Intel has overclocking software that could really avoid boosting a CPU’s performance and make the process more accessible to less tech-savvy types – but you can’t get that app just yet.
Why not? Well, like Tom’s Hardware (opens in a new tab) reports, the ROC (which stands for Real-time OverClocking) app was featured in a YouTube (opens in a new tab) video from expert overclocker Der8auer, who got to play with the software during a visit to an Intel lab in Portland, Oregon. And for now, this app remains something only used by Intel staff to internally test and play around with processors – but hopefully that might change down the line.
Der8auer used ROC in conjunction with an Intel Core i9-13900HK processor, which is a (flagship) laptop chip – but the app can be used with any processor, of course, desktop or mobile – and the results were extremely impressive.
The 13900HK could be driven at 5.8 GHz and remained stable, on air cooling, with temperatures not exceeding 75°C, and that was only when 6 GHz was reached (Der8auer ran in 200 MHz increments) that the laptop crashed.
Remember, this is a laptop processor, not a desktop model, so these are eye-opening speeds (achieved without exotic cooling).
Analysis: Intel could – and should – ROC the overclocking world
This again underlines what Intel’s 13th generation silicon (Raptor Lake) is capable of in terms of overclocking (as well as performance), making a huge leap forward over the previous generation (Alder Lake).
The problem is that overclocking isn’t for everyone, but it certainly seems like ROC is taking some sane steps to make the process more widely available to desktop and laptop owners.
As Der8auer explains, ROC is like a slimmed down version of Intel’s current XTU (Extreme Tuning Utility) application, with a much more intuitive interface and much easier to use than XTU.
It sounds like something that really should be out there for anyone with an Intel processor to use, but so far the company hasn’t indicated any plans to release the app. That doesn’t mean it won’t happen, of course; and even if ROC itself is not released for public consumption, maybe the interface or some features will make their way to XTU. Or we’ll see an entirely different app with some of the features of ROC.
Either way, it’s a promising glimpse that the future of overclocking might just be a much less daunting place (keep your fingers crossed).
