Intel plans to roll out an update to stop you overclocking locked processors

It has been possible with Intel's latest Skylake processors to overclock even the locked family of chips. Motherboard manufacturers have made it so even those who opt for the more affordable (but locked) Intel processors can get more out of the component, but Intel is set to shut down this little unofficial party by releasing an update to block any form of overclocking on locked processors.

Should you wish to grab an Intel Skylake processor that actually supports overclocking, you'll need to fork out slightly more for the K series of chips (the i5-6600K for example). Chips that are being overclocked without Intel's blessing are in fact locked CPUs like the i5-6500 or i5-6600, enabling consumers to spend less without losing out on much power.

Since this lock down is part of an update that will likely be bundled by motherboard manufacturers as a BIOS update, it may be possible to ignore the release and carry on as usual. Then again, should you purchase a new board down the line, it may already be patched with no wiggle room for overclocking affected processors. Will you be among others affected by this move from Intel? Let us know in the comments.

Source: PC World

Rich Edmonds
Senior Editor, PC Build

Rich Edmonds was formerly a Senior Editor of PC hardware at Windows Central, covering everything related to PC components and NAS. He's been involved in technology for more than a decade and knows a thing or two about the magic inside a PC chassis. You can follow him on Twitter at @RichEdmonds.