GIGABYTE TECHNOLOGY Co. Ltd., a leading manufacturer of motherboards and graphics cards launched earlier this month their new 9 series motherboards based on the Intel Z97/H97 chipsets with support for 4th and 5th generation Intel Core processors. Out of this new series, GIGABYTE is now proud to present the Super Overclocking (SOC) models with the Z97X-SOC Force and Z97X-SOC motherboards.

"With the 9 series overclocking boards, we tried to innovate in ways that let the users intuitively get the maximum performance out of their hardware," commented Hicookie, Chief Overclocking Evangelist, GIGABYTE Motherboard Business Unit. "I can't wait for the overclocking community to start benching these boards and see what other records can be broken."

Even as Intel launched its first Core "Haswell" Refresh socket LGA1150 chips, it left out two enthusiast-grade parts from the mix, the Core i7-4790K and the Core i5-4690K. Don't be misled into thinking that they're just multiplier-unlocked variants of the i7-4790 and i5-4690 launched today. There's a reason the two have be designated a separate internal codename altogether. Called "Devil's Canyon," the chips are made from high-performing dies binned out from the foundry, and placed on extra-durable packages with contact points that are designed for higher voltages, and a superior thermal interface material between the die and the integrated heatspreader (IHS).

Better packaging (mind the pun) isn't the only thing that sets the i7-4790K and the i5-4690K apart form their non-K counterparts, they're are also clocked higher. The i7-4790K ships with an out of the box clock speed of 4.00 GHz (the first Intel processor to do so), with a Turbo Boost frequency of 4.40 GHz. The Core i5-4670K, on the other hand, ships with a clock speed of 3.50 GHz, with Turbo Boost frequency of 3.90 GHz. The TDP of both chips is rated at 88 Watts, a wee bit higher than the 84 Watts the non-K chips are rated at. Expreview believes that the two could usher in a new era in CPU overclocking without breaking the bank over HEDT chips, and could be capable of running at clock speeds of 5.00 GHz, on air-cooling. Intel is expected to launch the two chips to crowds at Computex 2014, followed by a market release in mid-June.

GIGABYTE TECHNOLOGY Co. Ltd., a leading manufacturer of motherboards and graphics cards announces its attendance at CES 2014, teaming up with Intel, G.SKILL and Enermax to host the 2014 CES Extreme Overclock event, also demonstrating a range of the latest enthusiast motherboards and systems.

Join GIGABYTE during CES 2104 at the Caesar's Palace Conference Center, Las Vegas from January 6th, 2014 where a GIGABYTE Overclocking team led by renowned Overclockers Hicookie and Dinos22 will be joined by other world class talent from around the globe, demonstrating all the skills and experience need to break world records on a GIGABYTE Z87X-OC motherboard.

"We are really excited about hosting some of the world's top Overclockers in Las Vegas," commented Hicookie, Chief Overclocking Evangelist, GIGABYTE Motherboard Business Unit. "It promises to be a fantastic OC showcase event, one that underlines our commitment to extreme overclocking and the development of world-class overclocking motherboards like the Z87X-OC."

On October 19th, the 2013 Master Overclocking Arena (MOA) Grand Finals came to a history changing conclusion. In the end, overclockers broke three world records within just 8 hours.

Ukrainian overclocker T0lsty emerged triumphant as champion in the classic battle and won the cash prize of $3,000 US. Overclocker Rbuass from Brazil, Vivi from South Africa and oc_windforce from Korea defeated all opposition to become the world record masters and won the freestyle battle with a cash prize of $6,000 US. The 2013 MOA saw many world records broken by these master overclockers. One of MOA partners Corsair also exclusively sponsored $1,000 US cash prize is for each specified benchmark that is rewarded to the Rbuass and Vivi who achieved the memory world records.

Kingston Technology Company Inc., the independent world leader in memory products, will soon begin two global competitions to further show its support and commitment to the eSports and the enthusiast community. The HyperX DotA 2 League features 16 of the world's top professional DotA 2 gaming teams battling for a large cash prize. On October 7, HyperX will begin an open global overclocking competition. The finals for both competitions will be held during 2014 International CES in Las Vegas, Nevada.

The HyperX DotA 2 League tournament begins later this month with 16 teams competing for a total of $50,000 (USD) in prize money. An additional $40,000 will be offered to cover flight and hotel for the top four teams that advance to battle each other in Las Vegas for the championship. Each match is a best-of-three maps and all matches will be broadcast live so fans can follow the progress of their favorite team. The format and complete competition details can be found here.

G.SKILL TridentX tops the charts at HWBOT as the most popular memory model used by overclockers to submit benchmark results on the Haswell platform this year. Maintaining a healthy 20-22% usage rate by both number of results and number of users, G.SKILL TridentX dominates the charts with a nearly 10% lead over the trailing competition. Not only is TridentX the most popular memory choice for overclocking on the Haswell platform, other G.SKILL memory kit models also populate the chart, for a total of five spots in the top ten most popular memory by overclocking result.

Overall, G.SKILL has maintained its lead as the most preferred overclocking DDR3 memory brand in the overclocking community at HWBot since 2011. For more detailed information, please refer to this page.

The 15.6-inch P35K Ultrablade gaming laptop with the latest 4th Gen Intel Core i7 Processor is designed for true mobility. Just 21mm thin and weighing ~2.16 kg, housing a powerful GTX 765M (3DMark advantage score exceeding P17,800 with GIGABYTE Ultra Boost technology) gaming graphics this machine is geared for gamers and 3D designers alike. Having unlimited storage capacity with a quad-storage system that supports up to 3TB of space to store all your files and stuff the P35Kdelivers a super fast performance. Enjoy DVDs on your Ultrablade P35K with the Hot-swap ODD/HDD Slot on a 1080p FHD IPS display with wide color gamut providing the perfect wide-viewing pleasure. The P35K from GIGABYTE is its most stunning gaming laptop ever.

The unique Supra-Cool technology for premium cooling ensures the P35K stays cool to the touch and stable. The P35K features an automatic light sensing backlit keyboard that helps typing and gaming in dimly lit rooms and dark conditions easier. Designed with an ultrasmooth sandblasted aluminum matte finish, the P35 feels extremely smooth that exudes elegance and sophistication delivering a professional laptop but geared for gaming.

Thunderbird is the ruler of sky in American Indian legends that the spreading of his wings summoning hurricane and thunder, changing the color of the sky! The heroic posture of thunderbird inspired Apacer Technology to the design of memory modules, developing the spectacular overclocking artifact in such a mythological creature class - Thunderbird overclocking memory module!

With a clock rate up to DDR3-2933, 8-layer PCB in supreme quality, special aluminum thunderbird wing-shaped heat spreading module, and the blue/ orange/red/ black color to go with other colors of the overclocking motherboard of major brand on the market, the Thunderbird overclocking memory will definitely build a dazzling personal overclocking platform.

Palit today announced the GeForce GTX 770 OC graphics card. The Palit GeForce GTX 770 OC provides up to 7% performance enhancement at DX11(Unigine Heaven v2.5 1920x1200 nonAA/4AF). Adopted with DrMOS and copper-based chokes, which can ensure the extreme overclocking performance and stability. With triple
Fan thermal design, Palit GeForce GTX 770 series offer gamers additional outstanding options to experience groundbreaking gaming performance.

ASUS has disclosed the details of the ASUS Open Overclocking Cup 2013 final which will be organized with support from Corsair. The AOOC 2013 final will be held in Moscow on October 5, 2013, as part of the Igromir 2013 expo to be hosted by the Crocus Expo Center from October 3 to 6, 2013. The ASUS booth will be located in Pavilion 1, Hall 1 of the Crocus Expo Center.

The ASUS Open Overclocking Cup 2013 final will be attended by the 13 overclocking teams from Europe and the CIS selected in the qualification round and by the winners of AOOC 2012. These are the best of the European overclocking scene, repeatedly placing in the top of HWBot.org with record-breaking results, so we can be sure that they can deliver their best in ASUS Open Overclocking Cup 2013 using components from ASUS Republic of Gamers and Corsair.

It could soon become possible to overclock the controller and NAND flash of your SSD, if Intel has its way. The company is set to demonstrate how to overclock Intel-branded SSDs using its Xtreme Tuning Utility (XTU), at IDF 2013, which goes underway this September. The item on Intel's IDF itinerary marked "AIOS001" deals with seminars on overclocking Intel's next-generation HEDT (high-end desktop) platforms. X-bit Labs believes Intel could talk about SSD overclocking during that session.

Options to tweak SSDs were discovered when poking around the code of an unreleased XTU version. XTU is a unified software utility by Intel, which lets you tweak CPU, memory, and system cooling on systems running Intel Desktop Boards. Among the things end-users should be able to tweak, apart from the controller clock-speed, are the NAND flash bus-speed. Taking away interface overheads and other round-offs, 560 MB/s appears to be the practical maximum bandwidth SATA 6 Gb/s SSDs have been able to achieve. It could always be handy getting your SSD a few dozen more MB/s sequential speeds at the expense of stability.

ADATA Technology, a leading manufacturer of high-performance DRAM modules and NAND Flash application products, announced today the launch of the latest XPG V2 series overclocking memory, running at a stellar 3100 megahertz. This new product's dual channel is designed to bring ultimate performance to gamers using Intel Core fourth-generation processors and the latest Z87 platform.

The XPG 3100 V2 is the result of special cooperation with Asrock, and suitable for all motherboards that employ the enthusiast oriented Z87 chipset. Due to strict compatibility testing and QVL (Qualified Vendor List) certification, the modules can be directly overclocked using XMP (EXtreme Memory Profile) to the highest frequency of 3100Mhz. This unprecedented speed will gratify those who always seek an edge in boosting system performance.

Who ever said that only K series CPUs and the Z-family platform are capable of being overclocked? The avant-garde company ASRock has broken this limitation with an exciting new feature named Non-Z OC! Via this feature overclockers may install their K series CPUs to ASRock's Fatal1ty H87 Performance or any other H87 B85 chipset motherboards and start overclocking immediately!

The first ASRock motherboard that implements the Non-Z OC feature is Fatal1ty H87 Performance, which is also the H87 motherboard with the most number of power phases in the market currently. Along with its powerful 8 Power Phase design, the CPU frequency can be effortlessly overclocked up to 26%! Simply update to the latest version of our UEFI, then you'll find the Non-Z OC feature sitting in the OC Tweaker page, select a frequency from a couple of preset settings, restart, kick back to enjoy your drink and voila!

ASUS announced that the Intel Z87-based Republic of Gamers Maximus VI Extreme motherboard has achieved a decisive 91% success rate at a Computex Taipei 2013 overclocking summit sponsored by Intel and Corsair. Additionally, the board tallied eight world performance records at a separate gathering that took place at ASUS headquarters, all mere days after its official launch.

Ten out of eleven wins at the Intel and Corsair Computex OC Main Event
Competing against top-tier overclocking motherboards from a variety of brands, Maximus VI Extreme took ten out of eleven top spots (or 91%) at the Intel and Corsair Computex OC Main Event. Full details found here.

Silicon Power, the world's leading provider of memory storage solutions today unveils the new generation of Xpower DDR3 Overclocking series memory module. Built in a special-made metallic heat sink, the new Xpower DDR3 is able to provide a better cooling solution and increase the heat dissipation area, maintaining a powerful speed and stability to meet the needs of overclocking enthusiasts and hardcore gamers.

Silicon Power new Xpower DDR3 Overclocking series are available in various duel channel kits in DDR3-1600, 1866, 2133, and 2400 MHz variants, reaching the high capacity from 8 GB (4 GBx2) to 16 GB (8 GBx2). Compatible with Intel Core Gen 3 and the latest Z77 platform, Xpower Overclocking series can maximize the transfer speed, unleashing the extreme system performance to the next level.

ZOTAC International, a global innovator and leading manufacturer of graphics cards, mainboards and mini-PCs, today releases a new version of ZOTAC FireStorm, a user-friendly overclocking utility with advanced features that enable enthusiasts to finely tweak and tune their ZOTAC GeForce series graphics card to extract every ounce of performance available.

"We wanted to create an overclocking utility that novices and enthusiasts can use to tweak and tune their ZOTAC GeForce series graphics cards. ZOTAC FireStorm is the result and enables users to adjust the GPU and memory clock speeds, voltage and fan speeds," says Carsten Berger, senior director, ZOTAC International. "Enthusiasts with the latest ZOTAC GeForce GTX TITAN graphics card can take advantage of display overclocking too."DOWNLOAD: ZOTAC FireStorm v2.0.0

While digging through documentation for the latest version of AMD Display Library (ADL), we discovered evidence that AMD is working on a real GPU dynamic overclocking technology akin to NVIDIA's GPU Boost. Such a technology could manipulate GPU (and possibly memory) clock speeds, and voltages across multiple power states, taking into account processing load and temperatures. ADL allows third-party applications low-level interactions with AMD display drivers. Current generation Radeon graphics cards use Overdrive 5 and the feature-set it comes with, and so the new technology, along with Overdrive 6 could feature on upcoming generations of AMD GPUs.

Listed under Overdrive 6 capabilities, AMD documented three new definitions, one which indicates that a GPU's core/engine clock can be changed within a range (ADL_OD6_CAPABILITY_SCLK_CUSTOMIZATION), one that its memory clock can be changed within range (ADL_OD6_CAPABILITY_MCLK_CUSTOMIZATION), and one that monitors its activity/load (ADL_OD6_CAPABILITY_GPU_ACTIVITY_MONITOR). The three are ingredients of a dynamic OC technology in the works.

With Intel's 2011-launched Core "Sandy Bridge" processors, Intel CPU overclocking as we know it changed. No longer could you overclock the CPU by stepping up BClk (base clock), a frequency that processors use to time various components, including the effective clock speed, and in some cases, memory, and uncore. Sandy Bridge left consumers with only one effective way of overclocking, stepping up an unlocked BClk multiplier, a feature only available with a handful expensive models.

According to a Hardcoreware report, when Intel took up the "one BClk to rule them all" approach with Sandy Bridge, it may have overlooked the possibility of the integrated GPU waking other components up from lower power states to use the L3 cache, affecting the chip's overall energy efficiency, which carried on to successive Core "Ivy Bridge" silicon. "Haswell" may present Intel with an opportunity to split core and uncore from sharing the same base clock, and as such it could be possible to crank up CPU clock speeds using BClk, without destabilizing the uncore. The author admits this is speculation on his part, but quite likely.

Gaming PC maker Origin PC added AMD FX "Vishera" processors as options to its entire fleet of gaming desktops. The company is presenting these options as: FX-6300 (3.50 GHz, six-core), FX-8320 (3.50 GHz, eight-core), FX-8350 (4.00 GHz, eight-core). The two eight-core models are further offered with "ORIGIN PC Professional Overclocking" (factory-overclocking).

• AMD FX 8350 Octa-Core 4.0GHz (4.2GHz Turbo), 8MB Cache
• AMD FX 8320 Octa-Core 3.5GHz (4.0GHz Turbo), 8MB Cache
• AMD FX 6300 Hex-Core 3.5GHz (4.1GHz Turbo), 8MB Cache
• Overclocked AMD FX 8320 Octa-Core 3.8-4.4GHz , 8MB Cache with ORIGIN PC Professional Overclocking
• Overclocked AMD FX 8350 Octa-Core 4.2-4.8GHz, 8MB Cache with ORIGIN PC Professional Overclocking

Apparently, AMD wasn't exaggerating with its 6.50 GHz over LN2 claim for its A10-5800K APU. Overclocker GASBK_TW achieved 7317.74 MHz clock-speed for the A10-5800K, with a base clock of 118.03 MHz, multiplier of 62x, and a staggering 1.956V core voltage. The APU was cooled by liquid nitrogen. Other key components include Biostar Hi-Fi A85X motherboard, 4 GB of G.Skill DDR3-1600 MHz memory, and discrete Radeon HD 7700 series GPU. The CPUID validation can be found here.

ASUS released a VGA BIOS update for its GeForce GTX 660 Ti DirectCU II series graphics cards that enhances performance and overclocking. To begin with, the new BIOS increases GPU Boost frequency, so the card provides higher performance at stock speeds. The BIOS also increases the power limit, resulting in greater overclocking headroom. ASUS released the BIOS all three of its GTX 660 Ti DirectCU II series, as BIOS image files and an executable that updates BIOS from within Windows. Find the new BIOS specific to your model in the download section of its corresponding product pages.DOWNLOAD: BIOS Update for ASUS GTX 660 Ti DirectCU II Series

MSI, the most popular overclocking brand is excited to introduce an all-new standard for overclocking stability. MSI's OC Certified standard is the new baseline for overclocking mainboards. the new MSI Z77 MPOWER, which is OC Certified, is submitted to a Military Class stress-test for overclocking. Where other motherboard manufacturers only test for a limited duration, MSI Z77 MPOWER is submitted to a 24 hour OC stress-test. Only mainboards surviving 24 hours of Prime95 while heavily overclocked. The conditions of the OC Certified test are rigorous high temperature, no airflow testing.

Point of View the leading European manufacturer of an exclusive range NVIDIA based 3D processor boards, advanced netbooks as well as fancy 7" and 10" Tegra tablet computers and additional enthusiast PC products, announces today that it is first to market with a 6-pin/8-pin GeForce GTX 680 3D processor board exceeding 1150 MHz.

The POV/TGT GeForce GTX 680 "BEAST/Backplate" features a significantly enhanced version of POV/TGT's award winning proprietary High-Performance/Wide-Bandwidth hardware design running at a base clock of 1162 MHz, and at an average boost clock of 1228 MHz. The POV/TGT GeForce GTX 680 "BEAST/Backplate" also benefits from an advanced power management for Auto-Overclocking up to around 1280 MHz. A very efficient combination of Triple Fan Cooling and a TGT cooling backplate guarantees utmost stability and cooling efficiency even beyond TGT's official specifications.

The fierce MSI MOA (Master Overclocking Arena) 2012 EMEA Qualifier competition has ended successfully on June 14; European overclocking experts from a total of 16 countries competed in the event and have broken world records for 3DMark11 and 3DMark03 eight consecutive times. The top five scores of the winners of EMEA Qualifier competition are Xtreme Addict (Poland), T0lsty (Ukraine), ryba (PurePC.pl) (Poland), Aristidis (Greece) and Smoke (Russian Federation); the winners will team up and advance to the MOA 2012 World Overclocking Finals, and head to Taiwan to compete in the world-class "Steel World" competition.

During this skirmish, the competitors' first choice MSI HD 7970 Lightning graphics card ranked number 1 for both 3DMark11 and 3DMark03; the Polish contestant Xtreme Addict's 3DMark11 P score: 16055 marks and the Ukraine contestant T0lsty's 3DMark03 score: 214000 marks won the competition's first place for each single graphics card event respectively,. Which just goes to show that the contestants are completely fired up to march towards the worldwide Grand Final! After the EMEA Qualifier, another shot at 3DMark11 P score of 16259 marks resulted in a new WR by Polish overclocker: ryba (PurePC.pl).

During the week of Computex 2012, five overclocking records have been achieved with G.SKILL high performance DDR3 memory by several renowned extreme overclockers.Read on for details of the five records.