All About Technology

Custom gaming computers are what pushing overclock trends, regular consumers do not care too much about performance or lack needed enthusiasm to push custom computer hardware beyond it’s limits. Currently AMD processors offer a few ways to increase performance though overclocking and unlocking.

First you have to take care in selecting processor for gaming computers – some AMD CPU’s are Black Edition labeled – in sexy black boxes and with much better than stock coolers included. Black edition means that they have unlocked multiplier – it’s the easiest way to overclock a processor. Basically with such CPU you just have to get to the BIOS of the motherboard (usually pressing DEL key during POST screen) and change CPU multiplier in the appropriate BIOS options field. Usually it would be under advanced settings or something similar – just look it up in the manual. Now be careful here, don’t go too high.

To calculate required multiplier you need to know how it works. Every CPU has an internal FSB bus speed which is usually 200Mhz for AMD, now every processor comes with it’s own multiplier that when multiplied on FSB gives you resulting CPU frequency. For example – Athlon II X3 440 works on 3.0Ghz – it means that 3000/200=15 is the multiplier for it. If it would have unlocked multi than setting it to 16x would make CPU run at 200×16=3200Mhz (3.2Ghz). That is how it works.

Now every AMD CPU also linked with motherboard through HT link – it usually should not exceed 2000Mhz speed for Athlon and 2600 for Phenom processors. It also has it’s own multiplier and 200Mhz default speed before multiplier applied. If you increase FSB beyond 200Mhz you will increase HT link, so lowering it’s multi to 8x or 9x instead of 10x will make it more stable.

Last thing you have to watch is memory speed – it also goes up together with FSB, it also has it’s own multi, just watch for it not exceed manufacturer set limits, at least not too much.

So the easiest way to increase CPU speed is to up it’s multiplier, if it’s not possible then you increase FSB in small increments like +5Mhz until either PC becomes unstable or temperatures hit too high. Too high is usually 60′C for AMD, keep them below that level if you want them last. Above mentioned Athlon II X3 440 can work on 3.5Ghz by increasing FSB to 227Mhz and lowering HT link to 8x and memory to DDR3 1333Mhz – it will go up with FSB to around 1510Mhz (that is if you have DDR3 1600 standard)

Some lucky processors can have their cores unlocked – it’s done by enabling ACC (advanced clock calibration) in BIOS – most motherboards have it. Some processors may need little extra voltage to work with enabled extra cores since some of them may be little or completely defective there is no guarantee on that. Do not increase voltage beyond 1.5V for the CPU.

Test your PC with something like Prime95 for a few hours on stability. Never do overclock if you are not comfortable with it or you do not understand what you are doing. But again – above mentioned Athlon II X3 440 worked on 3.5Ghz (vs stock 3.0Ghz) with all 4 cores enabled – it registered as Phenom II X4 B40 – it’s a great free upgrade!

By Alex Raven

The Apple tablet which we famously refer to as Apple iPad 16 GB is a feature-packed, powerful and performance-oriented device. It is a tablet PC but with many functions of the net-book. The iPad is a complete revolution of sorts in terms of design, interface, applications and connectivity. The iPad can be very useful for both professional and personal use. It is best suited for those who travel a lot and require notebook like capacities in a smaller framework.

The first of the iPad 16 GB specs that would impress everyone would be the large – or more precisely, the giant – display. With the 9.7 inch multi-touch screen, everything right from videos to websites becomes a pleasure to view. The iPad 16 GB also comes with specially designed multi-touch feature that makes it quite easy to navigate, interact and play with the applications on the gadget. The iPad features a special oleo-phobic coating that prevents fingerprints on the screen.

The large screen display facilitates a 1024×768 pixel resolution. This gives videos, websites, photos and almost everything a crystal clear quality and high detail level. The built-in accelerometer lets you view the iPad in landscape or portrait orientation. This way you can have a larger display of your videos and websites with a simple shift. On the landscape view, the QWERTY keypad almost becomes real-life large and is very comfortable to type on. With the Apple tablet, navigation is not an issue at all. The Spotlight Search makes finding applications, files and documents very easy.

Apple iPad specs include complete YouTube integration, Wi-Fi support and the latest browser to view websites on. The iPad comes with built-in apps that make watching videos and photo-slideshows as easy as it can get. Almost every Apple iPad review would point out the 1GHz processor that powers the iPad to perform excellently.

There are plenty of iPad accessories on the market that enhance the experience. The external keyboard gives you more comfort for typing and navigating on the iPad, while the iPad case provides a safe cover for the gadget. The Apple iPad release was most certainly interesting as stocks ran out almost immediately after the release date. Apple iPad price has remained at around GBP450 but is expected to go up as the demand rises. If you are planning to buy Apple iPad, this might just be the best time!

By Rubu Thomson