Processor Voltage

An increase in processor speed sometimes requires an increase in processor voltage to improve stability or to make a system boot at all. Unfortunately, increasing voltage is perhaps the most dangerous aspect of overclocking. Next to excessive temperatures, it is the quickest way to kill your processor. Increasing the voltage improves a processor's ability to operate at higher speeds, but take care: increase voltage levels by tiny increments and monitor every aspect of system operation - temperature, performance, and stability - after each increase. High voltage means a greater likelihood of electromigration, which can destroy a processor's circuit pathways. Although rare, electromigration is impossible to measure or predict. Unless your processor is expendable, the best rule of thumb is to deviate from the processor's default voltage as little as possible. Slight changes in voltage are usually well tolerated, whereas large changes are more troublesome. As with all overclocking attempts, quality cooling should be in place before you raise processor voltage.