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$1000 computer buildoff


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Hey, I thought that some fun in this part of the forum is needed at this time, so i propose a contest, and although i cant say that i have any prises for you guys (poor college student) maybe we can arrange some kind of little reward thing, I'll discuss it with Tormod, see what we can do, meanwhile here are the details:

 

Build the best computer system, under $1000 in cost (in parts or however you decide to build it, no shipping costs included).

 

judging:

highest processing power

but dont forget it also needs to be usable, so decent graphics card

decent amount of hard drive space,

audio is not too too necessary, although its cool if you have a nice chipset

looks should not count too too much, although are definately a plus in 2 systems of that are equally good in other parts

basically a full pachage system, probably not for average users, but a box that would make a decent server as well as an ok gaming station, from here let the imagination take you

 

Anyways, you have to post a link to a page that lists a price on the items you use i.e. If you say a case with a 550w power supply for $50, you need to follow that up with a link. If the item was on sale and is no longer so, i guess that we will believe it to a certain extent, but again, we will only accept values that make sense (ex: a GForceFX5900 for $10 will probably be disqualified). Oh and speaking of that, lets make it a max of 2 systems per user, so you have two shots at winning (what i still dont know :()?

 

Open to any suggestions (but not all suggestions are going to be accepted, obviously). If you are submitting an entry, please let us know that in the first line of the post. Oh, and post any discussions in "computer build off discussions" thread. Have fun, and as soon as i find out anything about a prize, or whether there is going to be one, I'll let you know. Obviously i'll post something too, but I am not eligible for a prize as i am the initiator, oh and no copying one nother, duplicates will be disqualified...

 

ok, let me clarify some things that have come up in the discussion thread:

1) you can buy parts or the entire system, parts have to fit together to make a working system, assembly is free

2) you can buy items from ebay, but only those that have a buy it now price, and that is what you pay

3) you do not have to pay for software, however if you are building something crazy i'll ask you to specify what you will run on it.

4) i just thought of this one, you need at least a dvd rom (at this day and age, you need one), but preferably a writer

5) you dont need to buy peripherals(keyboard, monitor, mouse... nothing, just the system)

 

The Prize

Free Platinum Sponsorship Subscription

 

2 Years at a 25% discount. Includes more gallery space for your pictures, 50 MB scienceforums.com e-mail account, more posting privileges, invisibility, and access to The Club. Also includes a free puzzle and ad free surfing at our forums.

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Here is an example:

 

ASUS K8V-SE Deluxe motherboard with an Athlon 64 3200 processor (heatsink and fan(ultra on the page))(this will allow to overrclock the computer for better performance): $354.89

http://www.smksuperstore.com/catalog/viewitem.asp?ID=11625

 

2 1gig sticks of pc3200 ddr ram : $57.96 ea x 2 = $115.92

http://www.smksuperstore.com/catalog/viewitem.asp?ID=7628

 

Aluminum case with a 550W power supply, 2 case fans, and an 18 inch SATA cable: $55.86

http://www.cmicomputer.com/cgi-bin/quikstore.cgi?product=cspwm01ps0&detail=yes

 

250Gig Seagate SATA drive: $146.97

https://order.store.yahoo.com/cgi-bin/wg-order?unique=a1790&catalog=tonyh&et=428a1e98&basket=b%3D5C1d8088d8012f09428a1790776bb1d8088d828402b9bfbc5e8c647f2f4731a75%26l%3D%26s%3Dhjc6CE5IwxLSeNE8kbLWOA1dF1k-

or

http://www.memorylabs.net/sest25seata7.html (no format, no calbe, no external closure, no usb cable, yes screws, one year warranty and no shipping insurance...)

 

Nvidia GForce FX 5900XT 128meg: $101.00

http://www.shentech.com/bfggefx59oc1.html

 

AUDIGY 2 ZS PLATINUM: $165.95

http://www.allstarshop.com/shop/product.asp?pid=8121&ad=pwatch

 

8x4x12 DVD+RW/CDRW IDE : $42.00

http://www.gearxs.com/gearxs/product_info.php?products_id=3618

 

Total price: a little under $983

 

(again i calculated it so everything with a decimal place gained one dollar, it's just an example and exact figures dont really matter, but this is how it would be done)

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  • 4 weeks later...

Im gonna submit 2 systems. This first one is strictly for gaming and overclocking. It also assumes that the owner does both. Ill post a second one for a gaming/server setup.

 

 

Cpu: AMD 3000+ venice (odds are on that you will get at least 2.5ghz out of it) - http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16819103537 = $153

 

Motherboard: DFI nForce4 UT-D (same chipset and PCB as used in their high-end boards - easily moddable to SLI) - http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16813136159 = $122

 

Video: XFX 6800GT (SLI supported - GT's are notorious for overclocking to ultra specs) - http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16814150091#DetailSpecs = $349

 

Hard drive: 2 x Hitachi Deckstar 160gb (raid0) = http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16822145072 = $168

 

Memory: OCZ value series 2 x 512mb (value VX/winbond UTT chips often reach 250mhz 2-2-2-x with extra volts that the DFI motherboard can supply) = http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16820227213 = $105

 

Case with included 420w PSU (thought id go the aesthetic route on this one :hyper: ) = http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16811170020 = $60

 

SONY Black 16X DVD-ROM 52X CD-R 32X CD-RW 52X CD-ROM = http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16827106819 = $30

 

Artic silver 5 thermal paste (for the shear hell of it) = http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16835100007 = $8

 

Red LED fan to cool the RAM = http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16811998107 = $4.50

 

Total = $999.50

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Server/gaming setup.

 

CPU: AMD 3400+ Newcastle retail s754 = http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16819103484 = $223

 

Motherboard: AOpen VIA K8T800 chipset = http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16813137042 = $67

 

Video: ATI Radeon 9700pro = http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16814102365 = $174

 

Hard drive: 2 x 300GB WD Caviar for a raid1 array = http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16822144391 = $266

 

Memory: 2 x 1GB Pqi Turbo DDR400 = http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16820141182#DetailSpecs = $169

 

Case: Beige, steel case with 350w PSU that you can sell to get some money back = http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16811195014 = $22

 

CD/DVD: LITE-ON Black 16X DVD-ROM 48X CD-ROM IDE DVD-ROM Drive = http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16827131410 = $20

 

PSU: PC Power & Cooling 360 ATX silencer = http://www.pcpowercooling.com/products/viewproduct.php?show=S36ATX = $58.50

 

Total = $999.50

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  • 14 years later...

What is this ancient bullshit from 2005, Can I enter?

Untitled.png

 

My build is a bit over 1000$ though, but adjusting for inflation it is about perfect.

 

 

 

I bet you didn't guess this one Synthetic Viral Nano-machines at 16$ a 5ml vial.

Untitled.png

 

In the Future....3/22/2020 Rock on! We don't do human sacrifices to the gods anymore either... :shocked:

Edited by VictorMedvil
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