Overclocking your Apple

Overclocking is generally considered to be the forte of normal computer enthusiasts. FSB, multiplier, PCI divider – ask most Apple users what these terms mean and you'll likely receive a blank stare in response. However, there exists a small

Overclocking is generally considered to be the forte of normal computer enthusiasts. FSB, multiplier, PCI divider – ask most Apple users what these terms mean and you'll likely receive a blank stare in response. However, there exists a small subset of loyal Mac uses that know exactly what these terms mean – Apple Overclockers.

The process of overclocking a Mac is much more involved than PC overclocking. There's no simple 'change multiplier settings in BIOS, save and reboot' for Mac users. In fact, most Mac overclocks involve some form of soldering on the motherboard. How many PC overclockers do you know who would take a solder to their beloved ABIT, ASUS or MSI board?

If you're an Apple owner keen on trying your hand at a bit of Mac overclocking, this article gives a step-by-step guide on overclocking the dual 1GHz G4 PowerMac. The author managed to reach a stable 1200MHz, but plans to try for 1330MHz. Unfortunately there are no heat comparisons between the normal and overclocked chips, so you will have to judge for yourself how far you can take any potential Mac overclock before frying the CPU.