31st July 2007: Please not that the latest Core 2 Duo E4400 processors do not appear to be the overclocking wonders that the original processors were. Back when we tested the overclocking abilities of the E4400 and published this article we did manage to overclock four of these processors to 3.0GHz with ease using nothing but the Intel box cooler. However the latest batch of these processors which we tested two of late last week only managed 2.6GHz and 2.8GHz, neither could manage a stable 3.0GHz overclock. We even resorted to water-cooling which did not help, as it does not appear to be a heat issue, just a physical limitation of the processors themselves. So please be aware of this if you plan to buy an E4400 in the future.

There are a few different levels of overclocking and it is the cheapest and most simplified version of overclocking that I find the most valuable and impressive. Ever since I became fascinated with overclocking all those years ago, “extreme” overclocks have never really excited me. This is because I see them as being like top fuel drag cars. Both require a serious amount of effort and while the result can be mind blowing, it only lasts for a split second before it’s all over and something needs to be rebuilt. Therefore in this case extreme overclocking is not what most of us are after!

Then there is the not so extreme overclock that requires the user to spend a little more on cooling for the processor and its surrounding components. Like a heavily modified circuit car, which I find a little more entertaining, the not so extreme overclock can run day and night. These kind of overclocks still require the user to spend additional money on cooling, there is also more work involved in maintaining and monitoring the system.

Now the type of overclocking that I have done the most of over the years is also the most simplified and more importantly the cheapest form of overclocking. There is nothing better than paying for a low-end system that you can then turn into a high-end system with a few clever tricks. I would describe this as taking your favourite turbo car; dropping it off at the tuning shop for the day, and without any real modifications these cars can produce over 60% more power in the right hands.

The same can be achieved with your computer, should you pick the right hardware. Today’s article is by no means extreme and it is certainly not difficult. What we endeavour to do is take one of the cheapest Core 2 Duo processors available and turbo charge it to the point where it is faster than the most expensive Core 2 Duo processor! The best part is this will be achieved without spending a dollar on cooling. Furthermore the build, which includes the Intel Core 2 Duo E4400 processor, Corsair ValueSelect 2GB DDR2-667 memory, ASUS P5N-E SLI motherboard and Antec Performance TX TX1050B case with 500 watt power supply, cost just $510 US.

The only components that we have left out for you to configure are the graphics card, hard drive and optical drive. When you consider that the Intel Core 2 Duo E6700 and a decent motherboard will cost at least $500 US, this is a pretty impressive setup. The only thing left to do is turn this placid E4400 system in to an E6700 killer and this can be done in just a few easy steps...