3. Internal Components, Continued

A Thermalright Ultra 120 Extreme provides maximized air cooling without the significant weight penalty typically found in oversized coolers. It allowed Überclok to increase the E8400’s front-side-bus to 445 MHz clock-speed (1780 MHz data rate) without losing stability, resulting in a 4.01 GHz CPU frequency.

Überclok included two BFG 8800GTX graphics cards in SLI mode for this sample Reactor PC. These are the basic-overclock versions with a 600-MHz graphics core and 1800-MHz memory data rate, and Überclok hasn’t increased these speeds any further.

The sample Reactor also included 4 GB of Corsair Dominator PC2-8500 CAS 5, which Überclok set somewhat conservatively at a 1052 MHz data rate.

Power quality becomes especially crucial to assure a stable overclock, so Überclok stepped up to an 850-W unit from Cooler Master. The FS-850-EMBA has become especially popular for use with cases that have the power supply at the bottom, because the extra-long CPU 12V power lead is required for reaching the upper corner of most motherboards.

Uberclock installs the power unit with its fan on top, where it pulls air downward into its housing and exhausts it through the rear panel. Mounting the power supply in this orientation helps to direct intake air past the lower graphics card as it enters from the front of the case.