WOW! !mitationRust,

"Intel runs hotter than AMD" is really anecdotal
That is a first on me...............I always heard it the other way round? AMDs are supposed to be the hot chips AFAIK? As I understood it, the P4, or certainly the later ones will switch themselves off if they get too hot.

I doubt if third party software will work too well with a Dell box, that has always been my experience going up to an Inspiron 8100/1.7Ghz.

I would strongly state that I would NEVER attempt to overclock a shop bought/proprietary machine. They just cut corners on fans, heatsinks, thermal paste and airflow design.

The machine I used to type this I built a while ago when a P4 2.26Mhz was the best you could get. Hey I got it to run at 3.066Mhz stable! and it was only at around 43c .............but with all the wires out of the way, a huge CoolerMaster heat pipe heatsink, silver thermal compound, an exhaust fan etc.....................

My point is, don't rely on the "boxed processor kits" you see. Do your homework, and get an OEM CPU with other stuff selected by yourself.

TEX~ I would say that an exhaust fan will more than compensate for the bit of Dell plastic.......................also:

STOP FONDLING THAT HEATSINK YOUNG MAN!................if you are not properly grounded you may give it a fright..................not to mention get arrested for it

This is the kind of thing I am talking about:

http://www.compusa.com/products/prod...202&pfp=BROWSE