So you think you might like to try overclocking, but your old parts just won't cut it? Entry into the world of overclocking doesn't have to break the bank - we have a few selections and suggestions to help get you started. Intel's Core 2 series sits at the top of both the performance and overclocking charts, its slowest E6300 adding a value price to the mix. Every step down in die process removes some amount of voltage tolerance; arbitrarily placing a 1.45 V limit on this 65 nm core increases the likelihood that it will last over a year rather than a few months or less. 2.6 GHz should be easily attainable using the stock cooler with most "overclockable" motherboards. Speeds exceeding 3.0 GHz might be possible at our "low" recommended voltage using recent core revisions and better-equipped boards.

Toms Hardware Guide