A clock synchronizes operations within the CPU and between the main board components (such as memory). It is a vital part of any modern computer.
In this game, the clock is used to speed up chip operations. Every time the clock 'ticks', all cool down cycles are reset, and the chips can act again. This is especially effective for chip types with long cool down times, such as SHR or MEM.
There can only be one clock chip, but it can be anywhere on the board. It does not need to be near or even connected to the other chips. The CLK chip can be upgraded and then ticks even faster.
graph LR;
CLK(CLK)
classDef clk stroke:#FF973B,stroke-width:4px;
class CLK clk
The additional speed comes at a price. As in real life, "overclocking" produces heat and can even damage you CPU.
The amount of heat produced depends on how much the cool down time is shortened by the clock. That is, when the clock ticks, any chip that is currently within its cool down cycle is reset, but the remaining time is added to the amount of heat.
