If you’re feeling very very let down by the clocking down of the Galaxy Nexus’ processor from 1.5GHz to 1.2 GHz, here’s something that will cheer you up a little. Developer coolbho3000 over at XDA has come out with a new kernel which overclocks the new OMAP 4460 processor powering the Galaxy Nexus to 1.4GHz, and addition of 200MHz. The kernel is in beta right now, not very stable and some users have reported that this in fact slowed down their device a bit rather than making it speedier.

Developer has posted a video too of the Linpack tests conducted at default 1.2GHz clock rate and overclocked 1.4Ghz rate. At default, Linpack score is somewhere between 70 to 75 MFLOPS in several tests runs. While at overclocked rates, it ranged between 85-90, brining it par to what we’re used to on our Galaxy S2 i9100, which is powered by Samsung’s own Exynos processor clocked by default at 1.2GHz.

Of course, the developer is working on the 1.4GHz kernel’s stability and in fact, has already outed a one more kernel, clocked at 1.6GHz, which is not recommended for flashing at all since it’s in very early beta stage. If you intend to supercharge your Galaxy Nexus boosting it with another 200MHz of power, look below.

Btw, if all this overclocking stuff — which involves setting up adb, fastboot, typing commands and all that — seems beyond you, don’t worry. Just wait for a custom ROM which would come already overclocked using this kernel when it gets stable enough for daily use. Install the ROM from ClockWorkMod recovery then, and you’ll have overclock too easily.

Warning!

Overclocking is dangerous and is meant only for experienced users!

The methods and procedures discussed here are considered risky and you should not attempt anything if you don’t know completely what it is. If any damage occurs to you or your device, we won’t be held liable — you only will be responsible, you’ve been warned!!!

Guide to Overclock Galaxy Nexus

Using the custom kernel, in .img format which you can flash (or try without actually flashing) using fastboot, you can increase and decrease the clock rates of the processor — both the minimum and maximum points. You can try the 1.4GHz kernel by flashing it as given below. However, don’t try the 1.6GHz kernel because as of now (Dec 07, 11) it’s very very unstable and might brick your device. You can try 1.6GHz kernel when developer says it’s okay to, and that it gets stability too.

  1. Official development page — all downloads needs to be done from here.
  2. Download the latest version of 1.4GHz kernel from the link in step 1. It changes the maximum clock rate to 1.4GHz (from 1.2 GHz) and minimum clock rate to 384MHz (from 307MHz). File name is gnex_oc_uv.img. Note that filename may change later as this kernel gets updated over the time, during which its maximum clock rate will change too, to 1.8GHZ, or 2.0GHz or god knows what. Or it might not change at all.
  3. Setting up Fastboot on Galaxy Nexus:
    1. Install Android SDK → Download from here [Make sure you install Google USB Driver and Platform tools from SDK Manager]
    2. Download Fastboot files from here.
    3. Now put your phone in fastboot mode: Switch off your phone first and then hold the Volume Up Key + Volume Down Key and then press the Power button. You’ll now see a Android robot, and text below it would read “FASTBOOT MODE” in red.
    4. Extract the Fastboot.zip file on your PC
  4. Now open the command prompt from Fastboot folder ─ hold Shift key and Right click at any empty space inside the folder, and select “Open command window here“
  5. Now connect your phone to your PC using USB cable, and then type fastboot devices in the command prompt to make sure your device is recognized.
  6. Transfer the kernel file you downloaded in step 2 to fastboot folder in step 4.
  7. To Overclock Galaxy Nexus, you can use one of the two methods given below. actually flash the 1.4GHz kernel or another way is, to test the kernel first by booting up Galaxy Nexus using the 1.4GHz kernel without actually flashing it. sTEP 7.2 IS NOT RECOMMENDED. You cna test the Nexus at 1.4 GHz with 7.1, which doesn’t involve flashing of kernel.
    1. (Recommended method) Test the kernel (that is, boot the phone using kernel without actually installing/flashing it). For this, type fastboot boot gnex_oc_uv.img and hit enter key. Once you do this, 1.4 GHz kernel will be used to boot the phone and clock rates will be set high (at 1.4GHz) for this very boot. Booting normally without the fastboot command will use (default) installed kernel which has clock rates set at default 1.2GHz. Use SetCPU free app to check the maximum clock rates you have now. (You can test the 1.6GHz kernel using this method too. Copy that kernel to fastboot folder and use its name in command instead of that of 1.4GHz kernel.)
    2. [NOT RECOMMENDED] Install kernel. In step 7.1, you didn’t flashed the kernel and only used it to boot your Galaxy Nexus with 1,4 GHz kernel. To actually flash the kernel, type fastboot flash boot gnex_oc_uv.img. Kernel will be flashed and every time you boot your phone, whether normally or by using fastboot, clock rates will remain at 1.4GHz. (Don’t use this command with 1.6GHz kernel, for now.) Also note that if you need to go back to stock kernel, that is the default kernel, you’ll have to find that kernel yourself, I may not be able to help you.
  8. Run and Quadrant and Linpack benchmark tools to see the effect of overclocking.

That’s it. Share your Linpack and quadrant scores with us in comments below. And if you have anything to say to developer — a bug, slow down issue or anything — use the link in step 1 above.