thanks zbomb for the reply - I'm not sure where you are - but here in the UK - my first set of 8500s wouldn't even do 1030 CAS5 (one module would the other wouldn't) - RMA'd them back to Crucial - sent off on the Tuesday, returned on the Friday - great service from Crucial. when you say you run your CPU at 1.53 VCore is that as set in bios or after Vdroop ? I've hit a wall at 3.35 gig with me E6600 but was wondering whether to push my Vcore higher or not - thanks.

eva2000 - no I don't - RAM modules are in front of my CPU - and if you had a fan above them it would effect the air-flow to the CPU pretty negatively.

I do have a side intake 120mm fan though.

Mark.