ROG Absolute Zero Extreme OC: Overclocker Interviews

Emerging from the haze of liquid coolant evaporating on super-heated components, Absolute Zero participants took a few moments each to answer my rather pedestrian questions. Compared to their hardware-bending ways, these were lowly queries, but they still indulged me, so let's get to know them better. Fredyama-san Favorite benchmark: SuperPi 32M What was your first PC? It was an IBM XT, must have been around 1985! How do you view the changes to PC technology since? The speed of change is incredible, PCs and components keep getting more compact, and we’ve made amazing progress. How did you get into overclocking? I bought a Compaq PC back in the late 90’s, and realized it was faster than other similar PCs. Some of its components were overclocked, and I was intrigued by why it was faster than the original and how this was achieved. Where do you think is the most active OC scene right now? It used to be the US, where there were more overclockers and a very extreme attitude. But I think now Asia is perhaps home to the most extreme overclockers. Is overclocking a very global activity? Yes, especially now. We started as an underground hobby, but now it’s very open and people everywhere are overclocking. Do hardware makers support overclocking? Now yes, but before they didn’t even allow it. These days most makers actually encourage overclocking and support it with product features and more allowance for tuning. Overclocking features are also getting easier, with one-press boosting and so on. So do you believe younger overclockers are less experienced? Not at all. Many still go deeper into the hobby. Overclocking has become easier to enter, but more flexible and more open, so exploring is also easier. Why do you personally overclock? It’s fun and rewarding, plus the thrill of seeing speeds rise. I really appreciate new technology, and enjoy comparing it to the old days. The rapid development really gives me a sense of perspective and pride, and is quite touching to me on a personal level. What advice do you have for new overclockers? We always support new generations of OCers, so I want them to feel free to ask questions, learn new methods and ways of overclocking, gain from the experience of veteran overclockers. But at the same time, I encourage them to try things themselves and experiment. Overclocking is all about trying things yourself. What is your proudest overclocking moment? Probably the new SuperPi 32M record. More the process of getting it, planning the components. This is a CPU-heavy benchmark and now the challenge is greater because CPUs are so powerful and everyone can get them. In the past CPUs were weaker and more standardized, now there are so many variants, so the challenge is picking the right component. Why do you choose ROG? Definitely the best motherboards, and a very pro-overclocking design team that understands the needs of overclockers. Personally I only use ASUS and ROG motherboards. What is your favorite ROG feature? VGA Hotwire, also Extreme Engine Digi+ for 3D benching. The custom ROG UEFI BIOS is very good, because it allows extensive memory tweaking.   Hazzan Favorite benchmarks: 3DMark11, 3DMark Vantage So when did you get your first overclocking PC? That was back in 2003. Why do you overclock? First of all it’s my hobby, and I find it very challenging. New hardware presents new challenges, so there is a lot of learning as well. Do you have a good relationship with other overclockers? Yes, definitely. We share knowledge, learn new tricks from each other, and meet new friends online and in the real world. What part of PC hardware do you like the most? Motherboards and graphics cards are my favorites. Especially motherboards, since they are at the heart of CPU overclocking. Can you tell us what has been your biggest overclocking achievement so far? Twin world records in 2011! 3DMark11 single graphics card, and 3DMark06 single graphics card! I’m very proud of those world records. Why did you choose to come to the Power User Gathering? It’s a great honor to be alongside legendary overclockers like Fredyama-san, Andre Yang, and Shamino, and I hope to learn from their experience. Bart "Viss" Peters Favorite benchmarks: SuperPi 32M, 3DMark05 How long have you been overclocking? I started getting into it seriously around 2003, so almost ten years ago. How’d you get into the overclocking scene? I was basically looking to get better framerates in games back then, but things have changed since. In what way have they changed? Now my reason for overclocking is interest, not gaming performance. I also want to learn and gain new experiences, plus the competition is quite exciting. Is it friendly competition? Yes, we have a friendly rivalry going on among overclockers. The community is very strong, you can always ask questions and get more info, and there’s plenty of help available for beginners. Are there any downsides to overclocking? It’s not the cheapest hobby in the world, in fact it can get quite expensive. Also, since I have a full time job and a family it can be time consuming. Some people get help from sponsors, but most overclockers need to budget for it themselves. What’s the biggest joy of overclocking? It’s competitive, and seeing your benchmarks improve. The fact that even small tweaks to hardware or the OS can have a major impact. Plus the constant changes to hardware, learning new things, and growing as an enthusiast. Why ROG? I find that ROG hardware generally gets the best results. It also has good stability, and the least problems. And it’s very efficient. I also like the fact that the ROG team has several world-famous overclockers.   Allen "Splave" Golibersuch Favorite benchmark: 3DMark11 How long have you been into PCs as an overclocker? I’d say about five years now. How did you get started? As a gamer on a budget who wanted to get better performance! What’s the biggest benefit of overclocking? Like others will tell you, it’s the competitive thrill and the joy of seeing those numbers go up. How do you see the future of the overclocking scene? Since current hardware is so powerful by default, the old motivation of getting more performance for gaming isn’t so important anymore. I believe overclocking will become even more centered on pure and pro benchmarking. What’s your favorite ROG product? Right now? Maximus V Formula and Maximus V Extreme motherboards. They are very stable and offer great CPU lastability and endurance. I have a lot of confidence in those boards.   Roberto "RSannino" Sannino Roberto hails from Milan, and engages in extensive overclocking in his spare time. During the day, he runs his own business, an IT consultancy enterprise that serves the needs of local customers. Roberto is known for his steadfast and nearly single-minded dedication to benchmarking excellence, yet does not engage in much conversation while he’s at it. In fact, my attempts to coax him into an interview were mostly rebuffed by very friendly but clear reminders that every second spent talking is a second not spent overclocking! As a fellow PC enthusiast, I accepted the logic and allowed the master to continue working his magic.   Many thanks to all the overclockers for taking the time to speak and answer questions, and much appreciation for their efforts as part of this great week-long event!