In the past we have found that overclocking the CPU (Central Processing Unit) can be highly beneficial, offering huge performance gains. That said, overclocking is most effective when the right combination of hardware is selected, as certain processor/motherboard combos will work far better together than others. The same is true when tackling graphics card overclocking, as there are some graphics cards that overclock very poorly and others that overclock like champions.

The GeForce 9600 GT for example, has proven to be a particularly good overclocker, as we have previously been able to push 9600 GT cards 20% above specification. This has resulted in much needed performance gains for games such as Crysis, where even a few extra frames per second can make a real difference. The GeForce 9600 GT is exceptional value at $170 US as it offers gamers impressive performance in the latest gaming titles.

However, you can make your 9600 GT graphics card even more impressive by carrying out a little overclocking of your own! Overclocking a graphics card is really very easy and because there are no voltage changes to be made when using software to overclock a GeForce 9600 GT, it is also very safe. There are a number of really good overclocking applications out there, and the most popular versions will be featured in this article.

Depending on which GeForce 9600 GT graphics card you have purchased can make a difference when it comes time to overclock. The standard Nvidia reference cooler for the 9600 GT is a single slot solution and does allow the graphics card to reach temperatures of around 70 degrees when under load. While this is nothing to be alarmed about, as the GeForce 8800 GT hits 90 degrees plus, GeForce 9600 GT graphics cards with improved cooling solutions may produce better overclocking results.