▁between ▁the ▁two ▁terminal s ▁of ▁the ▁M OS F ET ▁switch ▁called ▁the ▁channel ▁length ▁is ▁becoming ▁smaller ▁and ▁smaller . ▁This ▁changes ▁the ▁nature ▁of ▁the ▁relationship ▁between ▁terminal ▁volt ages ▁and ▁current . ▁▁ ▁Over clock ing ▁a ▁processor ▁increases ▁its ▁clock ▁speed ▁at ▁the ▁cost ▁of ▁system ▁stability . ▁With standing ▁higher ▁clock ▁spe eds ▁often ▁requires ▁higher ▁core ▁voltage ▁at ▁the ▁cost ▁of ▁power ▁consumption ▁and ▁heat ▁diss ip ation . ▁This ▁is ▁called ▁" over vol ting ". ▁Over vol ting ▁generally ▁involves ▁running ▁a ▁processor ▁out ▁of ▁its ▁specific ations , ▁which ▁may ▁damage ▁it ▁or ▁short en ▁CPU ▁life . ▁ ▁D ual - vol t age ▁CPU ▁A ▁dual - vol t age ▁CPU ▁uses ▁a ▁split - ra il ▁design ▁so ▁the ▁processor ▁core ▁can ▁use ▁a ▁lower ▁voltage , ▁while ▁the ▁external ▁Input / Output ▁( I / O ) ▁volt ages ▁remain ▁at ▁ 3 . 3 ▁vol ts ▁for ▁backwards ▁compatibility . ▁ ▁A ▁single - vol t age ▁CPU ▁uses ▁a ▁single ▁power ▁voltage ▁throughout ▁the ▁chip , ▁supp lying ▁both ▁I / O ▁power ▁and ▁internal ▁power . ▁As ▁of ▁ 2 0 0 2 ▁Micro processor # Mark et ▁statistics , ▁most ▁CPU s ▁are ▁single - vol t age ▁CPU s . ▁All ▁CPU s ▁before ▁the ▁Pent ium ▁MM X ▁are ▁single - vol t age ▁CPU s . ▁ ▁D ual - vol t age ▁CPU s ▁were ▁introduced ▁for ▁performance ▁gain ▁when ▁increasing