Overclocking Guide Part 3: How To Gain 81% For $27

Our Component Choices, Continued

Intel's lower bus speed E4300 (1.80 GHz at FSB800) will ease memory selection for mid-budget overclockers near month's end, but until then, we're left seeking moderately-priced high-end parts. OCZ' s 2x1 GB PC2-6400 System Elite Dual Channel kit was up to the task.

Unlike more familiar OCZ parts, these System Elite modules are rated at standard voltage, leaving plenty of room to "find your own" overclock, but without an additional guarantee of how far they should go.

We "skimped" on the rest of our system by reusing "old" parts from the test bench; most significant performance-wise being a Western Digital Raptor 150 GB drive. This high-speed part may not be the best value for the majority of users, but reusing it certainly saved us money!

We also reused our Cooler Master Hyper TX cooler, the $27 part referred to in this article's title. Though more powerful than the stock cooler, the main reason for its selection was its lower noise level. Our overclocked system reached its stability limit at 58C, only three degrees higher than our recommended 55C limit.