What is "overclocking"

vb. (present participle of overclock English)

Overclocking is the configuration of a computer hardware component to operate at a faster rate that was certified by the original manufacturer, generally specified as a given clock frequency in Megahertz (MHz) or Gigahertz (GHz). Commonly the operating voltage of the overclocked device is also increased, which can help with maintaining the component's operational stability at the accelerated speeds. A given semiconductor device, however, will generate more heat when operated at higher frequencies and voltages, so most overclocking attempts will increase power consumption and heat as well. The overclocked device may be unreliable or fail completely if the additional heat load is not removed, or if the supporting power delivery components cannot handle the increased power demands.