overclocking And When is it Bad?

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What is overclocking? Can it damage my components? Do I need to pay anything extra for it? All good questions that are commonly asked by those who are new to overclocking. Let’s find the answers, shall we? 

What is Overclocking? 

The cores of your processor and graphics card work in frequencies that we measure in Hz. 1GHz means that your CPU can make a billion calculations per second, 2GHz means that it can do two, you get the point. 

So, the higher the frequency that your CPU or GPU offers, the more performance that you’ll get out of them. However, do keep in mind that this only applies when we’re talking about the same models. 

You can’t compare two different CPUs and judge how fast they are solely by their frequency because they are built differently. Core VS Core, a Pentium 4 CPU at 3.5GHz will always be several times slower than a Core i5 at the same frequency or even at a much lower one. 

But, if you get two identical i5 processors with one of them offering a higher clock/frequency, then that one is definitely going to be faster than its sibling which offers a lower frequency. Easy enough to understand, right? 

What is overclocking

That being said, processors ship with a specific range of core speeds that they can achieve out of the box without you touching anything. Some of them can be modified to reach higher speeds – and that’s when overclocking comes in. 

Overclocking is when the user raises the CPU or GPU core frequencies in order to gain higher levels of performance. But, how can you do that? When? And is it safe? 

Can I Overclock? How?

What is overclocking

When it comes to processors, Intel and AMD are the only ones who can create them for traditional desktops or laptops. And when it comes to overclocking, the situation is a bit different for each team. 

Those of you who own an AMD Ryzen processor can all overclock your processor – no strings attached. Intel users, however, need to own a K series processor and a Z motherboard. If you don’t, your CPU’s core clock will be locked and there’s nothing that you can do about it. 

As for how to overclock your CPU, in most cases, you need to reboot into your BIOS settings, start raising the CPU frequency and/or voltage little by little, reboot, stress test, and stop when you see that the PC is crashing. NEVER raise the frequency by more than 50 or 100Hz at once and never raise the voltage abruptly. More on that later. 

Now, for graphics cards, almost all GPUs can be overclocked by using something like MSI Afterburner. Thankfully, you don’t need to keep on rebooting for this one to work. 

All you have to do is launch the app, start raising the core frequency little by little, benchmark, and keep on going with this process until your games/benchmarks start crashing. A GPU crash can differ from model to model. Some of them just throw you out of the game while others completely crash the whole system. 

Can Overclocking Harm My Computer? 

Every time that I’m asked, “What is overclocking?”, the next question that almost always comes after is if this is dangerous. The answer? Kinda. Mostly if you don’t know what you’re doing. 

When it comes to overclocking, there are primarily three things that can kill your CPU, GPU, or even motherboard: 

  1. Heat
  2. Voltage
  3. Bad motherboard VRM

Heat

First of all, let’s start with heat. Making your components work faster, regardless of if you’re pushing more voltage into them or not, will make them heat up more than before. 

So, while overclocking, always start with frequency only and move with small steps every single time while monitoring temperatures to ensure that you’re fine. Most chips can go up to 95C before shutting down. But, the cooler that you can go, the better. I personally prefer staying under 70C at all time. Though technically speaking, anything up to 80-83C is generally considered “perfectly safe”. 

Voltage and VRMs

After that comes voltage. And voltage can definitely shorten the lifespan of your components – depending on how much you’re pushing into them. 

This is a highly controversial topic. But, most people agree that:

  1. 1.3V core voltage is the safe level for 24/7 operation
  2. 1.4V up to 1.45V is still relatively safe but may slightly degrade the lifespan of the CPU
  3. And anything above that is getting dangerous and will definitely have an impact on the lifespan of the processor

Note: Do keep in mind that the safe levels differ from CPU to CPU. 

Then you also have VRMs (Voltage Regulator Modules). Those are the tiny things that you see around the CPU on your motherboard and they are responsible for providing stable voltage to the processor. If those are crappy, then they may not be able to handle overclocking which can lead to crashes, slowdowns, or even motherboard/CPU failures. 

That being said, AMD users may be the only ones who have to worry about it since their chips are overlocked regardless of which motherboard you use. While Intel, on the other hand, only allows you to overclock on specific motherboards that meet the requirements for overclocking. 

Summary: If you know what you’re doing, then overclocking is relatively safe. But, it still poses a few dangers. While we’re on this subject, let us not forget to mention that overclocking is NOT recommended for professionals. You don’t want your PC crashing while you’re working on something and losing all progress. 

Does Overclocking Cost Me Anything? 

Technically speaking, overclocking is free performance. Practically speaking, it costs you so much that you may as well spend that money on a better CPU in the first place. 

See, as mentioned above, one of the things that can damage your components while overclocking is heat. And in order to keep everything cool, you need to spend money on cooling solutions like: 

  1. A 3rd party CPU cooler
  2. Good case fans
  3. Maybe even a new case that’s focused on cooling 

Not to mention that overclocking is a time-consuming process and you know what they say: “Time is money”. For all the time and money that you spend on overclocking, you may as well save your money, spend your time working, and get a Ryzen 7 instead of a Ryzen 5 which will deliver much better performance without you having to worry about damaging the chip. 

So, if things are like that, then why is it that so many people love overclocking? Well, first of all, it’s situational. Maybe you already have your CPU for a few years now and you’re trying to squeeze every bit of performance out of it without buying a new chip or something. 

Other than that, it’s also a hobby. Some people just love doing this stuff not so much for the performance that they are getting, but because it’s fun. 

Questions that were answered today: 

  1. What is overclocking? 
  2. Is it harmful? 
  3. Does it cost me anything? 

If you’ve got any more questions, then let us and everyone else know about them in the comments section down below! The WTLS team will try to get back to you as soon as possible along with the rest of our community. 

Do I Need a VPN? Virtual Private Networks in a Nutshell

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Do I need a VPN? Why? Why not? And what is a VPN anyway? Chances are that you’ve asked yourself those questions at least once at some point; especially if you’re reading this article. VPN services are especially popular for those who are using streaming programs like Kodi.

The answers may be a bit more complicated than you may think. But, we’re planning on simplifying them as much as we can for you. So, let’s find out!

What is a VPN?

Do I need a VPN

First of all, before realizing if you need a VPN or not, you must understand what a VPN is.

VPN stands for Virtual Private Network. You can install one as a program/app on your computer, phone, or whatever it is that you’re using to browse the internet.

These programs/services are used to disguise your IP address; aka your identity. Your IP address can reveal your location, browsing habits, and even your name. That largely depends on who gets a hold of it and it’s a bit more complicated than that. But, you get the basics.

A VPN service is ultimately, well, a service. And services need to get paid. So, do keep that in mind. The price differs from provider to provider.

There are some providers who will give you a free trial and there are also those who will give you their services for free. However, we’d recommend against the latter. If a service is free, then you may be the product. And nobody likes having his data sold to 3rd parties.

How does it work?

Do I need a VPN?

How does it work? Well, normally, upon browsing a website, your computer communicates directly with the website’s server and all the data/information goes back and forth unencrypted. This is how that order looks like without a VPN:

  1. Your PC
  2. ISP (Internet Service Provider)
  3. Why The Lucky Stiff

In that way, your ISP can see what you’re looking at and the websites that you’re browsing can see your IP address. That poses some serious privacy issues.

A VPN encrypts everything before sending it to your ISP, then sends it through one of their servers in another country, and only then does your request reach the website. Here’s how that looks like:

  1. Your PC
  2. VPN encrypts all information
  3. ISP
  4. VPN server
  5. Why The Lucky Stiff

That’s the basic stuff on how a VPN works. It basically hides your identity and your online activities from any 3rd parties. That includes your ISP and even the government.

Also, websites will no longer receive your IP address which comes in handy in certain situations. Mostly for privacy, though.

So, Do I Need a VPN or Not? 

The answer is: it depends. By all means. If you want that extra bit of security and privacy no matter who you are and what you do, go ahead. As long as your VPN provider is trustworthy, there is no downside to using a VPN.

If you already understand what a VPN is and how it works, then you should be able to make your own decision. For those of you who are still confused, we’ll use these categories and you can determine where you fall:

  1. People who absolutely need a VPN
  2. Those who may need a VPN
  3. People who don’t need one at all

People who Absolutely Need a VPN

How to install Kodi on PC

If you’re streaming any type of content that may be considered illegal in your country, then you absolutely need a VPN. Don’t even think about it. It’s not worth the risk.

What would you prefer? Paying a few bucks per month and not having to worry about a thing? Or pay nothing upfront but risking paying hundreds or even thousands of dollars down the line? It’s just not worth the risk.

Admittedly, getting caught while streaming illegal content is extremely rare. However, even if you only get caught once, the damage may be huge. So, in our opinion, if you’re streaming anything that your country may consider illegal, do absolutely use a VPN.

Apart from that, there are also those of you who are Geo-blocked; aka people who can’t access certain websites because of their country. China is infamous for preventing its people from accessing the major part of Google’s services like YouTube and Gmail.

So, if you need to access a specific website or service and your country or that service is preventing you from using it because you’re living in the said country, then you can definitely use a VPN to get around that.

Just do keep in mind that you need to select a different country than yours in the VPN program. Also one that has access to the website that you want to browse.

For an example, if you’re living in China and you want to access a website that is Geo-blocked, then don’t select China as your proffered country while using the VPN. Go with a European country, the USA, or any other region that has access to that website.

Last, but not least, there are also privacy freaks. And we mean that in a good way. If you’re really concerned about your privacy, then do definitely install a VPN as it both encrypts your data and hides your identity.

Overall, you really need a VPN if:

  1. You’re engaging in anything that may be considered illegal in your country
  2. Can’t access websites because of Geo restrictions
  3. Really worry about your privacy

Those Who May Need a VPN And Those Who Don’t

You may be one of those people who never engage in anything that may be illegal and you may have no reason to hide your internet activity. However, that doesn’t mean that there aren’t any people online who want to spy on you, steal your data, and use it against you.

For the sake of privacy, you may still want to use a VPN. It’s not an absolute requirement like it is with people who are streaming illegal content and stuff. But, it’s kinda recommended.

The only ones who don’t need a VPN are those who are always offline. Obviously, if you never connect to the Internet, then you won’t have anything to hide and nobody will be able to steal anything from you.

That, and there are also those who only connect to play some online games on Steam, watch YouTube, then go to sleep. If you’re that kind of person, you’re probably fine without a VPN.

However, the truth is that for most of us, the Internet is a big part of our lives. Communicating, looking for solutions to problems, learning things, entertaining ourselves, there is just so much to do on the Internet that it’d be a shame to not use it.

As a final note from us, do NOT confuse privacy with software security. An Antivirus and a VPN are two different things. So, do keep that in mind.

Conclusion

Hopefully that helped you decide if you need a VPN or not. If you still haven’t made up your mind, leave a comment down below and maybe we’ll be able to help you.

Feel like we forgot to mention something important? Maybe we got something wrong? Then please let us and everyone else know about it in the comments section down below!

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