OverClock your N64?

So they say you can overclock your Nintendo 64... The process involves lifting two pins on the CPU and attaching them to different points on the board. If you've ever overclocked a PC, this is has the same result as changing the clock multiplier. Where the N64 clock runs at a clock frequency of 62.5MHz, and the multiplier is normally 1.5 you get 93.75MHz - the operating speed of an N64. In theory, you should be able to use the info presented here to adjust the multiplier to either 2.0 or 3.0 - speeding up your system from 30 to 100 percent.

In practice however, nothing happens at 2.0 - at least, nothing that we could see. And at 3.0x the machine refused to boot - every game just locked at a brown screen soon after powerup. You may get better results - it's possible the systems vary a little, with some allowing the higher clock speed. It's also possible this entire operation is a silly prank - but no matter, we can safely say that it doesn't fry your N64 - nor does it cause any unusual operation. Doesn't get hot, doesn't cause bugs. Give it a shot, if you're bored. Chances are you're not using your N64 much anyway. =)

The file was sent to me by JaYsOn but I'm not sure the original author. I've rewritten it to correct some errors in the original document.

[N64 Board Overview] This is an overview of the N64 board. The highlighted chip is the main CPU - the one we're dealing with here. The bottom edge is labelled, from 91 to 120. Every fifth pin is labelled with a white dot.

This pic shows a capacitor which is +3.3 volts on one side, and Ground on the other. I found these to be the most convenient points to attach the wires to, but your mileage may vary. You can use a voltmeter to find your own happy place to attach wires if you like - just be sure to keep to 3.3v! [Closeup of Capacitor C81]

[closeup of chip with wires attached] This is the chip with the wires attached. The legs are a bit tricky to lift off the board. The real trick is to be gentle with them. They can break if you bend or stress them too much. Simply heat the base of the leg with a soldering iron, and gently lift it up by wedging an exacto knife or a very small jewellers screwdriver under it. Leave the legs in a horizontal position. Heat the legs and dab a bit of solder on them. Now attach the wires.

This table shows where each leg should be attached for each multiplier you wish to use.

The original document was flawed, and listed the standard multiplier (1.5x) backwards. I have assumed that the 1.5 and 2.0 multipliers were simply reversed. Having the machine lock when trying 3.0x seems to confirm this.
CPU Pin # 1.0x 1.5x 2.0x 3.0x
Pin 112GND+3.3vGND+3.3v
Pin 116GNDGND+3.3v+3.3v



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