Current Cost of CPU: $545
Monts on List: New

When paying top dollar for an Extreme Gaming CPU, there are a few factors to consider, especially when buying Intel. Along with getting the highest performance for your dollar, it is also important to keep in mind the potential upgrade path for your chosen platform. Since the older, FC-PGA 423 processor package is dead at 2.0 GHz, we are going with the newer mPGA 478 format and choosing the ultra-fast Pentium 4-2.0 GHz CPU. Buying into the mPGA 478 platform is the smartest move, and this will also be the design of the upcoming Northwood processors as well. To ensure we receive a fully compatible mPGA 478 HSF for our powerhouse Pentium 4, we're choosing to buy the Retail version over the OEM.

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Current Cost: $100
Months on list: 2
Price Change: -$5

The AMD choice is a whole lot easier, given their commitment to the Socket A platform and the fact that the Athlon Palomino has still not made its appearance. The Athlon 1.4 GHz is the only rational choice, and its current low-price point makes it an incredible steal. Be sure to choose the 266 MHz part when buying at this speed, since AMD produces both 200 and 266 MHz versions of their Athlon processors. And since there are a ton of quality Socket A HSF choices on the market that would put the retail unit to shame, we're going with the OEM Athlon 1.4 GHz.

Current Cost: N/A

This selection may raise a few eyebrows, but it is here for a reason. First off, the mPGA 478 design is still relatively new and there is still not enough data to determine the prime HSF unit for these new CPUs. Secondly, the included retail HSF is actually quite a bit larger than previous FC-PGA 423 models and cools very well. In our testing with the Pentium 4-2.0 GHz (mPGA 478) this retail behemoth performed like a champ and the improved clip mechanism made installation a snap. As these new microPGA 478 HSF units are rather sparse in number right now, we will be looking closely at the newer high-end units that do emerge in the very near future.

Current Cost: $35
Months on list: 2
Price Change: $0

If you're concerned about the potential heat of a high-end Pentium 4, then be doubly careful when choosing a CPU cooler for an Athlon 1.4 GHz. With a processor like the Athlon, the best bet is to use a premium heatsink, coupled with a high-speed cooling fan. A great example of this combination is the ThermoEngine HSF combined with the high-speed Delta Black Label Fan. This combo really gives you the best of both worlds but even the basic ThermoEngine cooler is a great performer with specs of 5800 RPM and 34 CFM of airflow. For some Extreme cooling, slapping on the Delta Black Label Fan ramps this up to 7000 RPM and 38 CFM. There are only two potential issues to keep in mind. The first is the higher ambient noise than any high-speed fan creates and the second is to be careful when using this fan on the standard CPU fan header of some motherboard models. This is due to the higher power requirements and if you want to be absolutely safe, then hook the Delta Black Label fan to one of the three-prong PSU power cords.