Seeing as Engadget can get away with posting old news about computers in cardboard boxes, I will too 🙂
Here are box (bottom) and box2 (top). Despite size and cost being the main objectives, I claim extra-green compared to the Recompute computer, because not only does this design not require new cardboard, it even reduces waste by reusing the motherboard box instead of disposing (er, recycling) it.
| box | box2 | |
|---|---|---|
| Processor | Core 2 Quad Q9550 @ 3.5 GHz | Core i7-860 @ 3.3 GHz |
| Motherboard | ATX Gigabyte GA-965P-DS3 | MicroATX Gigabyte GA-P55M-UD2 |
| Memory | 2x 2GB DDR2-1066 | 4x 2GB DDR3-1600 |
| Disk | 3.5″ Samsung HD103SJ 1 TB 2.5″ WD1600BEVT 160 GB |
3.5″ Samsung HD103SJ 1TB |
| Video | PCIe x16 Radeon HD 3450 | None |
| Power Supply | Sparkle SPI270LE 270W | Sparkle SPI270LE 270W |
| Cooling | Stock HSF + 120mm intake | Stock HSF |
| Case | Motherboard box | Motherboard box, bamboo skewers |
| Volume | 5.3 L | 4.5 L |
| Built | July 2009 | February 2010 |
Attaching components to the box used cardboard strips in box, and wedged bamboo skewers in box2. The former wasn’t very strong, but the latter was good. A short length of skewer was embedded into a hole in the box and glued, then split down the middle. A small bamboo wedge was then inserted to hold components in place. A pair of notches were cut into the skewer to prevent slipping out of the hole.
