Overclocking Buyer's Guide - August 2004

Case and Power Supply

Computer Case

Recommendation: Coolermaster CM Stacker (STC-T01)
Price: $175 shipped

Overclockers tend to swap components at a dizzying rate, always looking for something that will run just a little faster or perform a little higher on a competitive benchmark. Since components are likely to be swapped a lot, a case should be as flexible as possible, providing for future components as well as those you might use today. Cooling is also a huge concern for overclockers, so a case that provides exceptional cooling is also a plus.

The 1.0 mm Steel Plate and Aluminum alloy Coolermaster CM Stacker is a case that fits the bill for the overclocker. Not only does it support 11 5-1/4" devices, it also supports both standard ATX and coming BTX designs. The case comes with conversion instructions for mounting a BTX motherboard. You also get support for either one or two standard ATX power supplies, and up to 8 internal fans, in addition to a unique optional crossflow fan.

Coolermaster cases are still some of the best for build-quality that you will find anywhere, and the CM Stacker is the most flexible case design that we have even seen. Whatever your particular desires in overclocking your system, you are likely to find a way to do what you need to to do with the CM Stacker.

You have to see the flexibility of the CM Stacker to believe it.

Power Supply

Recommendation: OCZ Power Stream 520W
Price: $150 shipped

The first thing that most overclockers learn is that the power supply does matter, because the first wall most overclockers run into is the inadequate power supply that came with their white-box computer. Overclocking demands much more of a computer system than running the system at stock speeds. If you think a Prescott at 3.4Ghz demands wattage, then you quickly realize a Prescott at 4.0Ghz demands even more power. The same is true of video cards. If a 6800 Ultra Extreme demands a decent 470W power supply, then you will need even more power when you overclock that 6800 Ultra to higher GPU and memory speeds.

You also quickly learn that all power supplies are not created equal. Most power supply ratings are combined ratings, as regular readers have learned in Power Supply reviews at AnandTech. This means that as some of the power supply rails are driven, other rails drop in power, and may end up supplying less than ideal power under stress. The very best power supplies individually control the power rails. They, therefore, usually handle the stress of overclocking much better than a PS with a combined rating. These are the power supplies that are most coveted by overclockers.

A superb example of a power supply geared to overclockers is the new OCZ Power Stream 520. It was designed from the ground up for overclockers, and features individual rails that are even tweakable for higher output or exact values. There are even LEDs on the rear of the black chrome case that tell you if the PS is operating in spec, under spec, or over spec. These same LEDs can even be used to tweak individual rails for optimum power.

520W sounds like a lot of power and it is, but truthfully, this power supply would probably be rated at 700 watts by a manufacturer who was trying to impress with specs. The 520W rating is conservative and this PS can easily handle almost anything an overclocker wants to throw at it. While the OCZ Power Stream are new to the market, they have quickly become favorites of the extreme overclocking community.

You will also find a stock 24-pin ATX power connector that will work with the new Socket 775 motherboards and servers, as well as a 24-pin to 20-pin adapter to use with motherboards requiring a standard 20-pin connector. There are also extra long SATA and 4-pin Molex connectors to power anything you might put in a full tower case or the CM stacker, as well as special heavy duty cables for the demands of hard drives and the latest high-end video cards. You can find out more about the Power Stream power supplies at the Power Stream product page.

Alternative: Antec True Power 480W
Price: $87 shipped

If $150 for a top power supply seems a bit rich for your budget, there is a very good alternative with the Antec True Power 480. The True Power series features individually powered rails, unlike the lesser Antec power supplies, which brings excellent stability to power-hungry overclocking.

The True Power series, in particular, is one of the most trusted power supplies among enthusiasts, and it will provide your overclocked system with stable power and some reserve for overclocking. While a good quality 350W or 400W power supply might do the job for processors and video cards at stock speeds, you will definitely need a high-quality power supply like the True Power 480 if you plan to overclock.

If you cannot find the lowest prices on the products that we've recommended on this page, it's because we don't list some of them in our RealTime pricing engine. Until we do, we suggest that you do an independent search online at the various vendors' web sites. Just pick and choose where you want to buy your products by looking for a vendor located under the "Vendor" heading.