Been itching to overclock your Mac Pro? No problem.

Well what do you know, ZDNet's German bureau has apparently released a functioning overclocking tool (ZDNet Clock) for Mac Pros and Xserves. Vater Steve doesn't look kindly upon such things, but with a little luck (and a lot of cooling) you might be able to eke out a few hundred extra MHz from your aluminum clad box without tipping off any Geniuses the next time you bring it in for repair. Unfortunately, for the time being it only appears to work on newer Pros and Xserves -- not laptops or iMacs -- running the latest release of Leopard.

[Via Computerworld]

[Darth Abe @ Jun 29th 2008 2:12PM]

Huh. I wasn't aware it was so difficult to overclock macs.

[OCTyme @ Jun 29th 2008 2:55PM]

I overclocked my Quad Core Mac Pro over a year ago... Just get yourself some ES CPUs like the e5340 or e5350 for sale on ebay right now and do the BSEL Overclock found on http://www.o0o.it For $600 you can upgrade your system to an 8 core 3.0GHz.... then sell your old chips on ebay for $500.... Stock heatsinks work just fine!

[Interpol @ Jun 29th 2008 7:43PM]

Next up for the Mac: watercooling rigs and Tuniq Tower CPU heatsinks.

[I LOVE THE CAPS LOCK KEY @ Jun 30th 2008 3:12AM]

Many years ago (4-5), it was a well kept secret on older MACs; there was couple of unlabeled jumpers that you could change the FSB and the CPU Multiplier.

[Eli @ Jun 29th 2008 2:14PM]

There's an available application for overclocking MacBooks, too.

I remember the one time I tried it, I set the new bus speed, and hit 'apply.' Exactly at that moment, my MacBook shut off and wouldn't turn back on. I panicked for a bit, until I realized that the battery had chosen to die exactly then :D

[d @ Jun 29th 2008 3:05PM]

yeah, i've never overclocked, but the same thing happened to me after installing leopard
that was funny

[Ms. Geek @ Jun 29th 2008 4:53PM]

Bad idea to overclock a MacBook. They get too damn hot as it is, and the fan starts at the slightest provocation.

[YpoCaramel @ Jun 29th 2008 2:15PM]

Macbook Pros are pretty hot as it is. Laptops in general won't have too much room for overclocking...

[w00t @ Jun 29th 2008 2:16PM]

About bloody time! I've been waiting for this forever! :)

I already have my graphics over clocked by hacking the ROM (and converted from a PC only card, as if I was going to pay for a 'Mac Version')

The cooling in the Mac Pro is rather good, Will hopefully get 3.4Ghz or so out of this :)

[w00t @ Jun 29th 2008 2:28PM]

Well... it seems to have over clocked the machine, but I can't even play back an MP3, it just skips about every second or so :(

[Aguiluz @ Jun 29th 2008 3:08PM]

It *could* be unstable. Turn that O/C down and see if it goes back to normal.

[Hotrod @ Jun 29th 2008 3:24PM]

Actually what happens is the Macs internal clock speeds up with the overclock, so if you look at the date and time, you'll notice that is moving a little faster. What you need to do is reboot your computer (not shutdown) and it should work. I don't have a Mac Pro, I'm just going by what others are saying. If you want more info, check out this page - Read post #59

http://forums.macrumors.com/showthread.php?t=507454&page=3

[michas_pi @ Jun 29th 2008 4:04PM]

@Hotrod:

So this utility turns Mac Pro's into a time machine? Sounds like a bonus feature to me.

[w00t @ Jun 29th 2008 4:26PM]

Tracked down the audio problem... It's because I was using a USB sound card, presumably the buffer of audio is being sent to it at the wrong rate thanks to the increase in system bus speeds and clock timing.

Internal audio works fine, and I've now had it at 3.5Ghz for an hour or so under load which is none too shabby! :)

On another note why is there so many commenting about Macbooks/MBPs?!? The title clearly states Mac Pro, you laptop users need not apply!

[mkeough23 @ Jun 29th 2008 2:17PM]

that would be cool...........................if i had a macbook

[Ace b @ Jun 29th 2008 3:37PM]

No it would be hot.

That's what happens when you over-clock

[neofolklore @ Jun 30th 2008 8:30AM]

your limericks amuse me

[LC @ Jun 29th 2008 2:23PM]

Actually it is a problem, unless you can find after market heatsinks, and a way to raise the Vcore.

[Aguiluz @ Jun 29th 2008 2:28PM]

I used to have this:

http://www.supplierlist.com/photo_images/30540/Industrial_Fan.jpg

I turn the head of the fan to vertical position, then prop the laptop on it.

Cooled it to 20-30 degrees centigrade.

[ryan @ Jun 29th 2008 2:25PM]

I dont recommend trying this in its current state. If you over clock it past 3.10Ghz it causes you computer to crash. They said this problem is being addressed but for the time being a 100 Mhz overlock(My mac pro is a quad 3.0Ghz) isnt really worth the risk

[ryan @ Jun 29th 2008 2:25PM]

I dont recommend trying this in its current state. If you over clock it past 3.10Ghz it causes you computer to crash. They said this problem is being addressed but for the time being a 100 Mhz overlock(My mac pro is a quad 3.0Ghz) isnt really worth the risk

[w00t @ Jun 29th 2008 2:31PM]

I got to 3.35Ghz (3Ghz first gen MP) before I backed down... no crashes but as mentioned I can't play back audio without serious sync problems.

[oluv @ Jun 30th 2008 3:01AM]

anyone knows how to overclock a mac pro under windows to the same amount as zdnet did? Are there any recommendable tools around?

[w00t @ Jun 30th 2008 7:19AM]

Yes, if you have the Woodcrest or Clovertown models (First Generation) you can use SysTool:

http://forum.hardmac.com/index.php?showtopic=1639&mode=threaded&pid=8998

Apparently you can also use ZDnet Clock and soft reboot into any OS and the clock speed remains. You lose is after powering off.

Also OSX wouldn't boot for me when I used SysTool to overclock without a power cycle, complaining the memory was running too fast :)

[Ricardo Torres @ Jun 29th 2008 2:34PM]

Sweet. Not only will you be able to cut a cake with the AIR, you can bake with the PRO.

...seriously folks, I see the potential for TONS of overheating.

[jill @ Jun 29th 2008 2:47PM]

THE Ricardo Torres from gamespot.com?

[toxicpiano @ Jun 29th 2008 4:54PM]

Welcome to the world of overclocking, may I take your coat?

[itsnotabigtruck @ Jun 29th 2008 2:36PM]

"Marketing Bus Clock"

[itsnotabigtruck @ Jun 29th 2008 2:36PM]

Hmm, I meant to say

"Marketing Bus Clock" - haha, so true

But Engadget chops off anything with an angle bracket in it instead of properly escaping comments.

[papafew @ Jun 29th 2008 2:47PM]

I don't think that overclocking will help. Too risky to lose all my work or burn the motherboard for a small amount of speed. My Mac Pro is maybe only a 2 x 2.66 GHz one but with 6 Go of RAM it runs perfectly OK for me...

[Luigi193 @ Jun 29th 2008 3:03PM]

Thats alota go

[Carlos Browne @ Jun 30th 2008 12:09AM]

In Spanish (no so common), French and other languages, GB is called Go (Spanish: Gigaoctetos). Maybe that's why he wrote Go xD

[Jamar @ Jun 30th 2008 6:15AM]

Giga-octets? Hmmm, makes sense...sort of.

[Spyvie @ Jun 29th 2008 2:50PM]

I dont know much about Macs, but in the PC world software overclocking is generally a bad idea.

[Spyvie @ Jun 29th 2008 3:05PM]

Replying to my own post...

This doesn't look like it gives you a chance to play with memory timing or processor and chipset voltage, these ajustments are essential to a stable overclock.

Can you use aftermarket cooling on a Mac?

[Abhinav @ Jun 29th 2008 2:50PM]

Haha PC's have had this since ever....
I never knew it was so hard to overclock a mac...
Well I'm sticking to my overclocked PC

[kojo87 @ Jun 29th 2008 3:36PM]

yeah me too. im sticking with my AMD Athlon 64x2 6400+ @ 3.5GHZ. not a lot of OCing but its fast enough.

i dont get why you'd want to overclock a Macbook or any lappy. do you want to burn a hole in your pants?

[Striker @ Jun 29th 2008 4:14PM]

Your...
Haiku...
Sucks and...
Prominently displays...
Your rabid...
Fanboyism...

[ryan.sahb @ Jun 30th 2008 3:54AM]

WRONG! :D

[Kevin @ Jun 29th 2008 2:58PM]

this app sucks.. i have the newest mac pro and when you hit apply the computer just locks up until you power reset...

[Ignatius @ Jun 29th 2008 3:43PM]

Macs just work!

[Kevin @ Jun 29th 2008 6:35PM]

yes Macs do just work.. an app designed to over clock the computer is NOT working... idiot.. maybe next time you decide to post something funny you should think about what you are typing..

[thethirdmoose @ Jun 29th 2008 3:03PM]

There's also an application that will overclock the video cards on any mac... I overclocked my iBook G4's ATI Radeon 9200 Mobillty :)

[w00t @ Jun 29th 2008 3:21PM]

Ooh I bet you got at least 1fps instead of the normal 0.6 :D

[Meridimus @ Jun 29th 2008 3:06PM]

Guys, I do a lot of work on macs (or did until I quit my job :p) I used an macbook and an imac (recent version). It's not a good idea to overclock these things, they're pretty dang hot most of the time if you have photoshop open.

Also, my experience with overclocking has always reminded me to spend more and sit back knowing I have a warranty rather than raping every last mhz out of a cpu. I learnt the hard way when I was a student.

Don't do it! Buy some bigger cpus and bigger heatsinks, forget software overclocks. ZDnet is being insane

[Kelly @ Jun 29th 2008 3:12PM]

now i can cook some pizza on my macbook pro!
yeah!

[Darkest Daze @ Jun 29th 2008 4:47PM]

Now that they have OC'ing tools, do they also have programs to test for stability? Do they make Prime 95/Orthos or Memtest for Mac?

[V Langs @ Jun 29th 2008 5:31PM]

first off, a macbook overclocked would probably be the worst idea ever.
a mbpro is even worse, heated metal = really hot.

and the mac pro doesn't need to be overclocked... if you're really into squeezing a little extra performance out of a cpu u shouldn't be software OC'ing.

i use macs on a daily basis, but i've yet to figure out is there a wy to enter bios? i mean there has to be... it's just not apparent when i turn the damn thing on.

if you could install a new bios that allows a HARDWARE overclock, then i could see this being a good idea.

and aquiluz, that's a pretty sick... until your lappy falls off the non flat surface, or you try to type ;-)
but if you could keep ur mac pro open.... and have that thing blowing right into it... sure it'd be loud... but think of how cool it would be inside, so long as it doesn't interfere with any of the fans/heatsinks.....

[Kizorblade @ Jun 29th 2008 6:02PM]

Macs don't have a BIOS, they use EFI

[scooterbaga @ Jun 29th 2008 5:36PM]

Anyone know of something similar for a PPC?