Feasible to O/C an E4x00?

[noldevin]

Hello everyone

I am planning to build a new computer sometime around mid january, possibly february. I would like to get either a 680i or 780i motherboard, but if DDR3 prices drop considerably ill go for the 790i (if they are out by then). Anyway, this processor has an FSB rating of 800mhz, while those motherboards are rated for 1333 with plenty of headroom for overclocking. Because of this, it seems to me that an 800mhz processor is a very good option for overclocking, because the motherboard can still run almost stress free.
I would like to have an overclock of roughly 333x10 or better. Now for the questions...
Is this possible on an e4x00 series CPU? I would like to stay as close to stock voltage as possible, and have low temperatures. I am hoping the lowered multiplier will help too, which brings me to question 2:
Which 4x00 series CPU would be best? Would the 4600 with the 12x multiplier offer more headroom? Or should I just stay with the 4500 on an 11x multi?
I will be using a zalman 9500 or 9700 cooler in a Tt Armor case.

Finally, would it be more worthwhile to spend the extra 100 dollars for a 6x00 series CPU, on a 1333 fsb? It doesnt seem like I could get as much out of it for the money.

 

[SerpentRoyal]

About 50% of 9x multi E4xx0 should be able to hit 3.2GHz or higher. All are based on the same core technology. Stick with quality JEDEC 1.8V DDR2 667 or 800 RAMs. Kingston's N5 1.8V DDR2 667 is only $44 @ NewEgg with free ship (1GB x 2). P35 is best for overclocking these 800MHz chips. I would avoid the Nvidia chipset (hit or miss).

The E21x0 chips would be a better choice since an E2140 is often available for $60 out-the-door (hot deals forum). Again, these should be able to hit 3.2GHz. Save your $ for 800/1066MHz FSB 45nm quads in late 2008. These will probably go for less than $200.

 

[noldevin]

Thanks for the tips Serpent, just a few things to add
I have been considering waiting for the new chips to come out, but we will have to wait and see what they have to offer and how much they cost. I would rather stay above the 2xxx series CPUs as they only have 1mb of cache. As for ram, I plan to buy buying a G.Skill 2x2gb ddr2 1000 dimms at newegg for less than $200, so even if I don't get it that high going synched, i can tighten the timings more. And yes, I am going with a 64 bit os to take advantage of the full 4 gigs.
And as far as the nvidia boards go, i know they are hit or miss, but with current technology (both hardware and games), SLI seems the way to go IMO. Even if something new comes out, it's still an option I want to have even further down the road. Besides, EVGA has an excellent RMA program.

One more question. You said about half of the 9x e4xx0's can reach 3.2ghz, would it be easier and more possible to overclock one with a 10 or 11x multi that i could potentially lower for a decrease in heat/voltage?

 

[SerpentRoyal]

Not much penalty in the cache department if you can get the chip north of 3.0GHz. You're paying 40% less $ for perhaps a 5% drop in speed. Overclocking 2GB modules can be challenging. I prefer four sticks of JEDEC 1.8V DDR2 667 or 800 Kingston N5 RAMs. These will run well at default BIOS. Kingston N5 DDR2 800 should be able to hit +450MHz FSB with 2.1V/4-4-4-12-2T. The key is RAM compatibility and stability. $120 for 4GB is a very good price for these RAMs.

CPU multiplier should be an issue @ 9x or higher. Again, I would not use an 800MHz chip with NVIDIA board. It's best to stick with 1066.

 

[noldevin]

I looked at the 1066 chips, but they tend to have lower multipliers and be more expensive as well. The only one that would be worth getting with my goals is the e6600, which is ~$230. Does anyone know what the new 1066 chips will be like? Those may be an option depending on price. The ram would not be overclocked, if anything it would be underclocked with tighter timings, since its ddr2 1000 ram and I don't intend to raise the fsb over 450.