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    Overclocking the CPU and GPU of a macbook pro!!!

    Discussion in 'Apple and Mac OS X' started by dmitrip, Jul 30, 2009.

  1. dmitrip

    dmitrip Notebook Guru

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    I am just wondering if it is possible to safely overclock the 2.8 ghz cpu on a macbook pro to run at speeds above 3.0? Intel's website lists that the 2.8 ghz cpu has a "turbo" mode. Has anybody tried this?

    Also is it possible to safely overclock the GPU? has anybody tried it?

    Not that I am planning to do this! but just out of curiosity.

    thank you very much.
     
    dmitrip, Jul 30, 2009
    #1
  2. doh123

    doh123 Without ME its just AWESO

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    I've overclocked GPUs in Windows on Macs fine.. but there's no software made (and I really don't feel like doing it myself) to overclock the CPU or GPU in OSX...
     
    doh123, Jul 30, 2009
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  3. tasty_chicken

    tasty_chicken Notebook Consultant

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    Actually i think its pretty easy to overclock both if you have the newer MBP with the Nvidia chipset. By using the Nvidia Control Panel you can up the multiplier (or i think it was the FBS, i don't recall) and GPU clocks very easily with the correct drivers. I've only up the GPU clocks to Nvidia specs, I didn't do the CPU. My temps stayed the same at load. (this was on Windows) Other people have gone further but i didn't risk it. It's a free way to squeeze out a few more FPS.
     
    tasty_chicken, Jul 30, 2009
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  4. MKang25

    MKang25 NBR Prisoner

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    I overclock and undervolt my GPU via the VBios, so the clocks and frequency stays the same for OS X and Windows, it gives me higher performance and lesser heat then the default settings.

    For the CPU I just undervolt in OS X via coolbook, and then Undervolt and Overclock in Windows.
     
    MKang25, Jul 30, 2009
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  5. Luke1708

    Luke1708 Notebook Virtuoso NBR Reviewer

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    I prefer using the default settings. sure it gets a little hot, but definitely not hot enough to damage the components. overclocking the gpu will certainly lead to failure sooner or later as the gpu is already hot at default settings.
     
    Luke1708, Jul 30, 2009
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  6. tasty_chicken

    tasty_chicken Notebook Consultant

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    How did you do this? This sounds like a much better option if it works in both OS.
     
    tasty_chicken, Jul 30, 2009
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  7. sgilmore62

    sgilmore62 uber doomer

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    sgilmore62, Jul 30, 2009
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  8. castillo4141

    castillo4141 Notebook Enthusiast

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    Is there any way to help with the heatcycles in the GPU? I mean some software that can bring down the GPU heat progressively after some hard gaming or something alike?
     
    castillo4141, Jul 30, 2009
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  9. MKang25

    MKang25 NBR Prisoner

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    Well it is a bit risky because if you do a bad flash you will have a black screen so you will have to boot up blind. I've owned a Sager before this and did alot of tweaking so I am comfortable with this. You would first have to download NBitor, and google the web for the stablest VBIOS for the 9600M GT in which you can overclock it the most. Then you apply the bios first, then go into NBITOR and mess around with the VID levels and gpu clocks and do multiple tests to see which one is the most stable. This method would apply the voltages and clock settings to both OS X and Windows i.e Hard Overclock. Whereas using the nvidia tools would be a soft overclock as you would need to open the program for it to take effect.
     
    MKang25, Jul 30, 2009
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  10. sgilmore62

    sgilmore62 uber doomer

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    The display drivers routinely downclock the gpu's in my windows 7 computer.
    Here is a couple of screenshots taken seconds apart. [​IMG]
    [​IMG]
    [​IMG]
     
    sgilmore62, Jul 30, 2009
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  11. weinter

    weinter /dev/null

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    It is called PowerMizer and it is built into all NVIDIA GPUS
    Automatic Downclock when the GPU load is not intensive to save power.
     
    weinter, Jul 31, 2009
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  12. Khris

    Khris Yes I am better than you!

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    The marginal increase in performance isn't worth the potential damage that it can do to your laptop IMO.
     
    Khris, Jul 31, 2009
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  13. weinter

    weinter /dev/null

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    Actually it is safe because there are 3 states in the latest PowerMizer
    1)2D State rendering in OS lowest frequency
    2)Transitional State
    3)3D State highest frequency

    When you overclock it takes effect only at state 3 so idling doesn't have any effect.
     
    weinter, Jul 31, 2009
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  14. TevashSzat

    TevashSzat Notebook Deity

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    If you feel particularly adventurous you could look into pin-modding for overclocking the CPU hardware wise. Its pretty risky and will most likely void your warranty so do it at your own risk.
     
    TevashSzat, Jul 31, 2009
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  15. tasty_chicken

    tasty_chicken Notebook Consultant

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    This isn't possible because the cpu cannot be removed on the MBP

    It's been a while since i've heard about pin-modding. Last time i heard people were doing it on Pentium M chips.
     
    tasty_chicken, Jul 31, 2009
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  16. MKang25

    MKang25 NBR Prisoner

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    Not when you undervolt while overclocking.
     
    MKang25, Jul 31, 2009
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  17. sgilmore62

    sgilmore62 uber doomer

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    sgilmore62, Jul 31, 2009
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  18. castillo4141

    castillo4141 Notebook Enthusiast

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    mm, so about the heatcycles, you're saying that the driver "behavior" have already control over the heatcycles?
     
    castillo4141, Aug 6, 2009
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  19. Khris

    Khris Yes I am better than you!

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    Justify it however you want to yourself, still doesn't change my opinion.
     
    Khris, Aug 6, 2009
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