Are hardware companies, from chip makers to video card manufacturers and re-branders, generally supportive of overclocking?

YG: Do the results generated by the overclocking and benchmarking community have tangible value to hardware companies? If so, do companies recognize that value and are they appreciative of the community? SN: Things are changing. From a niched group of enthusiasts,now, even Dell is offering overclocked computers! Are they appreciative? I believe so. Companies like ASUS are giving the enthusiasts what they want, be it excellent motherboards or server core PSU's [power supply units] from Ultra and Silverstone. Quality of products that matter to enthusiasts has risen across the board. Now is the best time to get into the mix of things! YG: With regards to product development, how relevant are the results of the overclocking and benchmarking community to computer hardware in the big picture? In other words, over a period of years, has the community been responsible for or otherwise influenced major shifts in hardware development? SN: Absolutely! Who would need speed binning or PSU's which ...  more