Anybody familiar with the extreme overclocking scene knows, pushing a CPU or GPU to its limit is more than just a pastime, it's an obsession. Liquid nitrogen overclocking, or LN2 XOC as it is more commonly known, is at the pinnacle of that obsession. Here, hardware is pushed thousands of megahertz beyond what any manufacturer intended, world records are smashed, and enthusiasts devote hundreds of hours to achieving their best benchmark score.
This post covers everything you need to know about LN2 overclocking; what it is, how it works, how to get started. Additionally we cover the 3DMark benchmarks we use to validate our scores, and most importantly, why this is strictly a fun hobby pursuit and not something meant for daily use. I'll also walk you through our current XOC rig, which centers around the ROG Apex Encore Z790 motherboard, an Intel Core i9-14900KS, and a Gigabyte AORUS Master ICE 5090 shunt modded to 2400W.
Let's get into it.
Table of Contents
- What Is Liquid Nitrogen Cooling and Why Do People Use It?
- Why Liquid Nitrogen Overclocking Is For Fun Only, Not Everyday Use
- The Dangers of Liquid Nitrogen and Precautions to be Taken
- Getting Liquid Nitrogen; Where to Source It and What You Need
- Our Current Liquid Nitrogen XOC Rig
- Understanding 3DMark Benchmarks Tests
- Hardware Stress points on 3dMark Benchmarks
- How to Improve Your 3DMark Scores
- A Beginner's Roadmap to Getting Into Liquid Nitrogen Overclocking
- The XOC Community; Competition, Records, and Camaraderie
- Is Liquid Nitrogen Overclocking Right For You?
What Is Liquid Nitrogen Cooling and Why Do People Use It?
Liquid nitrogen or LN2 is nitrogen in its liquid state, maintained at an incredibly cold temperature of around -196°C (-321°F). It boils almost immediately when it comes into contact with anything warmer, which in overclocking is essentially your CPU or GPU.
When you pour liquid nitrogen into a specially designed pot that sits directly on your processor, it absorbs heat from the die and boils off as nitrogen gas. This creates an almost limitless cooling capacity, at least compared to conventional water or air cooling. With LN2, it's not uncommon to see processors running at temperatures of -50°C to -100°C during a benchmark run, these temperatures would be completely impossible to achieve any other way.
The reason overclockers chase benchmark scores with LN2 is simple: lower temperatures mean higher stable clock speeds. Most modern CPUs and GPUs are thermally limited, remove that heat, and suddenly you can feed more voltage through the chip and run it at clocks that would otherwise cause a shutdown. The result is benchmark scores that potentially shatter what's possible with conventional cooling methods.
Why Liquid Nitrogen Overclocking Is For Fun Only, Not Everyday Use
This is probably the most important section in this entire post, so please pay attention. Liquid nitrogen overclocking is purely a hobby pursuit. It is never practical, nor sustainable for daily use, and it is absolutely not something you'd ever want to run as your main gaming or productivity rig. Here are the reasons why:
First, LN2 needs to be constantly replenished. A typical benchmark session could go through several liters of liquid nitrogen within just a few hours. You can't walk away from the rig, you can't let it idle without observation, and you certainly can't just leave it running. The moment the liquid nitrogen runs out, your temperatures will spike out of control and the hardware crashes with it.
Second, the cold itself creates problems. Extreme cold within normal ambient environments causes condensation, and that moisture can short out components if you don't properly insulate everything. Your motherboard, GPU PCB, VRM area, and surrounding components all need to be wrapped with foam, or other insulating materials. Setting up for an LN2 session takes time, preparation and dedication.
Third, running a chip at voltages and frequencies this extreme puts significant wear on the silicon and components. Cold temperatures can help with electromigration in the short term, but the physical stress of the thermal cycling can be demanding on the substrate over time. Most hardware used in serious XOC is essentially dedicated to that purpose only.
Finally, the logistics alone make daily use impossible. You need to locate a supply of liquid nitrogen and drive back and forth to a chemical supply company or industrial gas supplier. LN2 is stored in pressurized Dewar tanks and requires proper handling. More on that below. At the end of the day, this is a hobby, one of the most exciting and rewarding hobbies in the PC hardware world, but it's not practical outside of a dedicated overclocking session.
It’s also extremely important that we clarify that while we explore extreme overclocking for educational and hobby purposes, Valhalla Performance PC does not support liquid nitrogen overclocking, shunt modifications, BIOS flashing beyond manufacturer specifications, or voltage modifications on customer systems. Any modifications are performed strictly in a controlled, personal and professional environment and are not representative of supported configurations. Our systems for sale are built for performance, stability, and long-term reliability, not extreme overclocking.
The Dangers of Liquid Nitrogen and Precautions to be Taken
Let's discuss safety, because this is more important than anything else, and not something that should be taken lightly. Liquid nitrogen is extremely dangerous if handled improperly, and anyone getting into extreme overclocking needs to understand the risks prior to getting into it.
The most immediate danger is cryogenic burns. LN2 at -196°C will cause severe frostbite almost instantly when contacting skin. Even brief splashes can cause blistering. Always wear gloves that are made for LN2 handling when pouring liquid nitrogen. Do not use standard equipment you need cryo-rated PPE.
Eye protection is non-negotiable. Even a face shield should be considered here to just goggles alone, because LN2 can splash unpredictably, especially when first poured. The boiling and splashing in those first few seconds can send droplets flying.
Ventilation is extremely important, and often not considered. As liquid nitrogen boils, it can easily displaces oxygen within the environment. In a small, enclosed room or poorly ventilated space, this can quickly drop oxygen levels without warning. Always work in a well-ventilated area, ideally with a window open and an active fan moving air. Never run LN2 sessions in a room that is unventilated or sealed.
Only use proper Dewar flasks for LN2 for storage and transport. These are designed with pressure relief valves to ensure that pressure never reaches dangerous levels. Never seal liquid nitrogen in a regular container.
Always keep LN2 away from children, and those who may not understand the risks; if it's your hobby, its also your duty to keep those around you safe. Additionally, always ensure that you have a clean and organized area that you're working in, so you don't accidentally knock anything over. Plan clearly prior to pouring.
Getting Liquid Nitrogen; Where to Source It and What You Need
Acquiring liquid nitrogen is not easy, it needs to be sourced from a proper industrial or chemical supplier. This means contacting a chemical supply or welding company. You'll need your own cryogenic Dewar tank to transport and store it in. These come in various sizes, but start small so it's easily transportable. Larger ones give you more working time but are heavy and bulky. A 20 liter Dewar is a solid starting point for most XOC enthusiasts.
Additionally, plan your sessions around the supply. LN2 slowly evaporates even from a closed Dewar, so don't fill up days in advance if you're not going to use it. Fill the day of or the day before your XOC session.
Example of an LN2 Dewar tank.
Our Current Liquid Nitrogen XOC Rig
This rig was built specifically around chasing high scores in 3DMark and other benchmarks, with no concern for day-to-day usability.
The rig is built around the ASUS ROG Apex Encore Z790 motherboard, which is one of the go-to boards for extreme Intel overclocking, with a crazy amount of BIOS options, VRM support, and the ability to push DDR5 to it's limit. This is paired with an Intel Core i9-14900KS, not a CPU i would want for a daily driven PC due to it's reliability concerns, but it does incredibly well during sub-zero temperatures.
On the GPU side, I'm running a Gigabyte AORUS Master ICE 5090, it's shunt modded and running on custom BIOS with the capability of pushing 2400 watts. The shunt modification involves physically modifying the resistors on the PCB to allow the card to consume more power than allowed stock. This is not something to undertake without proper knowledge and soldering skills, it's fully possible here to permanently damage a video card during modification. The GPU is also managed with an Elmor Labs EVC2 board, which allows additional voltage control beyond what's available through software.
For the GPU, I'm running a Valkyrie copper LN2 pot, which is mounted to the GPU die and directly cooled with the LN2. A custom ASA-carbon fiber 3D printed backplate for rigidity is used to ensure unnecessary pressure isn't put on the GPU when running, those pots are heavy!
Custom VRM copper cooling heatsinks are also utilized too as they gets absolutely hammered at these power levels, fans are pointed in their direction for additional cooling.
The other side of our XOC rig, notice the frost buildup on the GPU pot.
The entire build sits on an Open Bench Table V2, making every component easily accessible, and should be the standard choice for XOC. The whole system managed via an Elmor Labs Overclocking Panel, to ensure that temperatures don't run too high or too low.
Understanding 3DMark Benchmarks Tests
When it comes to GPU benchmarking; 3DMark is the gold standard. Each test targets different aspects of GPU and system performance, and understanding what each one stresses is essential for knowing how to optimize your run.
Steel Nomad is designed to be GPU-limited even on the most powerful hardware available. It runs at a very high visual quality level and is not well-suited to systems without top-tier GPUs. For XOC, Steel Nomad is quickly becoming the prestige benchmark of choice because of how well it scales with raw GPU performance.
Time Spy includes both GPU and CPU workloads, making it more than just a graphics benchmark. The two main graphics tests are heavily GPU-bound, however, Time Spy also features a dedicated CPU test. While the CPU test directly affects the CPU and overall score, a fast processor here is crucial as it can also help prevent bottlenecks in the graphics tests and ensure you aren't CPU bound.
Speed Way is primarily GPU focused, heavily stressing ray tracing performance, shaders, and modern rendering, making it demanding on RT cores. A strong CPU can help avoid bottlenecks, but your benchmarks here are overwhelmingly determined by GPU capability and stability.
Port Royal is the dedicated real-time ray tracing benchmark in 3DMark and it uses DirectX to render complex scenes with reflections, shadows, and ambient occlusion which is absolutely brutal on RT cores and video memory bandwidth. It's shorter than Speed Way but extremely intense, and GPU VRAM overclocking can have significant impact on the scores.
Solar Bay is less commonly used in high-end XOC rankings than Port Royal, Speed Way, or Steel Nomad but can be very useful for determining benchmarks on mid range or mobile systems.
Hardware Stress points on 3dMark Benchmarks
As you probably know by now, different benchmarks stress different parts of your system, and knowing this helps you tune your overclock appropriately for each target.
Time Spy is hard on shader cores and compute. It will expose instability in GPU core clocks quickly. If you're chasing Time Spy scores, focus on core clock stability first, then memory.
Port Royal and Speed Way are the most demanding on RT cores and memory bandwidth. These benchmarks will fail or score poorly if your VRAM overclock isn't stable, even if your core clocks are fine. They're also demanding on the power delivery system, sustained ray tracing draws constant power, meaning you must have a reliable power supply with a large output to power your components
I believe Steel Nomad is the most comprehensive stress test in 3dmarks library. It's the benchmark that's likely to expose weaknesses in your overall overclock, and it's long enough that thermal management matters throughout the run. On LN2, keeping the pot consistently full during the start of Steel Nomad is a challenge, as it pulls so much power.
LN2 can also be utilized on the CPU level, and we have attempted this before, but it's not totally necessary. Liquid cooling the CPU on Ice water is generally enough to ensure that it's constantly hitting boost clocks, and your test doesn't become CPU bound. We use SplaveOne paste for mounting, which is specifically formulated for extreme overclocking applications.
How to Improve Your 3DMark Scores
Getting better benchmark scores isn't just about raw clock speed. Although Clock speed is the primary concern, more MHz essentially translates to means more work completed. In most tests 3DMark scales almost linearly with GPU core frequency. MSI afterburner is my go to software to control frequencies, and voltage. On LN2, you can typically add 300 to 600MHz above your best air or water overclock, sometimes more depending on the chip's individual headroom. Unfortunately, every chip is different. Memory overclocking has a surprisingly large impact on most benchmarks, particularly Port Royal and Time Spy Extreme. GDDR7 memory on the 5090 responds very well to increased frequency. Pushing VRAM clocks while keeping temperatures low can add hundreds of points to your overall score.
Voltage is the other major factor. More voltage allows higher clocks to stabilize, but also generates more heat, LN2 comes in handy here to take full advantage of higher voltage levels. The EVC2 boards allow voltage adjustments beyond what software tools can access, which is essential for serious XOC work.
Many enthusiasts just assume the hardware is the primary force behind high scores, although driver and OS optimization matters as well. A clean Windows installation, and no background processes running during the benchmark can heavily impact your final score. Some driver versions are significantly faster in specific benchmarks than others, and researching the best performing driver for your target test is part of the fun and preparation process.
For CPU, dialing in memory speeds and timings is a significant part of the overall system optimization, and can ensure that you get the best out of your GPU during runs, if you're bottle necked by your CPU you will see it in the benchmarks.
A Beginner's Roadmap to Getting Into Liquid Nitrogen Overclocking
If reading this has sparked an interest in trying XOC for yourself, there are sensible ways to approach it. Start by developing a solid foundation in overclocking, prior to venturing into XOC. If you've never overclocked a CPU or GPU using normal cooling, LN2 is not the right starting point. Additionally, start familiarizing yourself with BIOS settings, understand voltage and frequency relationships, and learn what causes instability before you introduce the complexity of LN2 cooling.
Next, join the community. The XOC community is genuinely welcoming to newcomers. HWBot forums, the Overclock.net extreme overclocking sections, and various Discords focused on competitive benchmarking are great places to learn. Many experienced overclockers are happy to share knowledge. Also, attending overclocking events or LAN parties where LN2 benching happens is invaluable for seeing it in person.
Invest in the right hardware. Investing in a quality LN2 pot, whether it's something you can buy or custom made makes a huge difference. Additionally, Get your safety equipment sorted before you handle any LN2. Cryogenic gloves, a face shield, a well-ventilated workspace, and a quality Dewar tank are all non-negotiable. Read, read, read, and understand the risks thoroughly. Start with hardware you're comfortable experimenting on and treat it as a learning experience rather than a record attempt.
The XOC Community; Competition, Records, and Camaraderie
One of the most rewarding aspects of extreme overclocking is the community. To be straightforward, this is a niche hobby, but the people in it are deeply passionate about the subject and also extraordinarily knowledgeable. World records can be reviewed on platforms like HWBot and the 3DMark Hall of Fame, the competition is strong but generally in good nature. Many of the top overclockers in the world share their techniques, and contribute to a growing body of knowledge around the subject. This culture of openness is part of what makes XOC special. It's not commercial or corporate, it's just enthusiasts pushing hardware as far as it can go for the love of it.
Is Liquid Nitrogen Overclocking Right For You?
Liquid nitrogen overclocking is one of the most demanding and rewarding things within the PC hardware niche. It requires serious knowledge, willingness to prepare, proper safety practices, access to LN2, and hardware that's been selected and modified specifically for XOC. It's not cheap, and not for everyone, and it's definitely not practical for everyday usage. However, There's nothing else like it, watching a benchmark score appear that you worked toward for weeks; a score achieved through careful preparation, the right hardware, and a perfectly executed run with liquid nitrogen is a feeling that's hard to describe to anyone who hasn't experienced it.
My current rig with the 14900KS, and 5090 is my benchmark machine. It lives on an open bench table, it gets taken apart and rebuilt regularly, it will never see a game running on it in any normal sense. And that's exactly how I want it. This is XOC, it's for fun, it's for records, and it's one of the best hobbies in PC hardware.
To be absolutely clear: Extreme overclocking shown in this article is conducted on dedicated hardware in a controlled environment. Valhalla Performance PC does not offer, endorse, or provide support for LN2 overclocking, shunt modifications, custom BIOS flashing, or voltage tuning beyond manufacturer specifications on customer systems. Any attempt to replicate these modifications is done at the individual’s own risk.
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Stay safe out there , keep your Dewar full, and happy benching!
Frequently Asked Questions
What is liquid nitrogen overclocking?
Liquid nitrogen overclocking, often called LN2 XOC, is an extreme cooling method used by hardware enthusiasts to push CPUs and GPUs far beyond normal clock speeds. Liquid nitrogen at around -196°C absorbs heat from the processor through a specialized cooling pot, allowing significantly higher voltages and frequencies during benchmark runs.
Why do overclockers use liquid nitrogen?
Extreme overclockers use liquid nitrogen because extremely low temperatures allow processors and graphics cards to run at higher stable clock speeds. Removing thermal limitations enables higher voltage and frequency levels, which can produce record breaking benchmark scores in tests such as 3DMark.
Is liquid nitrogen overclocking safe for everyday computers?
No. LN2 overclocking is strictly a hobby activity performed on dedicated hardware during controlled benchmark sessions. It requires constant monitoring, insulation against condensation, and frequent replenishment of liquid nitrogen, making it completely impractical for daily gaming or productivity systems.
What are the dangers of liquid nitrogen overclocking?
Liquid nitrogen can cause severe cryogenic burns if it contacts skin and can displace oxygen in poorly ventilated environments. Proper safety equipment such as cryogenic gloves, eye protection, ventilation, and approved Dewar storage containers are required when handling LN2.
What benchmarks are commonly used for extreme overclocking?
Extreme overclockers commonly validate performance using 3DMark benchmarks such as Steel Nomad, Time Spy, Speed Way, and Port Royal. Each test stresses different aspects of GPU and CPU performance including ray tracing, shader workloads, and system stability.
