Everyone knows that the Intel Core series has the K processors made with overclocking in mind, and the non-K models are not designed for overclocking. What’s more, overclock is not a possibility that Intel allows on the non-K models. However, companies not allowing something is not an impediment for people to try and perhaps succeed on it. So, let’s check if it is somehow possible for you to overclock your non-K CPU.
Do you just want to grab a motherboard and overclock your CPU through its BIOS? A popular pick for overclocking locked Alder Lake models is the ASUS ROG Maximus Z690 Apex. To overclock older non-K CPUs, the ASUS Prime B460M-A has been pretty successful (especially on 10th gen i7).
Can You Overclock A Non K CPU
Officially, Intel has put a limiter on the non-K Core processors. This means you are not supposed to overclock these devices, as they are not built with this purpose in mind.
However, people have found ways to overclock their non-K CPUs. After all, the world is crowded with people that love to try and explore possibilities, and who doesn’t love a challenge when the manufacturer says you shouldn’t do such a thing?
Anyone trying to overclock a non-K CPU must be advised that the process might fail and you might end up damaging or losing your CPU. This is an obvious consequence of doing something not officially supported by the hardware you acquired.
How To Overclock Non-K CPU
Those looking to overclock non-K CPUs must choose a fitting motherboard. That’s what people have been doing: they pick a strong motherboard that can be tweaked to extract as much power as possible from the CPU.
When a locked 65W CPU is installed, certain Asus motherboards include a base clock OC option. In the Tweakers Paradise section of the Asus ROG Z690 Maximus Apex’s (or Hero) BIOS, the ‘Unlock BLCK OC’ option is present.
The user can then change the CPU’s clock speed by a little more than 130MHz in this scenario. With the 12400’s 40X CPU multiplier, this results in an OC of over 5.2GHz. The RAM and cache speeds will be affected by increasing the BCLK, therefore they will need to have multipliers adjusted to keep them running.
After that, it’s only a question of tweaking the CPU voltage and keeping an eye on the cooling, just like any other CPU OC. The method has been successfully demonstrated to work with non-K Alder Lake (12th gen) CPUs.
Some older MSI motherboards are also capable of overclocking non-K Skylake processors through their BIOS. Models known to handle this technique include:
- XPOWER GAMING TE
- GAMING M9
- GAMING M7
- GAMING M5
- G45 GAMING
Unfortunately, these mobos are all out of stock on major retailers, so if you want to experiment with them, you will have to buy them second-hand.
Overclocking Non-K Processor FAQ
Can You Overclock A Non-K Intel Chip?
You definitely can overclock certain non-K Intel chips. However, you should try to learn as much as possible about overclocking and how to tweak configurations on your motherboard’s BIOS before attempting to do such a thing.
Final Words About Overclocking Non-K CPU
Overclocking a non-K CPU is risky, but if you know the risks and can handle them, you can find some good mobos which can enhance the clock of a non-K processor.
A recommendation for overclocking locked Alder Lake models is the ASUS ROG Maximus Z690 Apex. Now, if you wonder how to overclock older non-K CPUs, the ASUS Prime B460M-A has seen some success.
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