There are a huge number of tweaking tools available for Windows, and the vast majority of them focus on adjusting software setting to help boost the performance of individual applications as well as Windows itself. To take things to the next level, however, it is necessary to tweak hardware, and this is precisely what Intel Desktop Control Center enables you to do.

The program can be used to apply a range of performance enhancing tweaks to your computer by adjusting motherboard settings - a full list of compatible motherboards is available at here - and once install you can use the application to overclock your system.

This can be achieved by adjusting processor settings, bus speeds and memory timing - it is also down to experimentation. If you are working with a DX58SO, DP55KG or DP55SB board, you have the option of using an auto-tuning option to automatically boost the performance of your motherboard without the need to experiment with potentially unstable settings.

The application can also be used to monitor and control different aspects of your motherboard. If you have a loud fan, you can quieten it by slowing it down, but you may find that you actually want to increase fan speed as you overclock - monitoring the temperature will give you an idea of what to do. This is not a tool to be taken lightly, but in the right hands it can work wonders for Windows.