overclock

American  

[oh-ver-klok] / ˌoʊ vərˈklɒk /

verb (used with object)

1. Computers. to modify (a hardware component, as a processor, graphics card, or memory) so as to increase the speed of that component beyond the specifications of the manufacturer.

   You can overclock your video card to improve its performance.

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Other Word Forms

• overclocked adjective

Etymology

Origin of overclock

1985–90; over- + clock ¹ (in the sense “a circuit that governs the speed of other circuits”)

Example Sentences

Alienware is releasing a pair of new gaming monitors, including a 25-incher with a 360Hz variable refresh rate and a 27-inch Quad HD option that can overclock to 280Hz.

From The Verge • Aug. 16, 2022

Pushing the GPU to max overclock got me anywhere between 10-15 fps boost in the games that I tested.

From The Verge • Aug. 28, 2018

Here’s another surprise feature you wouldn’t expect on a budget gaming laptop: the ability to overclock the GTX 1060 to boost its performance.

From The Verge • Aug. 28, 2018

Node:overclock, Next:overflow bit, Previous:out-of-band, Up:= O = overclock /oh'vr-klok'/ vt.

From The Jargon File, Version 4.2.2, 20 Aug 2000 by Steele, Guy L.