Just because you can do something, that doesn’t mean you should. That old truism goes double for computers. But some PC geeks are so fanatical about performance, so doggedly determined to push their hardware to extremes, that they’ll go to ridiculous lengths to wring a few more clock cycles out of their components or add a little more cool factor to their rig.
This article is dedicated to all those insane, irrational enthusiasts who defy all reason and common sense in the pursuit of PC glory. We’ve tried and tested five risky upgrades that no sane user should ever try. Don’t get us wrong–these upgrades deliver genuine benefits. But they aren’t for the faint of heart, as each is either time-consuming, expensive, or dangerous to your hardware. If you like to walk on the wild side, though, grab your screwdriver and follow along.
Replace Your Laptop’s LCD Screen
Before you purchase a replacement, it’s a good idea to talk with a sales rep at ScreenTek or a similar LCD reseller to see what screens are available for your notebook.
Prior to reassembly, plug the cables in and boot the machine up to ensure that it’s working correctly. If you don’t get a picture, check that the cables are properly seated, and try again. If it still doesn’t work, your notebook simply may not support that display resolution.
(If this risky upgrade is too nuts for your blood, check out five way easier laptop upgrades. Or, for more-concrete performance benefits, upgrade your laptop’s CPU or graphics card.)
Lap Your CPU
Overclocking your CPU isn’t particularly crazy. With a bit of care and common sense, anyone can squeeze a little extra speed out of their processor. But if you want to push your hardware to illogical extremes, you’ll have to get your hands dirty. And that means lapping your CPU.
But since the heatspreader’s surface already comes machine-lapped from the factory, why repeat the process at home and risk destroying a perfectly good CPU? A reckless disregard for safe computing is one answer. But if you were to look at your processor through a microscope, you might be surprised at what you’d find. Though the surface may appear smooth and flat to the naked eye, your CPU’s heatspreader actually contains many microscopic nicks, depressions, and other flaws that prevent it from making the best possible contact with your CPU cooler.
Thermal pads and pastes help fill in those imperfections, but only by lapping your processor to an ultrasmooth finish can you be assured of whisking away the most heat. Of course, you’ll also be whisking away your warranty, but unless you’re one of those sane people who run their processors at stock speed, you’ve already voided it anyway.
What You’ll Need
- Sandpaper (400, 600, 800, 1000, 1500, and 2000 grit) in full- or half-sheet form
- Isopropyl rubbing alcohol (90 percent concentration or higher) or ArctiClean
- Masking tape
- Cotton swabs or unscented toilet paper
- Can of compressed air
- Pane of glass or some other smooth, flat surface larger than the sheets of sandpaper
Set Up Your Workspace
Lay down the pane of glass so that you have a completely flat, supersmooth surface to work on. A level kitchen table will also suffice, but so long as you’re going to risk destroying a $100+ processor, will you really miss another $5 for a sheet of glass should something go wrong and your endeavor become an epic fail?
Grab a full sheet of 400-grit sandpaper and cut it in half, and then secure one of the pieces vertically to your work surface by placing masking tape around all four sides. Now might also be a good time to call your mother if you haven’t talked with her for months. The resulting good karma might later make the difference between a cooler-running processor and one that refuses to boot.
Prep Your Processor
Void Your Warranty!
Once you get to the 1000-grit sandpaper, your processor should be flat but not shiny. This matters because if you ruin your processor doing this trick, you’ll be left with little more than an expensive keychain–and who wants a dull-looking keychain? Use the finer grits to obtain a reflective surface, cross your fingers, and then install the CPU in your system as you normally would. Don’t forget the thermal paste!
By doing this mod, we were able to reduce the load temperatures on our Intel Core 2 Duo E8400 processor by 7 degrees Celsius, which will allow for some pretty hard-core overclocking, though not all gains will be that significant. If you’re willing to roll the dice a second time, repeat the above process on your heat sink’s base for an even better potential payout.
Push Your RAM to Its Limit
When it comes to overclocking, the processor and graphics card typically end up hogging the spotlight. Cooling manufacturers have crafted hundreds of different heat sinks designed to give obsessive PC enthusiasts an edge in pushing components well past their rated specs. Even case designers have jumped into the act, with special cooling ducts and other contraptions aimed at keeping the CPU and GPU chilly. That leaves RAM as the redheaded stepchild in the hardware family, but because we love all our components equally (and because we’re just a little nuts), we’re going to show you how to make those modules scream.
Enter the BIOS
Not all motherboard makers use the same type of BIOS, and even different models from the same vendor can vary. But one thing almost all have in common is that the overclocking settings, if offered, are typically clumped together under one menu. Look for labels such as MB Intelligent Tweaker (Gigabyte), Extreme Tweaker (Asus), Cell Menu (MSI), or other similar terms.
Eliminate Bottlenecks
As you increase your RAM’s frequency, your CPU will ramp up in speed too. This can cause you to run into an overclocking wall prematurely, even though your RAM has room to spare. To prevent that from happening, locate the CPU Ratio Setting in your BIOS and drop your CPU’s multiplier down at least two whole numbers, preferably as far as your motherboard allows. Using an Intel Core 2 Duo E8400, dropping the multiplier down from x9 to x6 decreases the CPU’s clock speed from 3.0 GHz to 2.0 GHz, giving you plenty of headroom to play with as your push your RAM to absurd heights.
Cool It and Juice It!
Once you’ve taken your RAM to the bleeding edge and survived, slap your PC’s case back together and crank it up. If nothing melts or starts to smoke, you’re solid.
Strip Your PC Naked
Bleeding Edge vs. Bleeding Fingers
The risks that come with a test-bench setup are potentially disastrous. Since all of the hardware is exposed, the possibility of physical damage to your computer–and serious injury to you–increases exponentially. Let’s face it, accidents happen. And moving from a normal, enclosed case to an open test bench is a little like stepping out of an amored car, stripping down to your skivvies, and hopping on a motorcycle. The margin for error decreases to nil. Curious children or pets should not be allowed to venture near the computer and its naked parts.
Choose Your Weapon
Location, Location, Location
Max It Out
Using a system installed on a test bench can be dangerous, but the benefits can definitely offset the risks involved as long as the computer remains in a controlled environment. With this setup, you can tweak to your heart’s desire and overclock until you’ve squeezed every last clock cycle from your PC.
Run a River Through It
Just as in a car, water-cooling your PC is more effective than air-cooling it, since the continuous flow of cooled liquid can absorb and dissipate heat more rapidly than can air alone. PC liquid-cooling setups consist of a pump, a radiator, and some hoses that carry water to various heat-exchanger blocks, which mount atop your hottest system components. Cool water pumps in from the radiator and then flows across the hot blocks, carrying the heat back to the radiator, which releases the heat into the air outside your computer.
Here’s how you can choose the best liquid-cooling components and create your very own water-cooled monster.
Pick Your Parts
Here is a list of the essential parts you will need to complete your own extreme liquid-cooled PC project:
- Water block (CPU/GPU)–The water block is a heat sink that mounts directly on your CPU and/or GPU. Currently the D-tek Fuzion V2, EK Supreme, and Swiftech GTZ are the best CPU water blocks. Since a wide assortment of graphics-board blocks are on the market, check out EK Water Blocks and Danger Den’s product line for your specific card.
- Pump–When you’re looking for a pump for your loop, you’ll want it to provide high pressure, reliability, and quiet operation. Both the Liang DDC-3.2 and D5 pumps are excellent choices.
- Radiator–In general, the larger the radiator, the better cooling performance you will achieve. We recommend Thermochill’s PA120 series radiators.
- Fans–The size of your radiator will determine the size and quantity of the fans you will need. For example, the monstrous PA120.3 radiator can hold up to six 120mm fans, with three on each side.
- Reservoir/t-line–Tube reservoirs have become the popular choice in the water-cooling scene, and they provide for easier filling and bleeding. EK makes several different models. You can use a t-line instead of a reservoir if you don’t have much room.
- Tubing–The inner diameter (or ID) of your tubing should match the barb size on all of your parts.
- Coolant–Use distilled water for your coolant. Add a couple drops of biocide, such as Petra’s PT Nuke, to prevent algae growth.
- Barbs/fittings–Use the same fitting size throughout your cooling loop and make sure it matches up with the inner diameter of your tubing. We like Bitspower Compression fittings, as they provide the most watertight seal and look awesome.
- Clamps–Use clamps to seal your loop anywhere the tubing meets a fitting. Plastic clamps or worm drive clamps work well, but you can also use zip ties if you desire. You won’t need clamps when using compression fittings.
Cleanliness Is Absolute Godliness
The very first thing you should do after receiving your parts is to flush the radiator with distilled water. Chemicals used in the manufacturing process will leave a residue in the radiator, and you need to clean them out thoroughly before you install the radiator. Pour distilled water into the radiator until it’s half full, shake it several times, and then pour out the liquid. Repeat this step until you’ve gone through 2 gallons of distilled water. It’s also a good idea to flush the water blocks.
Loop the Loop
When setting up your cooling loop, one rule you absolutely must follow is to install the reservoir or t-line immediately adjacent to the pump so that the water flows directly from the reservoir or t-line into the pump. This arrangement provides a steady supply of coolant to the pump and helps sustain performance. It also reduces the possibility of running the pump while it’s dry, which would cause the pump to fail. The order of the rest of the components doesn’t matter, so use the shortest amount of tubing possible to maintain a consistent flow of fluid through the loop.
Install It All