{"id":20036,"date":"2022-10-13T11:48:04","date_gmt":"2022-10-13T09:48:04","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/g100.us\/?p=20036"},"modified":"2022-10-13T11:48:14","modified_gmt":"2022-10-13T09:48:14","slug":"can-you-overclock-a-laptop","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/g100.us\/can-you-overclock-a-laptop\/","title":{"rendered":"Can You Overclock A Laptop (And Should You?)"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_39 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\">TABLE OF CONTENTS<\/p>\n<label for=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-6684492740764\" class=\"cssicon\"><span style=\"display: flex;align-items: center;width: 35px;height: 30px;justify-content: center;direction:ltr;\"><svg style=\"fill: #7f11e0;color:#7f11e0\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\" \/><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #7f11e0;color:#7f11e0\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\" \/><\/svg><\/span><\/label><label for=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-6684492740764\" class=\"cssiconcheckbox\">1<\/label><input type=\"checkbox\" id=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-6684492740764\" checked><nav><ul class=\"ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 \"><li class=\"ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2\"><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/can-you-overclock-a-laptop\/#Can_You_Overclock_a_Laptops_CPU\" title=\"Can You Overclock a Laptop\u2019s CPU?\">Can You Overclock a Laptop\u2019s CPU?<\/a><\/li><li class=\"ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2\"><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/can-you-overclock-a-laptop\/#Can_You_Overclock_a_Laptops_GPU\" title=\"Can You Overclock a Laptop\u2019s GPU?\">Can You Overclock a Laptop\u2019s GPU?<\/a><\/li><li class=\"ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2\"><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/can-you-overclock-a-laptop\/#Can_You_Overclock_a_Laptops_RAM\" title=\"Can You Overclock a Laptop\u2019s RAM?\">Can You Overclock a Laptop\u2019s RAM?<\/a><\/li><li class=\"ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2\"><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/can-you-overclock-a-laptop\/#Why_You_Probably_Shouldnt_Overclock_Your_Laptop\" title=\"Why You Probably Shouldn\u2019t Overclock Your Laptop\">Why You Probably Shouldn\u2019t Overclock Your Laptop<\/a><\/li><li class=\"ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2\"><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/can-you-overclock-a-laptop\/#A_Sidenote_on_Overclock_Buttons_Turbo_Buttons_and_Similar_Performance_Toggles\" title=\"A Sidenote on Overclock Buttons, Turbo Buttons, and Similar Performance Toggles\">A Sidenote on Overclock Buttons, Turbo Buttons, and Similar Performance Toggles<\/a><\/li><li class=\"ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2\"><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-6\" href=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/can-you-overclock-a-laptop\/#Ways_To_Improve_Laptop_Thermal_Performance_For_Overclocking_or_Higher_Stable_Clocks\" title=\"Ways To Improve Laptop Thermal Performance For Overclocking or Higher Stable Clocks\">Ways To Improve Laptop Thermal Performance For Overclocking or Higher Stable Clocks<\/a><ul class=\"ez-toc-list-level-3\"><li class=\"ez-toc-heading-level-3\"><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-7\" href=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/can-you-overclock-a-laptop\/#1_Dust_Out_Every_Six_Months\" title=\"1. Dust Out Every Six Months\">1. Dust Out Every Six Months<\/a><\/li><li class=\"ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3\"><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-8\" href=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/can-you-overclock-a-laptop\/#2_Use_a_Laptop_Cooling_Pad\" title=\"2. Use a Laptop Cooling Pad\">2. Use a Laptop Cooling Pad<\/a><\/li><li class=\"ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3\"><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-9\" href=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/can-you-overclock-a-laptop\/#3_Best_Option_Replace_CPU_and_GPU_Thermal_Paste\" title=\"3. (Best Option) Replace CPU and GPU Thermal Paste\">3. (Best Option) Replace CPU and GPU Thermal Paste<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class=\"ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2\"><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-10\" href=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/can-you-overclock-a-laptop\/#FAQ\" title=\"FAQ\">FAQ<\/a><ul class=\"ez-toc-list-level-3\"><li class=\"ez-toc-heading-level-3\"><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-11\" href=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/can-you-overclock-a-laptop\/#How_does_GPU_overclocking_work\" title=\"How does GPU overclocking work?\">How does GPU overclocking work?<\/a><\/li><li class=\"ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3\"><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-12\" href=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/can-you-overclock-a-laptop\/#What_makes_a_PC_suitable_for_overclocking\" title=\"What makes a PC suitable for overclocking?\">What makes a PC suitable for overclocking?<\/a><\/li><li class=\"ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3\"><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-13\" href=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/can-you-overclock-a-laptop\/#Should_I_consider_undervolting_my_laptop_instead_of_overclocking\" title=\"Should I consider undervolting my laptop instead of overclocking?\">Should I consider undervolting my laptop instead of overclocking?<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class=\"ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2\"><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-14\" href=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/can-you-overclock-a-laptop\/#Over_to_You\" title=\"Over to You\">Over to You<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<p>Can you overclock a laptop? More importantly, should you?<\/p>\n<p>I\u2019ll be discussing these questions and more below, in detail, starting with a breakdown of each component you may want to overclock inside your laptop.<\/p>\n<p>Let\u2019s get into it!<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Can_You_Overclock_a_Laptops_CPU\"><\/span>Can You Overclock a Laptop\u2019s CPU?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><strong>Unfortunately, no, you cannot.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>CPU overclocking is a feature that\u2019s generally locked to desktop motherboards and specific desktop CPUs<\/strong>, especially if we\u2019re talking about Intel processors.<\/p>\n<p>However, your laptop CPU not being overclockable is unlikely to be the product of corporate greed or what-have-you:<strong> the thermally-constrained design of laptops, in general, would likely make it a very bad idea<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p><strong>There is an exception to this in the form of laptops with dedicated \u201cTurbo\u201d or similarly-named hardware buttons, though.<\/strong><\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_20044\" style=\"width: 1590px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><noscript><img aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-20044\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-20044\" src=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/09\/Lenovo-Ledion-Thermal-Mode-shortcuts.jpg\" alt=\"Lenovo Ledion Thermal Mode shortcuts\" width=\"1590\" height=\"794\" srcset=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/09\/Lenovo-Ledion-Thermal-Mode-shortcuts.jpg 1590w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/09\/Lenovo-Ledion-Thermal-Mode-shortcuts-300x150.jpg 300w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/09\/Lenovo-Ledion-Thermal-Mode-shortcuts-1024x511.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/09\/Lenovo-Ledion-Thermal-Mode-shortcuts-768x384.jpg 768w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/09\/Lenovo-Ledion-Thermal-Mode-shortcuts-1536x767.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1590px) 100vw, 1590px\"><\/noscript><img aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-20044\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-20044 lazyload\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%22%20viewBox%3D%220%200%201590%20794%22%3E%3C%2Fsvg%3E\" alt=\"Lenovo Ledion Thermal Mode shortcuts\" width=\"1590\" height=\"794\" srcset=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%22%20viewBox%3D%220%200%201590%20794%22%3E%3C%2Fsvg%3E 1590w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1590px) 100vw, 1590px\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/09\/Lenovo-Ledion-Thermal-Mode-shortcuts.jpg 1590w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/09\/Lenovo-Ledion-Thermal-Mode-shortcuts-300x150.jpg 300w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/09\/Lenovo-Ledion-Thermal-Mode-shortcuts-1024x511.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/09\/Lenovo-Ledion-Thermal-Mode-shortcuts-768x384.jpg 768w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/09\/Lenovo-Ledion-Thermal-Mode-shortcuts-1536x767.jpg 1536w\" data-src=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/09\/Lenovo-Ledion-Thermal-Mode-shortcuts.jpg\"><p id=\"caption-attachment-20044\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Source: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.lenovo.com\/pk\/en\/laptops\/legion-laptops\/legion-5-series\/c\/legion-5-series\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Lenovo<\/a><\/p><\/div>\n<p>More on that in the \u201cSidenote\u201d section later.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Can_You_Overclock_a_Laptops_GPU\"><\/span>Can You Overclock a Laptop\u2019s GPU?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><strong>As long as you have a discrete laptop GPU...yes, probably! On desktops, GPUs are overclockable without any regard for what motherboard chipset is being used.<\/strong><\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_20045\" style=\"width: 2087px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><noscript><img aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-20045\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-20045\" src=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/09\/Discreet-GPU-CPU-in-Laptop.jpg\" alt=\"Discreet GPU + CPU in Laptop\" width=\"2087\" height=\"887\" srcset=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/09\/Discreet-GPU-CPU-in-Laptop.jpg 2087w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/09\/Discreet-GPU-CPU-in-Laptop-300x128.jpg 300w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/09\/Discreet-GPU-CPU-in-Laptop-1024x435.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/09\/Discreet-GPU-CPU-in-Laptop-768x326.jpg 768w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/09\/Discreet-GPU-CPU-in-Laptop-1536x653.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/09\/Discreet-GPU-CPU-in-Laptop-2048x870.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2087px) 100vw, 2087px\"><\/noscript><img aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-20045\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-20045 lazyload\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%22%20viewBox%3D%220%200%202087%20887%22%3E%3C%2Fsvg%3E\" alt=\"Discreet GPU + CPU in Laptop\" width=\"2087\" height=\"887\" srcset=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%22%20viewBox%3D%220%200%202087%20887%22%3E%3C%2Fsvg%3E 2087w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2087px) 100vw, 2087px\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/09\/Discreet-GPU-CPU-in-Laptop.jpg 2087w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/09\/Discreet-GPU-CPU-in-Laptop-300x128.jpg 300w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/09\/Discreet-GPU-CPU-in-Laptop-1024x435.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/09\/Discreet-GPU-CPU-in-Laptop-768x326.jpg 768w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/09\/Discreet-GPU-CPU-in-Laptop-1536x653.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/09\/Discreet-GPU-CPU-in-Laptop-2048x870.jpg 2048w\" data-src=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/09\/Discreet-GPU-CPU-in-Laptop.jpg\"><p id=\"caption-attachment-20045\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Source: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.dell.com\/en-us\/shop\/dell-laptops\/alienware-m17-r5-gaming-laptop\/spd\/alienware-m17-r5-amd-gaming-laptop\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Dell<\/a><\/p><\/div>\n<p>Over here on laptops, the rule stays pretty much the same, though you\u2019ll need to use a discrete GPU from AMD or Nvidia.<\/p>\n<p>Additionally, you\u2019ll deal with more thermal constraints due to the laptop form factor\u2014 more on that later.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Can_You_Overclock_a_Laptops_RAM\"><\/span>Can You Overclock a Laptop\u2019s RAM?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>This one is <strong>a little complicated. Usually, the answer is just \u201cno\u201d, but there are some laptops that support <a href=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/xmp-eocp-docp\/\">XMP<\/a> or even manual memory overclocking in their BIOS.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>For the laptops that don\u2019t support the feature, you\u2019ll likely be stuck with whatever speed the RAM and laptop were tuned for in the factory<\/strong>. Sometimes these will be basic speeds, but other times laptop RAM is configured at higher speeds right out-of-the-box.<\/p>\n<p>If you have this feature, <strong>enabling it will probably require you to dig around in your specific laptop\u2019s BIOS. <\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>The exact way to get into your BIOS from startup will depend on your manufacturer, but with <\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/how-to-enter-bios\/#Using_Windows_Advanced_Startup\"><strong>the help of Windows Advanced Startup,<\/strong><\/a><strong> you can restart your PC from within Windows to boot into your BIOS.<\/strong><\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Why_You_Probably_Shouldnt_Overclock_Your_Laptop\"><\/span>Why You Probably Shouldn\u2019t Overclock Your Laptop<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><strong>As mentioned earlier in the article, there are some thermal constraints to be concerned about whenever you\u2019re overclocking.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>This is a concern on desktop PCs, too, of course, but is a much <strong>more significant problem in a laptop form factor due to the smaller size, weaker cooling, and confined nature of the build.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><noscript><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-15223\" src=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/01\/Laptop-VS-Desktop-Cooling-1.jpg\" alt=\"Laptop VS Desktop Cooling\" width=\"2048\" height=\"1080\" srcset=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/01\/Laptop-VS-Desktop-Cooling-1.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/01\/Laptop-VS-Desktop-Cooling-1-300x158.jpg 300w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/01\/Laptop-VS-Desktop-Cooling-1-1024x540.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/01\/Laptop-VS-Desktop-Cooling-1-768x405.jpg 768w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/01\/Laptop-VS-Desktop-Cooling-1-1536x810.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2048px) 100vw, 2048px\"><\/noscript><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-15223 lazyload\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%22%20viewBox%3D%220%200%202048%201080%22%3E%3C%2Fsvg%3E\" alt=\"Laptop VS Desktop Cooling\" width=\"2048\" height=\"1080\" srcset=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%22%20viewBox%3D%220%200%202048%201080%22%3E%3C%2Fsvg%3E 2048w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2048px) 100vw, 2048px\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/01\/Laptop-VS-Desktop-Cooling-1.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/01\/Laptop-VS-Desktop-Cooling-1-300x158.jpg 300w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/01\/Laptop-VS-Desktop-Cooling-1-1024x540.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/01\/Laptop-VS-Desktop-Cooling-1-768x405.jpg 768w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/01\/Laptop-VS-Desktop-Cooling-1-1536x810.jpg 1536w\" data-src=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/01\/Laptop-VS-Desktop-Cooling-1.jpg\"><\/p>\n<p><strong>That being stressed, there are still some worthwhile caveats worth discussing. <\/strong><\/p>\n<p>For example, <strong>if your laptop happens to support XMP or a similar setting for memory overclocking, enabling it should be pretty much harmless<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p>RAM doesn\u2019t tend to get particularly hot, and the voltage increase incurred by XMP is fairly minimal.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Also, while you can\u2019t overclock your laptop CPU and likely wouldn\u2019t have the thermal headroom to do so if you could, your laptop GPU may well be a different story<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p>If you aren\u2019t dealing with laptop GPU overheating issues when under heavy load, you should have some thermal headroom for GPU overclocking.<\/p>\n<p><strong>But if you do any kind of overclocking on your laptop, you\u2019ll need to take steps to improve your laptop\u2019s thermal performance<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p>More on that shortly\u2014 for now, I need to take a brief moment to talk about the one exception to the \u201cNo CPU Overclocking on a Laptop\u201d rule.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"A_Sidenote_on_Overclock_Buttons_Turbo_Buttons_and_Similar_Performance_Toggles\"><\/span>A Sidenote on Overclock Buttons, Turbo Buttons, and Similar Performance Toggles<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><strong>So if your laptop happens to have an onboard \u201cTurbo\u201d button or another button that improves your laptop\u2019s performance, it may well be an overclock button<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_20046\" style=\"width: 1748px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><noscript><img aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-20046\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-20046\" src=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/09\/Lanovo-Vantage-Thermal-Modes.jpg\" alt=\"Lanovo Vantage Thermal Modes\" width=\"1748\" height=\"842\" srcset=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/09\/Lanovo-Vantage-Thermal-Modes.jpg 1748w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/09\/Lanovo-Vantage-Thermal-Modes-300x145.jpg 300w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/09\/Lanovo-Vantage-Thermal-Modes-1024x493.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/09\/Lanovo-Vantage-Thermal-Modes-768x370.jpg 768w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/09\/Lanovo-Vantage-Thermal-Modes-1536x740.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1748px) 100vw, 1748px\"><\/noscript><img aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-20046\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-20046 lazyload\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%22%20viewBox%3D%220%200%201748%20842%22%3E%3C%2Fsvg%3E\" alt=\"Lanovo Vantage Thermal Modes\" width=\"1748\" height=\"842\" srcset=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%22%20viewBox%3D%220%200%201748%20842%22%3E%3C%2Fsvg%3E 1748w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1748px) 100vw, 1748px\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/09\/Lanovo-Vantage-Thermal-Modes.jpg 1748w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/09\/Lanovo-Vantage-Thermal-Modes-300x145.jpg 300w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/09\/Lanovo-Vantage-Thermal-Modes-1024x493.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/09\/Lanovo-Vantage-Thermal-Modes-768x370.jpg 768w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/09\/Lanovo-Vantage-Thermal-Modes-1536x740.jpg 1536w\" data-src=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/09\/Lanovo-Vantage-Thermal-Modes.jpg\"><p id=\"caption-attachment-20046\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Source: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.lenovo.com\/us\/en\/software\/vantage\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Lenovo<\/a><\/p><\/div>\n<p>This feature has become more common with modern gaming laptops, where users may want to take some performance and thermal constraints off for a few hours of intense gaming before setting it back to normal.<\/p>\n<p><strong>This is the only scenario in which you can overclock a laptop CPU, and I would still recommend taking extra steps to improve your thermals alongside it if you do.<\/strong><\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Ways_To_Improve_Laptop_Thermal_Performance_For_Overclocking_or_Higher_Stable_Clocks\"><\/span>Ways To Improve Laptop Thermal Performance For Overclocking or Higher Stable Clocks<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><strong>So, let\u2019s say you\u2019re overclocking your laptop GPU or utilizing an onboard CPU overclock button. <\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>What can you do as the end user to make this a smoother, more stable experience?<\/strong><\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"1_Dust_Out_Every_Six_Months\"><\/span>1. Dust Out Every Six Months<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p><strong>Keeping your PC as dust-free as possible will allow its cooling system to work unfettered, maximizing the potential of your onboard cooling hardware.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>On a laptop, dust usually shouldn\u2019t build up particularly fast, but it can be a pain to get rid of without opening up your laptop to get at the nooks and crannies.<\/p>\n<p><strong>I recommend doing this one every six-to-eight months.<\/strong><\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"2_Use_a_Laptop_Cooling_Pad\"><\/span>2. Use a Laptop Cooling Pad<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p><strong>One great and relatively cheap solution to laptop thermal problems is the addition of a laptop cooling pad<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p>Most <a href=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/laptop-cooling-pads\/\">laptop cooling pads<\/a> are available for under $50 and will serve to tangibly improve your laptop\u2019s thermal performance as long as you get a cooling pad suited to your laptop\u2019s design.<\/p>\n<p><strong>A laptop cooling pad isn\u2019t a substitute for taking the other two options listed here, though. <\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>In fact, it might even make dust accumulate slightly faster inside of a laptop than it would otherwise, due to the increase in airflow<\/strong>. Adjust your laptop opening-and-dusting window accordingly if you notice this!<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"3_Best_Option_Replace_CPU_and_GPU_Thermal_Paste\"><\/span>3. (Best Option) Replace CPU and GPU Thermal Paste<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p><strong>Last but certainly not least, let\u2019s talk about the biggest step you can make to improve your laptop\u2019s thermal performance.<\/strong><\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_20047\" style=\"width: 1157px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><noscript><img aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-20047\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-20047\" src=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/09\/Laptop-CPU-GPU-Thermal-Paste.jpg\" alt=\"Laptop CPU GPU Thermal Paste\" width=\"1157\" height=\"530\" srcset=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/09\/Laptop-CPU-GPU-Thermal-Paste.jpg 1157w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/09\/Laptop-CPU-GPU-Thermal-Paste-300x137.jpg 300w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/09\/Laptop-CPU-GPU-Thermal-Paste-1024x469.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/09\/Laptop-CPU-GPU-Thermal-Paste-768x352.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1157px) 100vw, 1157px\"><\/noscript><img aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-20047\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-20047 lazyload\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%22%20viewBox%3D%220%200%201157%20530%22%3E%3C%2Fsvg%3E\" alt=\"Laptop CPU GPU Thermal Paste\" width=\"1157\" height=\"530\" srcset=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%22%20viewBox%3D%220%200%201157%20530%22%3E%3C%2Fsvg%3E 1157w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1157px) 100vw, 1157px\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/09\/Laptop-CPU-GPU-Thermal-Paste.jpg 1157w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/09\/Laptop-CPU-GPU-Thermal-Paste-300x137.jpg 300w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/09\/Laptop-CPU-GPU-Thermal-Paste-1024x469.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/09\/Laptop-CPU-GPU-Thermal-Paste-768x352.jpg 768w\" data-src=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/09\/Laptop-CPU-GPU-Thermal-Paste.jpg\"><p id=\"caption-attachment-20047\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Source: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.dell.com\/en-us\/shop\/dell-laptops\/alienware-x14-gaming-laptop\/spd\/alienware-x14-r1-laptop#carousel-example-with-caption\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Dell<\/a><\/p><\/div>\n<p>You\u2019ll want to do some research to make sure your laptop isn\u2019t already using something like liquid metal as a TIM (Thermal Interface Material), as some gaming laptops have started doing.<\/p>\n<p><strong>As long as your laptop is using regular old thermal paste, though, and it will be 99.95% of the time, you will likely see a performance increase from replacing that thermal paste with your own<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p><strong>By replacing your laptop\u2019s default thermal paste, you can improve the thermal conductivity between your CPU\/GPU chip and the attached heatsinks<\/strong>. This means heat gets exhausted at a faster and more efficient rate than it would be otherwise, and<strong> thus allows for lower temperatures.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>A thermal paste replacement is a great way to facilitate higher clocks for both your GPU and your CPU.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Even if your CPU can\u2019t overclock in any meaningful way, improving its temperatures in this way will still allow it to run faster, longer, at its rated Boost clocks before <a href=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/thermal-throttling-guide\/\">thermal throttling<\/a> kicks in.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"FAQ\"><\/span>FAQ<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"How_does_GPU_overclocking_work\"><\/span>How does GPU overclocking work?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p><strong>If you\u2019re going to get started with overclocking your laptop\u2019s GPU, I recommend taking a look over my <\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/use-msi-afterburner-non-msi-cards\/\"><strong>MSI Afterburner<\/strong><\/a><strong> and <\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/gpu-core-clocks-memory-clocks\/\"><strong>GPU Core &amp; Memory Clocks Guides.<\/strong><\/a> These should give you a decent starting point with which to begin making tweaks to your laptop\u2019s GPU.<\/p>\n<p><noscript><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-20048\" src=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/09\/GPU-Overclocking-MSI-Afterburner.jpg\" alt=\"GPU Overclocking - MSI Afterburner\" width=\"2048\" height=\"1080\" srcset=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/09\/GPU-Overclocking-MSI-Afterburner.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/09\/GPU-Overclocking-MSI-Afterburner-300x158.jpg 300w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/09\/GPU-Overclocking-MSI-Afterburner-1024x540.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/09\/GPU-Overclocking-MSI-Afterburner-768x405.jpg 768w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/09\/GPU-Overclocking-MSI-Afterburner-1536x810.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2048px) 100vw, 2048px\"><\/noscript><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-20048 lazyload\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%22%20viewBox%3D%220%200%202048%201080%22%3E%3C%2Fsvg%3E\" alt=\"GPU Overclocking - MSI Afterburner\" width=\"2048\" height=\"1080\" srcset=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%22%20viewBox%3D%220%200%202048%201080%22%3E%3C%2Fsvg%3E 2048w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2048px) 100vw, 2048px\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/09\/GPU-Overclocking-MSI-Afterburner.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/09\/GPU-Overclocking-MSI-Afterburner-300x158.jpg 300w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/09\/GPU-Overclocking-MSI-Afterburner-1024x540.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/09\/GPU-Overclocking-MSI-Afterburner-768x405.jpg 768w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/09\/GPU-Overclocking-MSI-Afterburner-1536x810.jpg 1536w\" data-src=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/09\/GPU-Overclocking-MSI-Afterburner.jpg\"><\/p>\n<p>As a short takeaway, though, GPU overclocking on any platform is mostly a matter of your willingness to test your results.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Running stress tests with each overclock setting until there isn\u2019t a problem is how you get a stable overclock on pretty much anything.<\/strong><\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"What_makes_a_PC_suitable_for_overclocking\"><\/span>What makes a PC suitable for overclocking?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>Despite some laptop overclocking advice I\u2019ve given in this article, I would still generally advise against doing so with most laptop designs.<\/p>\n<p><strong>For a PC to be suitable for overclocking, it needs to have available thermal headroom in its operations to push the higher voltages (and therefore heat) that comes with overclocking<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p>This is much, much easier to do on a desktop than a laptop PC, especially if you have a case with great airflow.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Should_I_consider_undervolting_my_laptop_instead_of_overclocking\"><\/span>Should I consider undervolting my laptop instead of overclocking?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>Finally, one more thing I want anyone interested in overclocking their laptop to consider is doing just the opposite: <strong>undervolting.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>Now, \u201cundervolting\u201d might sound like a bad word, especially if you\u2019re looking for more performance out of your laptop<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p>But the way undervolting <strong>actually works <\/strong>is adjusting your voltage downward while <strong>still maintaining your current CPU or GPU clocks<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p>Configured properly, <strong>a stable undervolt will run with the same performance at a lower temperature, which is <em>exactly<\/em> the kind of boost you\u2019re looking for in a laptop<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Unfortunately, an in-depth undervolting guide is a bit out of the scale of this article<\/strong>. But if that concept intrigues you, I highly recommend checking out one of the video guides embedded below below:<\/p>\n<p><strong>Laptop CPU Undervolting Guide (Intel) from <\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/c\/Thetechchap\" target=\"_blank\"><strong>The Tech Chap<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n<p><noscript><iframe title=\"YouTube video player\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/1DX1UJa65JM\" width=\"860\" height=\"515\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\"><\/iframe><\/noscript><iframe title=\"YouTube video player\" width=\"860\" height=\"515\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/1DX1UJa65JM\" class=\" lazyload\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p><strong>MSI Afterburner GPU Undervolting Guide from <\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/c\/TechIlliterate\" target=\"_blank\"><strong>Tech Illiterate<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n<p><noscript><iframe title=\"YouTube video player\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/kh1QsSCt4Xk\" width=\"860\" height=\"515\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\"><span data-mce-type=\"bookmark\" style=\"display: inline-block; width: 0px; overflow: hidden; line-height: 0;\" class=\"mce_SELRES_start\">\ufeff<\/span><\/iframe><\/noscript><iframe title=\"YouTube video player\" width=\"860\" height=\"515\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/kh1QsSCt4Xk\" class=\" lazyload\"><span data-mce-type=\"bookmark\" style=\"display: inline-block; width: 0px; overflow: hidden; line-height: 0;\" class=\"mce_SELRES_start\">\ufeff<\/span><\/iframe><\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Over_to_You\"><\/span>Over to You<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>And that\u2019s it!<\/p>\n<p>I hope that this article helped enlighten anyone who wanted to know if laptops were overclockable, whether as a general bit of trivia or practical advice for your own laptop.<\/p>\n<p><strong><em>If you\u2019re one of the few and proud out there using an overclocked laptop, I highly encourage you to leave a <a href=\"#comments\">comment<\/a> below or in our <a href=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/forum\/\">Forums<\/a> discussing your experience! <\/em><\/strong><em><strong>Alternatively, if you\u2019re considering overclocking or undervolting your own laptop, you can feel free to talk to us for extra assistance.<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n<p>Until then or until next time, have a good day!<\/p>\n<p><strong>And trust me: if you <em>are<\/em> going to overclock your laptop, go the extra mile and replace that thermal paste. It\u2019ll be worthwhile.<\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Can you overclock a laptop? More importantly, should you? I\u2019ll be discussing these questions and more below, in detail, starting with a breakdown of each component you may want to overclock inside your laptop. Let\u2019s get into it! Can You Overclock a Laptop\u2019s CPU? Unfortunately, no, you cannot. CPU overclocking is a feature that\u2019s generally...<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2339,"featured_media":20038,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[173],"tags":[118,147,117],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/20036"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2339"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=20036"}],"version-history":[{"count":9,"href":"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/20036\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":20103,"href":"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/20036\/revisions\/20103"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/20038"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=20036"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=20036"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=20036"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}