AMD Ryzen Overclocking Guide: Get More from Your CPU

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Achieve higher clock speeds from your AMD Ryzen CPU.

No matter what AMD Ryzen CPU you have -- from first-gen Ryzen all the way up to the top-of-the-line Ryzen 3950X, there’s always an opportunity to squeeze a few more MHz out of the chip by overclocking it. Unlike Intel, which limits overclocking to its most-expensive CPUs and motherboards, AMD allows you to overclock any Ryzen processor with all of their chipsets except for A320 (it works with B350, B450, X370, X470, X570).

Modern processors automatically adjust their own clock speeds based on temperature and workload, so one might wonder why overclocking is necessary. The answer comes down to the silicon lottery. Even amongst CPUs of the same model, made at the same time at the same factory, there are subtle differences in how much additional voltage and frequency the chips can leverage. AMD configures all of its Ryzen CPUs of a given model number for the same boost clock speed, but the piece of silicon in your PC might be capable of offering more, if you just tweak its settings.

While there are some nearly fool-proof, automated methods for overclocking your AMD Ryzen CPU, it’s important to note that pushing anything beyond its normal operating point has inherent risks that range from system instability to the unfortunate early failure of components. And, if you break your CPU by overclocking, it will not be covered by warranty.

AMD Ryzen Overclocking: What You Need

Though even a low-end AMD Ryzen CPU with the stock fan can be overclocked, you’ll have more success with a higher-end processor, motherboard and thermal solution. Like all processors, Ryzen CPUs are designed to throttle performance when they reach a certain temperature so, if you want them to run fast, you have to keep them cool.

Before we start, let’s make sure to match our expectations to the components we plan to use. Overclocking stresses the electrical performance of the processor, memory, and motherboard, and produces excessive amounts of heat in the process. As such, make sure to pick a processor that will provide enough overclocked performance, a motherboard that has the capability to overclock as desired, and a thermal solution that can handle the increased thermal load better than the stock cooler.

If you’re shopping for an AMD Ryzen CPU and want one with the most overclocking potential, consider buying at least a mid-tiered processor (3600, 3700X), a motherboard (B450, X470, X570) with sufficient VRM cooling potential, and either an oversized air cooler or 240mm AIO liquid cooler. And don’t forget to budget for a solid power supply from a reliable vendor. Quality manufacturers provide a steady supply of current to the board and devices, which is critical. Also, make sure to account for the increased CPU wattage that will come from increased power; we’ve seen 105W Ryzen processors start to pull upwards of ~220W in extreme situations.

AMD Ryzen Overclocking Methods

There are two main methods for overclocking your AMD Ryzen CPU: Precision traditional, “all core” overclocking and Precision Boost Overdrive (PBO). The former is more of a manual process that provides potentially more reward while the latter is more fool-proof.

With a traditional all-core overclock, the tweaker's objective is to elevate the processor’s operating frequency and underlying features to a fixed setting that enables higher operating frequencies at the cost of bypassing the hardware’s normal voltage and temperature controls. The benefit for this approach is ‘What You See is What You Get,’ and deviations from expected results are typically due to the thermal, voltage, or current limitations of the processor or motherboard. In some cases, these types of overclocks lead to higher overall all-core performance over more extended periods, but come at the cost of bypassing power-saving features inherent to Ryzen processors.

Precision Boost Overdrive (PBO), in contrast, automatically increases the voltage, power, and temperature limits defined by the chip and motherboard firmware. So instead of limiting a processor to 110 amps of current draw, for example, our motherboard now enables the regulators to provide 250 amps of current while maintaining other operating conditions. This method is a very simple and easy way for users to unlock untapped potential in their components while still leveraging many of the power efficiency technologies provided by the AGESA (BIOS) and OS software stacks. The downside is that PBO is just that: Potential. If, at any time, the system violates any of the three specifications, the firmware dials back the settings, which in some cases brings the system back to stock performance! Of course, users (and manufacturers) can modify these settings to extreme levels, and without proper knowledge and implementation, this can significantly impact the overall result.
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